“Opening a store in Los Angeles is a homecoming for me as a designer. It is where I studied architecture and first experienced the work of the great California modernists - Neutra, Schindler, and especially Lautner, whose work inspired the sculptural ceiling you will see in the store. We used the same signature materials from our New York stores but added some warm woods and sandier tones to announce our arrival in Los Angeles,” says Kavi Moltz, co-founder of D.S. & DURGA.

Woods Bagot was tasked with designing the California location to contrast the urban palette and finishes found at the Brooklyn location, while still maintaining the fragrance house’s identity through similar aesthetics. This includes analogous uses of poured concrete that evoke rammed earth, as well as acrylic pyramid stud finishes that back the wall displays.

Influenced by Coachella Valley’s Elrod House by John Lautner, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, the design is in dialogue with the colors and textures found in Southern California. A Lautner-inspired monumental sculptural ceiling in a cementitious finish creates a feeling of volume and openness, while curved walls create distinct areas within the space and distinguish transactional areas like the POS area without cutting off the flow movement. Earth tone colors and textural elements such as troweled wall and ceiling finishes compliment the graphic grain found in Douglas Fir, a wood used in accents and shelving throughout the space. Together the design elements create a warm and inviting space that emphasizes D.S. & DURGA’s brand motto, “Perfume is Armchair Travel.”

“This latest project with D.S. & DURGA was a fun one,” said Krista Ninivaggi, Principal & Interior Design Leader at Woods Bagot. “We were careful to ensure that this first location in California had a personality of its own – bringing in unique design elements and subtle touches like display cases that transcend the physical store through scent and story-telling. In the same breath, we also wanted to pay homage to the East Coast Stores by adding in similar elements like the notable concrete floors. This expansion is such an exciting moment for D.S. & DURGA and we are honored to be part of it.”