A side effect of today’s hyper-awareness of brands is that cities are more and more seen in a different light. As the custodians of retail, leading urban centres are home to a wide variety of shops, and once in a while, a new store emerges which imminently adds to the appeal of its location. In the latter category falls Darial, a new and spectacular shopping destination in Barcelona. Founded by Djaba Diassamidze, a French fashion designer who has now clearly expanded his expertise to retail, the store occupies the lofty ground floor – mind you, the space is huge, and measures no less than 1,500 sqm. (16,146 sq.ft.) – of Casa Tomàs Roger, a listed late 19th-century building by prominent Catalan architect Enric Segnier i Villavecchia in the leafy Dreta de l’Eixample district. Meaning ‘gate’ in Old Persian, Darial aims to be exactly that, disclosing a wealth of finely curated lifestyle goods to discerning shoppers who pass through.
The store’s palatial entrance, replete with grand staircase encased in black steel, signals what lies beyond. Designed by Diassamidze himself, it comprises of a series of voluminous rooms and each setting is defined by a minimalist backdrop of whitewashed walls, ceiling and floors, and striking, highly decorative palm tree pillars dipped in a shiny gold hue. Furnishings are sparse, and include black lacquered counters. displays and wall panels, smaller pieces in plexiglass, ivory carpets, and a number of iconic 20th-century design pieces by the likes of Pierre Paulin, Serge Roche, Pierre Chareau and others. And because power shopping can take its toll on different levels, Darial boasts an in-store brasserie where to recharge with good food, drinks and jolly banter.
Called Le Léopard, it’s a seamless extension of the retail space, occupying an elongated gallery adorned with similar gold palm tree pillars, but here, the shimmering hue extends onto the ceiling. The open kitchen, encased in a black box-like structure, sits in the middle, opposite an elongated red velvet sofa lining the wall, and paired with tables and chairs. Further cementing Darial‘s lifestyle concept is its very own exhibition space, captured by bare concrete arcades and flooring. As said, its offerings are as tightly curated as they are varied, ranging from high-end men’s and women’s fashion pieces, shoes and jewellery, to books, furniture pieces and other lifestyle goods. The current brand list includes coveted names such as Lemaire, Muller Van Severen, Haider Ackermann, Pleats Please ISSEY MIYAKE, Bang & Olufsen, The Row, Études and last but not least, Djaba Diassamidze‘s very own designs.
Darial
Carrer d’Ausiàs Marc 37 (Dreta de l’Eixample)
08010 Barcelona
Telephone: +34 663 833767
Mon-Sat 11am-8pm
Sun 12pm-8pm
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
