Turkish firm URAStudio has completed an Istanbul flagship store for fashion brand Cashmere in Love, adding a wall of brass accents and geometric patterns to the all-white space (+ slideshow).
The boutique encompasses 55 square metres and is located in Bebek, an affluent neighbourhood in the Turkish city.
Cashmere in Love, founded in 2007 in Istanbul, is an upscale brand that offers contemporary knitwear for women.
"Its style is led by signature clean-cut shapes and architectural lines, to evoke a distinct feminine expression of luxury and elegance," said URAStudio.
Inside the linear retail unit, the architects set out to create a space that represents the essence of the brand.
"The flagship store is designed as an exciting retail space that lets customers experience the spirit of art, travel, craftsmanship and subtle luxury the brand is identified with," said the firm.
"The open floor plan and sparsely decorated clothing racks convey an air of refined purity."
A key feature of the store is an installation composed of geometric cutouts that cover an entire wall. This element is angled slightly to create storage space behind.
The piece adds to "the dazzling play of textures, silhouettes and natural light inside the store", said the firm.
In the front of the boutique, an asymmetrical brass shelving system appears to step down from the ceiling. The sculptural display is positioned to be visible from the large front window.
In other areas of the store, clothing hangs from free-standing triangular racks that also are made of brass.
Floor-to-ceiling mirrors visually enlarge the space while also serving as a backdrop for the brand's clothing.
Custom-made marble counters and a seamless terrazzo floor further add to the store's modern appearance.
"A neutral colour palette and clean geometrical shapes juxtaposed with high-end materials convey an air of optimism and stealth luxury," said the firm.
URAStudio was founded in 1995 by Emir Uras. Originally based in Los Angeles, the firm is now located in Istanbul.
Other minimal boutiques include a high-end sneaker store in Seattle by Best Practice Architecture and a women's clothing shop in Porto by Fala Atelier.
Photography is by Ali Bekman.
Project credits:
Design team: Emir Uras and Handan Yalkı
Contractor and fabricator of wall: Galata Yapı, Koray Korkmaz, Aysegul Kasapoglu and Murat Cakan
Custom terazzo floor: SFS Floor
Client: Esra Bezek and Tolga Dikencik
