Mirrors and Metallics: L.A.-Based Departamento’s Non-traditional Retail Store
The contemporary shop by architecture and design studio 22RE was inspired by the industrial elements.
In downtown Los Angeles’s revitalized Arts District, multibrand retailer Departamento has a new home for its collection of contemporary menswear. Designed by L.A.-based architecture and design studio 22RE, this second location for Departamento features interiors that experiment with a dynamic interplay of material and form.
Beginning with a hidden entrance in Concierge Coffee in the Signal retail complex, the entire experience at Departamento is unexpected. Beyond the tucked-away entrance, a mirrored passageway brings visitors into the store itself, establishing a sense of discovery from the first moments. Instead of a traditional shop layout, the space is divided into individual zones by sculptural and monumental forms. These also serve as display areas, showcasing Departamento’s collections featuring brands like Marni, Loewe, Our Legacy, and Martine Rose. Strategically placed mirrors hint at other areas to explore in the store.
“We wanted to break away from the typical commercial layout by designing an atypical experience,” explains Dean Levin, principal and founder of 22RE. Beyond Departamento, 22RE has also designed f spaces for brands including Akila, Ceremony of Roses, and Malbon. “Instead of presenting everything up front, with clear lanes of exploration, we’ve sliced up the layout, encouraging shoppers to explore and discover collections throughout the store. In this way, our approach welcomes curiosity and makes every visit to Departamento feel like a personal journey.”
The interiors feature a mix of materials and forms. The building was originally an industrial complex, and 22RE emphasized this through the nontraditional layout as well as other elements, such as a glowing white-aluminum ceiling grid and mirrored walls. As a grounding element, custom burgundy carpeting and cowhide accents feature throughout the store.
“The building was originally an industrial complex, so we wanted to maintain that authentic, raw feel on the exterior,” Levin explains. “We then developed a material palette and floor plan for the interiors which would highlight these original elements, while introducing fresh, modern characteristics.”
Departamento’s newest location also features custom-designed pieces by 22RE, including a softly curved seafoam-hued resin and foam jewellery case that contrasts with the concrete floors and stainless steel forms behind it. A selection of vintage design pieces also accent the space, including a dynamic Castiglioni Spleen Brau pendant light overhead. Tito Agnoli slipper chairs and a TG-15 lounge chair by William Katavolos, Ross Littell, and Douglas Kelly provide comfortable sitting areas.
Departamento also paired with Japanese menswear brand Taiga Takahashi for a shop-within-a-shop, exclusive to this location. A slatted-wood door slides to reveal a small ryokan-inspired space, which features a selection of Taiga Takahashi apparel. Intended as a microcosm of Taiga Takahashi within Departamento, the display areas feature Japanese cedar from 300-year-old ryokans and shelving with tatami mat bases. A softly glowing ceiling provides a futuristic and airy contrast and echoes the dynamic mix of materials that characterizes the rest of the interiors.
Each individual vignette in Departamento is compelling on its own, but all fluidly combine despite their differences, creating a space that evokes intrigue and exploration.
Photographs by Erik Stackpole Undehn.
