We are thrilled to announce that our Solidwool Welsh Mountain material has recently been featured in the redesign of two Paul Smith retail spaces - in both Bicester village in Oxfordshire and their Heathrow Terminal 5 store.
Having had a retail presence at Heathrow for over 10 years, the newly redesigned store at Terminal 5 continues to uphold their stylish legacy, juxtaposing old and new by placing a reclaimed timber panelled room within the clean lines of the airport environment. With the facade still echoing the signature red of their T2 and T3 stores with bold red glazed ceramic tiles, they hold a strong presence throughout the terminals, certainly standing out amidst the lineup of retail stores. Inside, the reclaimed wood panelling - which was originally housed in the National Loan Exchange Bank Columbia, sits in beautiful contrast amongst the polished mirrors and sweeping lightbox ceiling. It is these juxtaposing elements, where both modern and traditional materials sit together in harmony, that make the space the perfect environment to display both the traditions of tailoring and the modernity of fashion in one room.
The store is punctuated throughout with unique materials and fixtures, creating even more visual interest and forming the perfect interior scheme for our unique composite to feel completely at home. Providing an organic backdrop for the accessories housed in these custom display cabinets, our Welsh mountain sheet material has been used as a visually textural surface to counteract the sleek, polished steel of the cabinet body.
Creating continuity throughout their stores, the new Paul Smith store at Bicester Village in Oxfordshire also houses a piece of custom Solidwool furniture. Rather than the cabinetry seen at the Terminal 5 store, for this shop, the designers opted for a custom tiered display table inlaid with our same Welsh Mountain Sheet Material. Designed as a main table with two matching benches, this piece forms a central feature of the store and beautifully showcases the possibilities of our unique compound.
Paired in this design with black steel legs, the Solidwool nestles perfectly into the frame, softening the harsh lines of the metal while still providing the perfect smooth surface for the clothes to sit. The black tone of the metal brings out the naturally dark fibres running through the Welsh Mountain wool creating a strong sense of unity throughout the whole piece. We believe that simple, refined design like this is where our Solidwool material can truly shine.
It is Paul Smith’s ethos of ‘think global, buy local’, plus the brands commitment to sourcing sustainable materials, that first led to their discovery of our products. Having been put forward by a member of their design team for a ‘sustainable materials board’ in their design office in Covent Garden, Solidwool was clearly on their radar for a little while, waiting for the perfect opportunity to be used.
The team at Paul Smith have explained how they always aim to support businesses local to each shop fit and we are honoured to have now been featured in the redesign of two of their retail stores, with both locations demonstrating how our Solidwool sheet material can be utilised to create one-of-a-kind furniture pieces.
Thanks again to the team at Paul Smith for their commitment to local, sustainable material sourcing, and for those taking to the skies via Heathrow, or perhaps spending a day shopping at Bicester Village, be sure to pay Paul Smith a visit and see the pieces for yourself.