Dice Kayek's First Paris Boutique by Bernard Dubois

Luxury fashion brand Dice Kayek opened its very first boutique within a famed art gallery in Paris’ Saint-Germain-des-Près district, designed by Belgium-based architect Bernard Dubois. Though Dice Kayek founders, Turkish sisters Ece and Ayse Ege, have lived in Saint-German for over 20 years, they remain deeply influenced by the splendour, culture and traditions of their native city Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman sultans.

Dating back almost eight centuries, Bursa remains a major production centre of fine silk. Building on this tradition and enhanced by the spirit of Parisian Haute Couture, the Ege sisters have forged an identity that is resolutely modern and abounding in varied influences. Aligned with this, Bernard Dubois created a simple, low-key setting for the Dice Kayek boutique, consonant with the sophisticated brand aesthetic without outshining the pieces. Located on Rue Saint Benoît, the building itself is rather unusual for Paris; dating back to the 1950s, its classical austerity is somewhat reminiscent of Italian rationalism.

Dubois plays on codes and references to different eras and origins, using traditional materials in a contemporary vein. For example, two majestic marble walls, one pink and one green, are a veiled reference to Mies Van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion. The heritage building against the monolithic marble elements creates a strange and rather perplexing divergence from stereotypical Miesian architecture. Taking advantage of the building’s exposed structure, the marble walls rise to mid-height, coming to rest on exposed concrete beams. In his typical style, Dubois uses subtle yet rebellious details to subverts codes of 20th century architecture.

Structural columns punctuate the space, while suspended brass rods are used to display clothes. The street-facing section of the store is bright, with stark white surfaces and natural light. Behind the pink marble wall however, Dubois creates a more subdued atmosphere, with lush velvet curtains and silk carpeting in muted monotone shades of blush.

The brand’s ultra-structured looks draw on French couture and Ottoman expertise, with pieces hailed by museums including London’s Victoria & Albert, which has purchased several Dice Kayek garments for its permanent collection, as well as the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Istanbul Modern, and Amsterdam Museum.