Longchamp's revamped La Maison Unique demonstrates a fresh approach to sustainability
"We had several goals to make the store brighter, so we removed some of these wooden wall units and set them back from the windows to create more natural light as these units are beautiful from behind too," Cassegrain said as he pointed to massive corner windows, now adorned with a neon green logo.
"We wanted people to flow more freely. So, we've opened the space toward the street and the daylight," he added. The floors were sanded to reveal a light blonde finish, and new lighting and display hooks using magnet technology were also installed.
Heatherwick further designated the space in the roughly 4,000-square-foot floor by covering the classic architectural columns typical in SoHo's cast-iron buildings with a green carpet that oozed out into a green-patterned circular rug, designating sections of the space. Custom consoles and movable shelving, like a layered Lazy Susan, were used to display products.
Side chairs, curved "croissant" couches, and a Gio Ponti side table are among the new furniture that inhabit the spaces. There are also bits of vintage bric-a-brac, including vintage leather-covered pipes to hold tobacco in a nod to the brand's origins, all a visual feast for mid-century modern lovers.
As lovely as it is, Cassegrain quickly points out that the concept is just for New York. "It's made for here; the scale and location make it unique and special and meant to stay here. There is no intention to duplicate it," he continued.
The revamp, which is less wasteful and has less negative environmental impact than a complete gut and redo, is a result of the brand's retail reset post-COVID. "We've been putting more emphasis on welcoming the customer, making the space geared toward the customer rather than designed to solve our internal problems.
Some constraints don't exist anymore, which has allowed us to give more space to the customer, create places that can be enjoyed, which is also why we have brought in some artwork," Cassegrain explained, pointing out a Japanese ceramic sculpture on a coffee table. "In the past four or five years, we've redone most of our stores worldwide. So this one is being redone too, but in its own unique way, with the same brand DNA and principles but still on brand," he added.
During the chat, Heatherwick recalled the design problems that needed solving when he entered the space with a small first-floor footprint. "We had to design a staircase that wasn't too imposing or unwelcoming. Even the balustrade was carefully considered, not only for safety concerns but also because glass panes define space with harsh edges and reflections. Hence, we made a giant 'toaster' to melt this acrylic panel, which gives a softer edge," Heatherwick told the crowd of the infamous green 'lanes' that flow upwardly in a curvy pattern to the second and third floors on the open-design staircase, which is bathed in light thanks to the hole in the ceiling the designer said he made to let in the light.
Heatherwick joked that discussing how the building presented design challenges and how they worked it out "felt like a therapy session" and added the numerous meetings with the various multi-generation family members and teamwork, which he remembered fondly.
To celebrate the brand, Heatherwick and co. hosted a reopening party attended by some of the buzziest VIPs currently, such as Emma Roberts, Ego Nwodim, Natalia Dyer, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Isabela Merced, and more, a DJ set by Amrit Tietz and Mona Matsuoka, and a specially choreographed dance performance inspired by the space from Jacob Jonas The Company.
To manage the new opening and share news with the public, event coordinators tried to get a permit to block a traffic lane, only to discover it was just a sliver of the street, to their surprise. It's the same for guests arriving at the compact ground floor of the 8,600-square-foot space in SoHo.
"It's a place to discover. It's unassuming because you don't see it from the street," Cassegrain noted.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
41 minutes ago
- Euronews
French MPs across the political spectrum slam US-EU trade agreement
France's Prime Minister François Bayrou said on Monday that the European Union had given in to US President Donald Trump's threats of increased tariffs, slamming the deal agreed to on Sunday as a "dark day." "It is a dark day when an alliance of free peoples, brought together to affirm their common values and to defend their common interests, resigns itself to submission," Bayrou wrote in a post on X. Under the agreed terms, finalised by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trump during a meeting in Scotland, the majority of EU exports bound for the American market will be subject to a 15% tariff. The tariff for US exports headed for the EU market was not immediately clear but the deal is preliminary and needs to be further fleshed out. "I think it's great we made a deal today instead of playing games," Trump said at the end of the meeting. "I think it's the biggest deal ever made." "It's a big deal. It's a huge deal," von der Leyen said. "It will bring stability, it will bring predictability. That's very important for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic." Von der Leyen noted the 15% tariff would be "across-the-board" and "all-inclusive", blocking the application of other duties. The trade agreement was also welcomed by Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. The EU's trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič hailed it as a "breakthrough," preventing a potentially catastrophic trade war between the world's two biggest economies. Trade deal slammed in France But the deal has not been as well received by MPs in France from across the political spectrum. Benjamin Haddad, the Minister Delegate for European Affairs, welcomed the "temporary stability" the deal represents, but complained that it was "unbalanced." "Free trade has now been rejected by the United States, which has opted for economic coercion and complete disregard for WTO rules," he said in a post on X. "Let's be clear: the current state of affairs is unsatisfactory and unsustainable." President of the right-wing National Rally Jordan Bardella was more explicit in his condemnation, slamming it as an "agreement of shame." "Ursula von der Leyen accepted Europe's trade surrender, to the detriment of our exporters, farmers and manufacturers," he complained. His party colleague and leader of the National Rally in the National Assembly, Marine le Pen, was also critical, slamming the deal as a "political, economic and moral fiasco." Meanwhile, politicians on the left were equally critical. Founder of the France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) party, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, said the deal represented a blow to "liberalism" and complained that "everything has been ceded to Trump with the right to change the rules of the game established over 75 years of bilateral relations." And French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann said "this losing deal with Trump is the product of a despairing political and moral weakness." The end of the story? Before Trump's arrival disrupted transatlantic commerce, EU-made products were subject to an average tariff rate of 4.8% upon entering US territory. Sunday's deal presumably entails an additional 10% to reach the 15% mark. EU cars, which are today under a 27.5% tariff, will be brought under the 15% rate. A "zero-for-zero" scheme will apply to aircraft and related components, semiconductor equipment, critical raw materials and some chemical and agricultural products. "We will keep working to add more products to this list," von der Leyen said. Additionally, she explained, the bloc commits to spending over $250 billion per year on purchasing American liquefied natural gas (LNG), oil and nuclear fuels to replace Russian energy. The total pledge will amount to about $700 billion by the end of Trump's term. Asked about what concessions, if any, the US had made in the talks, the Commission chief replied with a general remark about shared prosperity. "The starting point was an imbalance, a surplus (of goods) on our side and a deficit on the US side. We wanted to rebalance the trade relation, and we wanted to do it in a way that trade goes on between the two of us across the Atlantic," she said. "I think it's going to be great for both parties," Trump said.
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Iconic French chef stakes reputation on vegan menu
The 68-year-old has become the first three Michelin star chef in France to switch to an entirely plant-based menu, opening a new chapter in the world of luxury dining. Since July 21, Passard has stopped serving meat, fish, dairy products and eggs at L'Arpege, his restaurant in the French capital's chic seventh district that he has run for nearly 40 years. The only exception is honey that comes from the restaurateur's own beehives. Passard said the switch had been in the pipeline for a year. "There's light in this cuisine," he told AFP. "There are taste sensations that I've never experienced anywhere else." L'Arpege used to be known as one of the leading rotisseries in Paris. It earned three Michelin stars in 1996, and has held the distinction ever since. In 2001, Passard caused a stir in the rarefied world of French cuisine by dropping red meat from his menu and saying he would focus more on vegetables grown in his gardens. The shift made him one of the first ambassadors of plant-based cuisine. While Passard is motivated by environmental concerns in his new quest, it is above all a culinary challenge. The restaurant's updated menu includes mesclun praline with roasted almonds and melon carpaccio. Lunch costs 260 euros. Passard has no plans to become a vegan militant himself. "I still eat a little poultry and fish," he said. "But I'm more comfortable with plants. They allow me to learn." - 'Colossal task' French chef Claire Vallee knows from experience that Passard is up for a challenge. "It requires a lot more preparation, knowledge and research," Vallee said of plant-based dishes. "It's quite a colossal task." In 2021, her vegan restaurant in southwest France won a Michelin star, the first for an establishment serving only animal-free products in France. Vallee in 2016 launched ONA –- which stands for Origine Non Animale ("Non-Animal Origin") –- thanks to crowdfunding from supporters and a loan from a green bank. The establishment closed in 2022, and the 45-year-old chef went on to open several pop-up restaurants. Since then, no other French restaurant serving only animal-free products has been awarded a Michelin star. Internationally, vegan haute cuisine is rare. Eleven Madison Park in New York has kept its three stars after becoming exclusively vegan in 2021. In the Netherlands, De Nieuwe Winkel's plant-based menu has earned it two Michelin stars. Laurent Guez, a food critic for French newspaper Le Parisien and business daily Les Echos, said Passard's announcement was "a major event". But he also warned that not a lot of chefs could excel in the art of high-end plant-based gastronomy. "It's exceptional cuisine that not everyone can allow themselves to launch into," he said. Michelin guide international director Gwendal Poullennec said he was "delighted" with the transition at L'Arpege, describing it as a "positive approach". "We will continue to follow the evolution of L'Arpege, remaining faithful to our criteria," he told AFP. Passard has given himself two years to take his kitchen skills to a new level. Is he worried about losing his three stars? "I've never thought about that," he said.
Euronews
8 hours ago
- Euronews
On defence, France and Germany are inching closer but remain far apart
Germany is becoming more French - and vice versa - when it comes to defence but big differences in the state of their public finances and strategic thinking mean the so-called Franco-German engine is unlikely to be able to power a big shift in the way the EU as a whole does defence. "From a longer historical point of view, the degree of convergence (between the two countries) is arguably higher than it has been for, I would say, decades," Jacob F. Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Brussels-based Bruegel think tank, told Euronews. Both capitals see Russia as their biggest long-term threat, and both have pledged to pour hundreds of billions of euros into their military and defence industrial base. In Berlin, this has been dubbed a "Zeitenwende" (or historical turning point) while Paris said its latest military programmation law is "the ultimate strategic move". This convergence was driven by Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which brought back conventional war to European soil, Donald Trump's return to the White House, which has put in doubt continued long-term US commitment to Europe's security, and a change of leadership in Germany. The new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, "basically took what I can only describe as a Gaullist stance", Kirkegaard said, by saying that "Europe needs to prepare for a future without a US security guarantee". 'France is converging with Germany' Yet one example of how this rapprochement in defence remains a laborious process came last week when France's Emmanuel Macron and Merz sought to diffuse tensions over a joint €100 billion project to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet. At the core of the dispute is the demand by France to secure 80% of the workshare for the new Future Combat Air System (FCAS), negating previous agreements that it would be split equally between the two countries and Spain, which is also part of the project. The French demand, however, "should not be as surprising as it seems", Rafael Loss, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told Euronews, given that one of the major differences between France and Germany is how differently they view their military and the purpose they serve. The armed forces in France are part of the national foreign policy - as recent deployments in the Sahel attest - with the country's overseas territories and its possession of the nuclear weapon adding to its global perspective. "That's why the French military is much more comfortable with acting unilaterally or outside of EU, NATO contexts (than Germany's), and this then extends to the kinds of capabilities that the French armed forces prefer acquiring," Loss said. "Everything that relates to the French nuclear deterrent has to work when France is alone. And that means that FCAS, which is supposed to replace the Rafale fighter bombers going forward in carrying French nuclear weapons, French military and political leadership will not accept a situation where they're dependent to produce this capability because the nuclear deterrent depends on that capability." "French industry will need to be able to produce this aircraft by themselves if push comes to shove. They're willing to cooperate when strategic orientations align, but ultimately they have to produce everything independently of others. And again, that's something that many in Germany and across Europe haven't quite realised," he added. Still, Loss continued, "France is converging with Germany" with the "realisation that for the sake of European security, it needs to show that it invests in its partnerships and relationships with Europeans, especially those on the eastern flank". 'A big wasted opportunity' But the other major hurdle for the two to advance a common defence agenda at the EU level is the stark difference in their respective fiscal space. Germany's debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio stood at 62.3% in the first quarter of the year. France's was at 114.1%, well above what the bloc's rules mandate (60%). This structural divergence means that as European countries aim to significantly ramp up their defence spending and military capabilities to deter a possible Russian attack towards the turn of the decade, Germany can afford to invest heavily in defence, while France cannot. For instance, Germany has asked to make use of a proposal by Brussels to loosen fiscal rules for defence spending, something France, which is targeted by an excessive deficit procedure, cannot do. France, which has consistently invested in defence over the last few decades, has less ground to cover, so to speak, but the sums advanced by the German government (including a €500 billion fund to boost the military and the country's infrastructure) should mean it catches up quickly. But their public finances also "fundamentally place them on different sides of negotiating tables" at the EU level, Kirkegaard said. The European Commission has put forward a plan to rearm Europe that it hopes will prompt member states to invest up to €800 billion before 2030. But most of that money is expected to come from member states' coffers, which in the case of France, are quite depleted. Given the scale of the task ahead, the Commission has been asked to come up with "innovative" financing options for defence. Macron has called for one of those options to be joint EU borrowing, something Germany has flat-out rejected. For Kirkegaard, this means that the crisis ushered in by Russia's war on Ukraine, is "a big wasted opportunity" for the bloc. "This crisis, the war in Ukraine, will not lead to materially more EU institutional or fiscal integration. It will lead to an expansion of the EU with Ukraine and maybe other countries but that's a different type of change to the EU and that's also very different than the last many big crises we've had," he said.
