Known for his lavish use of stones, settings and colour, it seemed only fitting that international jeweller Fawaz Gruosi should asked Francis Sultana to create the interior for the new flagship London store, located on Berkeley Square.
Francis has taken his inspiration for the scheme from the Art Deco period of 1920s Paris and New York. Signature elements of the designer's handwriting include bold decorative statements and a sense of drama, married with the tactile and the exquisite. A true sense of luxury abounds in materials including patinated bronze, softest suede, bullion threaded tweed, rock crystal, and marble as well as the deepest velvets.
Francis says: "I want Fawaz's customers to feel as though they are stepping into the most welcoming yet elegant private home. I designed the interior to be like a jewellery box, with walls lined in cream suede and bursts of jewel-like colours. Jewellery is about appealing to your sensations of touch and your emotional response to colour and shape. I wanted all those elements to be tangible within my interior, from the bespoke carpets to the furniture in hammered gold, emerald greens and ruby reds designed both by myself and the artist Mattia Bonetti."
Hand embroidered curtains in a Francis Sultana signature embroidered pattern inspired by Warhol’s camouflage paintings, create privacy from the street outside. The motif is transferred from bronze gates to display cases within the store.
Francis has created a beautifully open space with seductive upholstered seating and viewing areas. With a nod to the glittering Art Deco period, capitalised columns provide a foil to the subtle environmental lighting throughout. The conversation piece of the space is a sweeping mirrored staircase, lined with murano glass and eglomise, inspired by Paris and Hollywood.
The staircase leads to the VIP viewing room below featuring a Milena Muzquiz artwork the sofa, lamps and scagliola side tables all designed by Francis Sultana, alongside a pair of Mattia Bonetti chairs.
Francis has created an elegant new home for Fawaz Gruosi's spectacular jewellery collection, one with craftsmanship and attention to detail at its very heart.
