We were asked to create window displays for Fendi’s flagship stores in London and Paris that would honour the brand’s dedication to artistry and craftsmanship. When Fendi engaged us for this project, we knew this wasn’t just about creating store window displays. It was about celebrating the poetry of the human hand and its role in perpetuating centuries of tradition involved in crafting the house’s luxurious products.
Rue St Honoré, Paris / 2017
This project truly stands as a masterpiece, executed with exceptional attention to detail and production engineering. It’s a testament to our commitment to excellence and precision, and we couldn’t be prouder of the outcome. Every element came together beautifully, showcasing the dedication and skill of our team in creating an unforgettable retail experience.
“Saina is unwavering in the face of adversity. No matter how big the problem that presents itself, her attitude is always ‘there’s a solution and we will find it.’”
Sophie Quilling, Operations Manager 2016–2018, L’Atelier Five
The complexity of this project lay in the diverse array of materials used from the Jeanne Toussaint–inspired emerald room’s glass-tinted panels with programmed lighting revealing the designer’s quotes to the floating pyramid mirrored screen with a sound system that beautifully narrated a story. The art installation in the window featured bespoke wallpaper, gold leaf and floating onyx, while the star of the show was the Panthère head, sculpted and covered with more than 200 pieces of glass to form a stunning multifaceted geometric face. The digital tunnel was a time-consuming labour of love as we worked alongside Cartier’s Paris and London archive teams to select pieces that captured the history of the Panthère de Cartier in the most engaging, playful and memorable way possible.
The most challenging part of this project was having to design during the Covid-related lockdown. Most of the design was done over Zoom meetings and phone calls while we were all under government orders to stay at home. This was the first project where we had to consider social distancing, Covid screens and general Covid safety into the design. The global pandemic also made material sourcing a challenge and sadly limited the pop-up’s duration.
As with most of our projects, production materials were as sustainable as possible. Most of the elements from the pop-up were safely recycled and the rest were reused for other Cartier events, allowing the pop-up to be sustainable. This added a new dimension to the project and of course we wanted to ensure the features integrated well with the concept and didn’t seem like an afterthought.
Push open the gleaming doors of a luxury retailer, and you step into a world of curated elegance designed to captivate the senses and transport into a realm of exclusivity. When done right, the effect is nothing short of magical. Behind that “magic” hides in fact L’Atelier Five, a tiny award-winning independent agency led by one very passionate and determined woman.
Saina Attaoui, L’Atelier Five’s founder and managing director, operates like an alchemist investing ordinary retail spaces with dazzling opulence and crafting experiences that are tailored to resonate on an emotional level. This book tells the story of how Saina built L’Atelier Five and took the exclusive world of luxury retail by storm, showcasing many of the agency’s show-stopping projects.