The shoe is firmly on the other foot in this luxury retail project where one design icon has deferred to another to create their lavish boutique in London.
May 30th, 2013
When French shoe designer Christian Louboutin sought to make his mark in a crowded retail space in London’s Harrods department store, he turned to British wunderkind Lee Broom.
As Brit design’s poster boy, baby-faced Broom is famed as much for his product design as he is his rich, award winning interiors for residential, retail and hospitality.
Observing Louboutin’s convention of launching boutiques that reflect the flavour of the city they inhabit, Broom has proved an inspired appointment. A champion of the UK’s trades and manufacturing, Broom’s collections consistently express a contemporary take on traditional British typologies – his Harrods concept is no exception capturing the flair and spirit of Christian Louboutin whilst giving the space a quintessentially British twist.
Drawing on his own fashion training (and time spent working for Vivienne Westwood), Broom has fused drama and tradition into a signature space that marries moulded staccato ceilings and red carpets with Covent Garden inspired white fanned arches, etched glass clock faces reminiscent of Big Ben and glazed tile walls, suggestive of early 20th Century finishes synonymous with the London Underground.
Showcasing his own part played in Britain’s design story, Broom’s handmade Crystal Bulbs make numerous appearances in the fit out; offsetting the contemporary light-boxes and his vibrantly upholstered Salon seating collection.
Sumptuously staged, the new boutique delivers on both brand’s inherent values. The sense of “Best of British” is indisputable and the boldness of Louboutin is afforded all the drama it deserves.
Lee Broom
Christian Louboutin
Images © marcuspeelphotography.co.uk
INDESIGN is on instagram
Follow @indesignlive
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
The undeniable thread connecting Herman Miller and Knoll’s design legacies across the decades now finds its profound physical embodiment at MillerKnoll’s new Design Yard Archives.
How can design empower the individual in a workplace transforming from a place to an activity? Here, Design Director Joel Sampson reveals how prioritising human needs – including agency, privacy, pause and connection – and leveraging responsive spatial solutions like the Herman Miller Bay Work Pod is key to crafting engaging and radically inclusive hybrid environments.
The amicable Marcel Wanders speaks to Luo Jingmei about Moooi’s direction and some of his new designs unveiled at Milan this year.
Like nature, the splendidly red and green Oasia Hotel Downtown, Singapore designed by WOHA changes each and every time you visit.
Industrial designers showcase their metallic material at Gaffa Gallery in Sydney
When choosing a MOLL Children’s desk you will notice that there is not only a choice of décor but the desk also comes with 6 colour options which are easily interchangeable. Along with the colour options there are also design sets which can be attached to the top and sides of the desk. These not […]
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
From a Paddington studio to the streets of Paris, with the odd Irish rural pub in between, the founder of Smac Studio shares her inspiration in design.
Setting the tone for McCormack’s HQ is Elton Group’s Eveneer WoodWall and Eveneer Raw in Ravenna – wrapping walls, ceilings and bespoke joinery in a dark, matte elegance. The seamless pairing delivers a cohesive, high-performance finish that anchors Studio 103’s luxurious, hotel-inspired workplace design.
For three-quarters of a century, the iconic Eames Shell Chair has redefined the very act of sitting with its groundbreaking form, proving that, rather than restrict, the right mould can embrace every space, need and individual aspiration.
The INDE.Awards 2025 has crowned Sirius Redevelopment by BVN as the winner of The Multi-Residential Building, sponsored by CULT. This ambitious project redefines urban living in Sydney’s historic Rocks precinct while preserving heritage, reducing embodied carbon, and elevating residential design.