camper's paris flagship gets 'mini-pompidou' redesign by jorge penadés

camper’s ‘mini pompidou’ opens in paris

Just a short walk from the Centre Pompidou, Jorge Penadés has unveiled an inventive refurbishment of Camper’s flagship store in Paris — the Spanish designer’s most ambitious collaboration with the shoe brand to date. Taking inspiration from the design language of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers’ Centre Pompidou, Jorge pays homage to the iconic building with his own distinctive take, developing a remarkable shelving system that follows the entirety of the store’s walls in a continuous gesture which dramatically encapsulates the interior of the store. Just as the Centre Pompidou exposes the technical elements of the building, Jorge’s shelving system is constructed from cable metal trays, repurposing a technical element that is usually hidden away for the display of the products. Jorge’s refurbishment uses unexpected joints and forms to make use of the striking five meter-long windows.

images © Asier Rua

jorge penadés draws from the city’s iconic architecture

While Jorge Penadés’ shelving system playfully references the local design history of Paris, Camper’s Mediterranean roots are present with a raw plaster wall finish along with handmade clay tiles that top the cash desk, the welcoming seating areas, and the product focus table near the entrance. Known for taking an imaginative approach to the design of retail spaces, the designer makes ample use of this highly visible site to begin a visually and conceptually ambitious conversation with Parisian passersby — arriving at a moment when the Pompidou is closed for the next four years for renovation (see designboom’s coverage here). Through the eye-catching red palette and immersive nature of the display, Jorge has created his own mini-Pompidou a few seconds away, fostering a moment of exchange between design history, shoppers and the general public.

designer jorge penadés has unveiled his most ambitious project with camper

‘What strikes me most about the Pompidou is the rebellious spirit it embodies, and everything Piano and Rogers went through during the selection and construction to make it happen,‘ explains designer Jorge Penadés. ‘And reflecting on my own trajectory, when I was commissioned for my first Camper store in 2018, I was fresh out of school with no experience in retail. I am forever grateful to Miguel Fluxá, Camper’s CEO, who took a real risk on me then. Our relationship has been building for years, culminating in this major project.’

the unique refurbishment of the flagship store is located near the Centre Pompidou in Pparis