Latest news with #Haussmannian
Fashion United
3 days ago
- Business
- Fashion United
Casablanca anchors itself in Paris with first flagship on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
Casablanca, the luxury brand founded by Charaf Tajer, has opened its inaugural flagship store in Paris, choosing the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré as its entry into physical retail. The opening signals more than a retail expansion and underscores the brand's ambition to solidify its cultural and commercial footprint in one of the world's most historically significant fashion capitals. The location, on a corner plot within Paris's prestigious 8th arrondissement on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, is a high-value corridor for global luxury, home to maisons such as Hermès and Chanel, and long associated with international cachet. For emerging houses like Casablanca, the street offers not just visibility but a validation within the fashion hierarchy. A high-value corridor for global luxury Paris is, of course, a critical base for fashion brands, not only as a global destination for tourism and luxury shopping, but also as the centre of haute couture, institutional credibility, and artistic heritage. Real estate along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré carries both financial and narrative weight; obtaining a retail foothold here is rare, especially for young labels. For Tajer, a Paris native raised in the multicultural Belleville neighbourhood, the store is also personal. 'Five or six years ago, I said, 'I want a corner on that street,' and everyone said it was impossible,' he recounts. 'Opening this store is like coming home—but more than that, it's about bringing something new to Paris, something progressive.' The three-level boutique, designed with Steve Grimes (Casablanca's brand art director), London-based Counterfeit Studio, and Morocco's Elements Lab, reflects the brand's recurring themes of sport, cinema, and cultural duality. Its design references range from the classical—arched niches, Haussmannian limestone, and Carrara marble mosaics—to the cinematic and speculative, such as a Kubrick-inspired lightbox ceiling and a sculptural tennis court that binds the store's two upper floors. Casablanca boutique, Paris Credits: Benoit Florençon The aesthetic interplay of old and new, luxury and sport, Paris and Casablanca, is deliberate. The lower level is wrapped in plush green carpet that climbs walls and curves across transparent display cases, designed as both retail fixtures and collectible art. On the ground floor, a palette of rich red, green, and blue interrupts the neutral architecture, offering a visual articulation of the brand's DNA: bold yet refined, heritage-conscious yet forward-looking. The flagship follows seven years of steady brand growth, largely defined by Casablanca's distinctive blend of Mediterranean leisurewear, graphic storytelling, and aspirational positioning. With its retail debut, the brand transitions from being digitally native and stockist-driven to establishing a direct-to-consumer, immersive environment. 'I'm not a dreamer—I'm a man of projects,' Tajer says. 'This isn't just a store. It's proof of what's possible.' A second flagship is due to open in Beverly Hills later this summer.
The Guardian
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Floating away: warm tones and vintage details lift the spirits in a grand Parisian apartment
Nestled in a classic Haussmannian building in Paris's 17th Arrondissement, Tiphaine Verdier's apartment is a feast for the senses. This large duplex, perched on the top two floors, is not just a home but a canvas where colour and creativity collide. With a fearless approach to bold hues, Tiphaine has transformed what was once a blank slate of plain white walls into a theatrical and inviting sanctuary. When Tiphaine first stepped into the apartment, it was a minimalist's dream – or, as she might put it, a colour enthusiast's nightmare. 'All the walls were just plain white,' she recalls. But Tiphaine, an interior decorator and furniture designer, saw the potential in the apartment's unique layout. 'I was drawn to the fact that it felt like a house in the sky, with a clear separation between the day and night spaces.' With her keen eye and love for bold design, she wasted no time changing things. 'I quickly took out my paintbrush and in just four months, the place was completely unrecognisable,' she says. The transformation was successful, but not without trial and error. 'To my children's despair, I painted the living room three times before being satisfied,' she admits. Tiphaine's design philosophy centres around the emotional power of colour. 'For me, colours are the best way to convey emotions and feelings,' she explains. 'They are instruments to create singular and authentic environments.' Nowhere is this more evident than in her favourite space – the living room. 'When I started thinking about this room, I really wanted a warm and cosy environment,' she says. The result is a harmonious blend of salmon pink and bright yellow, a daring yet comforting combination that envelops the room in warmth. The space feels like a perfect reflection of Tiphaine's personality: playful, feminine and a tad nostalgic. It features fuchsia-pink armchairs by Alki, a coffee table with a sunken container in its centre by Italian designer Willy Rizzo and a Japanese chandelier from HK Living. The curved floor lamp was a flea-market find. In the adjacent dining room, the statement pink-onyx marble table is by Les Causeuses, Tiphaine's own interiors brand, while the chairs are also by Willy Rizzo. The old but inviting sofa is a family heirloom from the 1950s, which Tiphaine spruced up by changing the fabric. Many of the pieces she has collected over the years are from hunting at flea markets, a favourite pastime. The kitchen houses a vintage Japanese cabinet that Tiphaine herself re-covered, and the striking flower painting is by Martin Jarry. In the master bedroom, she has cultivated a homely, vintage vibe thanks to the bed linen, the painting (another flea-market find) and a 1930s floor lamp, with modern touches, such as the bedside lamps from Etsy and the large mirror by Les Causeuses. Having spent eight years in London, Tiphaine's work is imbued with a touch of its style. 'As a French expat in London, I definitely adopted British eccentricity as one of my signature themes,' she says. This influence is evident in her use of bold patterns and her embrace of eclectic, whimsical elements. 'I applied my daring and typically British floral vocabulary to the creation of Les Causeuses to cheer up the interiors in Paris and beyond.' Les Causeuses is a celebration of both colour and craftsmanship. Specialising in vintage-inspired décor and furniture, the brand focuses on creating joyful environments and ethically produced pieces. Each item, which includes lamps, armchairs and cushions, is made in Portugal, blending what she calls 'playful aesthetics' with high-quality materials. Tiphaine's journey into interior design was almost predestined. 'Brought up from an early age with museum visits, flea markets and antique book fairs, my career in creation was a natural choice,' she says. A graduate of Studio Berçot, she transitioned from fashion design to the study of art, a foundation that continues to inspire her work today. Her home reflects this rich background, with every corner showcasing her love for art and antiques. From the floral-patterned chairs to the vintage-inspired lighting, the space feels both curated and lived-in: a true expression of Tiphaine's unique vision. For information, go to
