Our inaugural Rotterdam store was conceived as a haven of northern-European domesticity—an homage to the comforting ambiance that one might experience when visiting a dear relative’s house in the Dutch countryside. Developed in collaboration with fine-furniture maker Sebastian Cox, the two-storey space is characterised by simple, practical joinery in a warm cherry timber. During the design process, Cox was inspired by an antique door that was unusual in the exaggerated tolerances between its frame and its four timber panels—allowing for the swelling or shrinking of the timber to have minimal effect on its function. This notion of emphasising the space between elements became the guiding principle for the store. Each detail was carefully crafted, down to the door handles, coat hooks, tester holders, and sample spatulas—bringing poetry to the everyday through symbolic objects.
In addition to offering shade to the expansive front windows, a generous awning provides shelter for those who engage with the trio of formulations held in custom bronze brackets by the front door. Once inside, the visitor is bathed in the golden glow that is cast by natural light gleaming on the timber interior; a languid, cozy feeling might take hold. Cox’s sensibility is articulated in the precise gaps between the wooden panels and their frames, which effect a certain sense of lightness—of the timber’s ability to breathe. The inbuilt shelves house our full range of products for the skin, hair, body and home. In the centre of the main room, a limestone basin beckons to those who wish to explore the latter with gently flowing water.
