EXCLUSIVE: L’Objet’s New Paris Boutique Ushers Era of Expansion
MILAN — Elad Yifrach is on a roll with no plans of slowing down. Just four months after launching L’Objet’s first eau de parfum line in April, and after opening a store in New York’s Upper East Side in November, the Israel-born designer will cut the ribbon on the brand’s first Paris flagship boutique on Tuesday, Yifrach told WWD.
Situated at 30 Rue Jacob in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood, the boutique will usher in a new era of “elegance and sophistication” for the brand, which was founded in Los Angeles in 2004 after a freshman collection of ceramics caught the eye of a buyer at Bergdorf Goodman. The Paris store also marks a landmark step in the company’s strategy, as Yifrach attempts to build a bigger audience, which has been a long time coming.
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“So it’s part of the vision of the brand moving forward to open more stores in key locations and key markets that we feel we have an audience — ones we want a deeper connection with,” he said, speaking from his studio in Lisbon, Portugal, which he says affords him the opportunity to interact more with L’Objet’s realm of skilled artisans. More stores are on the horizon, while the brand looks into a variety of locations in London and Los Angeles.
“We wanted to continue to grow, because we are a global brand, we don’t want to focus just on the U.S. or just on Europe. So we are moving across continents and developing in markets where we have built a customer base over the years,” he added, noting the brand is debt-free and booked 30 percent growth in retail sales in the first half of 2023 versus 2022.
“Of course, if I had outside money, I would grow much faster, but it comes at a price,” Yifrach reflected when asked if he has been approached by investors.
L’Objet’s New York City boutique is located on 950 Madison Avenue, a space that houses another collection of home decor, dinnerware and home fragrances. Designed in collaboration with creative interior architecture agency Rigos Mills, the store is full of textures and materials that are part of the brand’s new refined design language. The warm terrazzo, suede, travertine and cedarwood color palette plays well with the juxtaposing sleek and earthy textures. Bespoke pieces by Brooklyn-based designer Sourabh Gupta and well known Portuguese ceramicist Bela Silva adorn the store.
Its foray into the fragrance space, on the other hand, was marked with four nature-inspired eau de parfums: Oh Mon Dieu!, evoking the spirit of Paris in 1969; Bois Sauvage, reminiscent of a wet forest scent; Rose Noire, a mix of exotic roses and Ceylon tea, and Côté Maquis, meant to remind wearers of a sunny Mediterranean day, all $160 or $250.
From its ceramics to its frames, Yifrach says each facet of his luxury business takes years to perfect, working with artisans all over Europe and developing long relationships characterized by mutual discovery and breaking barriers. The eau de parfum collection, for example, had been in development for four-and-a-half years, as it incorporates high quality raw materials and natural ingredients.
Other landmark collaborations involved the Los Angeles-based Haas Brothers, who flew to Portugal to manually work and sculpt each prototype by hand before molds were made ready for porcelain pouring. Known for their fantastical, wild designs, the Haas Brothers made the Little Monsters masks for the Lady Gaga Fame perfume print campaign in 2012.
Back in Paris, Rue Jacob, he explains, has long been synonymous with design excellence. L’Objet’s decision to establish its flagship boutique there underscores the brand’s commitment to celebrating artistry and craftsmanship. Also, its first collections have regularly been unveiled at Paris Design Week.
The sprawling store was designed by Costantino di Sambuy, founder of Anno Mille, a Los Angeles-based design studio focused on interiors and architectural design. With a penchant for translating the Mediterranean aesthetic through a contemporary lens, Anno Mille blended the space’s historical charm with contemporary elegance, L’Objet said. Prior to founding Anno Mille, di Sambuy worked with Peter Marino in New York on leading residential, hospitality and luxury retail projects.
The L’Objet flagship spans two distinct spaces, each offering a unique experience. The first space immerses visitors in the world of design, featuring a selection of home décor and art de la table collections.
A second space is dedicated to the brand’s fragrance universe where customers can try the latest eau de parfum collection together with L’Objet’s apothecary range for bath and body products. Diffusers and incense burners and other fragrance ritual objects complement the home fragrance collection of candles, room sprays, incense, and other signature objects.
An official opening fete is scheduled for the first day of Paris Design Week, which runs Sept. 7 to 16.
