stephan jaklitsch architects: marc by marc jacobs store, milan

a new marc by marc jacobs store with an accompanying café and bar, designed by american firm stephan jaklitsch architects (SJA), will open in early april this year. the boutique, located in milan’s historic brera district at piazza del carmine 6, will add to this exclusive neighborhood known for its numerous art museums, cafes, and boutiques.

rendering of marc by marc jacobs store milan

SJA inserted the contemporary 290-square-meter boutique into the ground floor of a 16th-century residential building that fronts the piazza of santa maria del carmine, a 15th-century church built for the first duke of milan. SJA designed the new storefront to highlight the 12 arched bays of the building’s façade. new frameless windows were inserted into each bay to draw attention to the existing architecture and allow clear views into the store. the interior finishes express the modern ethos of the marc by marc jacobs brand. SJA is using the brand’s signature mix of custom ‘marc’ blue steel shelving, clear, blue and mirrored glass, navy blue concrete floors, neon signage and custom hanging and display fixtures.

the café will be located in the three eastern most bays of the building and will connect to the store through a sliding blue glass door. the visual language of the café will be consistent with the marc by marc jacobs brand using the same palate of colors and materials as the store.

cafe and bar

‘the combination of the store and café will extend the reach of the marc by marc jacobs brand by providing a place for those who enjoy the marc jacobs lifestyle to congregate,’ – says jaklitsch.

interior of marc jacobs collection store in chicago

stephan jaklitsch has developed the architectural language for the brand and designed all of marc jacobs’ stores worldwide. this will also include the first marc jacobs collection store in chicago opening febuary of this year. housed in a new 60-story, luxury hotel and condominium tower the new 3,000 square-foot store occupies a prominent space at the building’s north east corner.

the goal for this location was to take advantage of the store’s grand space while still retaining the intimate feel of the marc jacobs retail identity. this was achieved through a vertical layering of materials from the floor to the store’s double-height ceiling. at eye-level, custom-designed sycamore millwork envelopes the perimeter of the store to create the feeling of an intimate and luxurious boutique.

to engage the store’s 20 foot ceilings, SJA designed a custom glass tile mosaic for the store’s back wall that extends from the top of the millwork to the ceiling. echoing the purple and gold tones of the back wall, SJA designed a series of custom, hand- blown glass pendant lighting fixtures with axon lighting that float above the cashwrap to create a dramatic focal point. along the store’s south wall, a 30 x10’ mirrored wall was positioned above the accessories shelving – reflecting the pendant lighting and doubling the perception of the tile wall to create the impression of an even larger space.