Luxury today is as much about experience as it is about elegance. At Ounass Maison—the flagship space for the Middle East’s leading digital luxury retailer—we were invited to design a lighting scheme that could shift fluidly between gallery, boutique, and private showroom. Set within the Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah and brought to life by acclaimed design duo David/Nicolas alongside Al Tayer Insignia, the concept called for light that could flex, flatter, and elevate the elegance of the fashion experience.
Hosting is central to the experience to support this dynamic; the interior is divided into three interconnected zones that can function individually or unify to accommodate one large-scale event.
Our role was to illuminate this fluidity throughout the space, ensuring that the space could transform gracefully for pop-up showcases from fashion powerhouses such as Valentino, Gucci and Jimmy Choo.
Our approach began with creating a layered and flexible lighting scheme to highlight the architecture of the interior. The sweeping curves of the space—described by the designers as “a hug”—informed the flow of light. We introduced soft, continuous lines of light to follow the statement curvature and consistently illuminate the whole space. Across the different zones, we integrated subtle lighting details into the bespoke furniture, alcoves, shelving, and display rails. Carefully concealed luminaires draw out the richness of the materials and bring the detail and artistry of the fashion into focus.
In the fitting rooms, each area features integrated lighting within the mirrors, clothing rails and shelving, casting a soft halo effect that flatters and soothes. Our use of dynamic lighting controls allows for mood variation at the touch of a button – crisp daylight to reveal the true tones and textures of the fashion pieces, golden warmth for comfort and subdued to set the mise-en-scene for elegant evening attire.
One of the key ambitions for Ounass Maison was to create a destination that transcends traditional retail. Working closely with the interior designers, we achieved something much more than a simple flagship – Ounass Maison is a statement to the evolving nature of luxury retail in the Middle East.
Client – Al Tayer
Interiors –David/Nicolas
Photographer – Alex Jeffries
