(A baby sand shark named Sinatra eventually had to be removed, for bullying his tank mates.) Across its nine floors, the store boasted twenty-three escalators, trimmed in goatskin leather. But construction delays meant that they didn't start revolving until the final moments before the grand-opening party, and new escalators need at least two weeks of use to stretch out their creaks.
To be fair, my use of the word precinct to describe this lovingly titivated landmark feels a bit shabby, as does retail experience. And plain old mall definitely won't do, because Battersea's collection of 150-odd shops is very much in the la-di-da, aspirational, lululemon, Mulberry and Malin+Goetz range of money-frittering, all set over multiple floors with dramatic mezzanines. This is a sumptuous paean to industrial chic, with pleasing air-conditioning and polished floors,
Throughout history, apothecaries have acted as spaces of both curiosity and care. Traditionally defined by dark wood, elaborate detailing, and a plethora of small drawers containing unseen intrigues, these service-forward spaces offered intimate consultations conducted on either side of a counter. Living Beauty boldly reinvents this bygone but invaluable typology, defining an impactful interior design identity for the luxury beauty retailer.
Inside the new space, Bisazza will also showcase collaborations like the trompe-l'Åil architectural lllusions by American visual artist Daniel Arsham, and fashion brand Pucci's haute couture patterns reimagined in glass.