Mural Artist Sets the Scene at Longchamp’s Flagship Store in London

The latest in a series of collaborations between art and architecture by the Parisian firm CARBONDALE, headed by Eric Carlson, the design features the exuberant work of New York-based artist Maya Hayuk. The bold, geometric mural spans three stories and has an especially high impact against the store’s glossy interior.  

Carlson and his team envisioned a space that mirrored Longchamp’s iconic bags, taking the classic, collapsible Le Pliage tote--over 16 million of them have sold since 1993--as inspiration for the folding panels that line the walls. Constructed from embossed leather, engraved limestone, white lacquer, and ebony, walnut, and elm wood marquetry, the panels echo the materiality of the products on display and correspond to categories like leather goods, clothing, and luggage. 

By contrast, Hayuk’s mural pays homage to the brand in oversaturated jewel tones. The colors play off the varied palette of Longchamp products, and the layered diagonal vectors recall the brand’s signature LM motif of crosshatched bridles and racehorses. This pattern repeats in the wall and ceiling tiles as well, subtly weaving the space together and providing a branded shopping experience for the customer. 

CARBONDALE’s previous projects with artists have involved Carlos Cruz-Diez, Lie Wei, Ubersee, James Turrell, Olafur Eliasson, and Vanessa Beecroft, among others. Other high-end retail locations on Eric Carlson’s resume include Louis Vuitton on Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Escada headquarters in Munich, and flagship stores for Tag Heuer, Tiffany & Co., and H. Stern. The new Longchamp is a delightful addition to the portfolio, combining architectural and design elements with the joyful work of Maya Hayuk to create an unparalleled retail environment.