Eyewear brand Ahlem tapped Swedish design studio Specific Generic to craft an intimate retail space in Paris inspired by modernist greats.

Key features

Following on locations in California and New York City, Ahlem’s first Europe flagship sits in a small-scale space in Paris’ storied Saint-Germain-des-Prés district. A dark green storefront flows into a warm interior in white, brown and grey. The design is influenced by the neighbourhood’s rich arts heritage. Ahlem founder Ahlem Manai-Platt and Specific Generic took artist and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi’s 1927 drawing Paris Abstraction as a main reference point, drawing inspiration also from the work of sculptor and painter Constantin Brâncusi. This spirit can be seen in the studio’s strategic use of voids and forms, and the tactile, natural material palette. Product display is kept selective: custom cabinetry in timber and metal conceals most of the stock, protecting the interior’s minimalistic profile while adding an element of discovery. Wooden benches fit seamlessly into the curves of the walls, and mirrors create an enlarged sense of space.

FRAME’s take 

Back in 2020 Specific Generic founder Andreas Bozarth Fornell joined in on a FRAME talk about post-pandemic retail design. ‘I still believe in the physical space,’ he said during the virtual discussion, while supporting the idea that designers would need to embrace technology too. ‘The human spirit needs it. It’s really part of everyday life, for everyone – it’s hard to take that out and just have a digital world.’ Specific Generic’s work that’s followed – from an HQ for Swiss brand On to Ahlem’s first Europe location – holds up this sentiment. Ahlem refers to its stores (this is the fourth) as ateliers, speaking to its mindfulness for artisanship and quality materials. With its strong palette and refined fittings, the new brand space effectively shares those values despite the limited floorplan. It shows the continued relevance of ‘everyday’ spaces executed with artistry and restraint.