Unexpectedly snapped up last year by luxury conglomerate LVMH, Officine Universelle Buly sees an accelerated retail expansion across the planet. Following the launch of a boutique in Manila, the ultra niche Paris-based cosmetics brand opens yet another retail space, and this time it’s in the historic Brera district of Milan. Occupying a small but lofty unit on the ground floor of an early 19th-century building, the store sees an equally storied interior design by Art Recherche Industrie, the brand’s affiliated design agency which is also based in the French capital. Similar to all other Officine Universelle Buly retail spaces, the interior design applies references to its host city, and here it’s the ornate local architecture. The walls are lined with floor-to-ceiling cabinets and shelving crafted from lacquered dark mahogany with green marble countertops and matching name plaques, and paired with a backdrop in cream-coloured velvet as a nod to the immaculate realm where beauty and cosmetics reign.
The flooring is also unapologetically classic, comprising of travertine tiles with black cabochons that’s reminiscent of French stately homes. Two rows of glass pendant lamps optically usher shoppers to the back of the premises where a sales counter with glass display cabinet sits. The eye for detail is overtly apparent as the ceiling is decorated with intricate mouldings and chevrons and all drawers feature framed white enamel plates with their content written in Latin. In addition to creating a top-notch setting and ambiance, service is also taken very seriously, and is on top of that, uniquely Officine Universelle Boutique. The boutique offers perfumery and beauty treatments, in addition to an engraving service for combs and lip balms, a calligraphy service (which adds a little ‘oomph’ to any gift) and a gift-wrapping service which allows you to pick from various fancy materials. And unsurprisingly, staff have even mastered origata, the Japanese art of folding.
Officine Universelle Buly
Via Brera 2 (Brera)
20121 Milan
Publishers Note
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