Gabriela Hearst's Beverly Hills store by Foster + Partners has opened

Gabriela Hearst has opened its new Beverly Hills store, along the street front of the famous Beverly Wilshire hotel, at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive...

photos © Ben Meier / Gabriela Hearst

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Project's description: This is Foster + Partners’ second store for the New York-based label that has created a pioneering model for ecologically responsible clothing and accessories. Much like the London flagship, the design of its Beverly Hills store is underpinned by the brand’s sustainable ethos.

Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners, said: “I have long been an admirer of Gabriela’s work, and her commitment to designing with care for the environment. The new L.A. store reflects the label’s sustainable approach, with hand-crafted elements, a refined palette of high-quality materials, and bespoke furniture that is made from fallen Los Angeles Sycamore. Stepping into the store, the intention is to instantly make you feel at home.”

With an emphasis on natural materials and quality undertaken with a utilitarian perspective, the store takes inspiration from Hearst’s family ranch in Uruguay, where she grew up. The soaring vaults also speak to the city’s vernacular architecture and the work of Paul R. Williams, the architect who designed many of L.A.’s most iconic buildings – including the Beverly Wilshire – and was part of the team that conceptualised the Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport.

Visitors can access the store from two entrances, on Wilshire Boulevard or from within the hotel. The street-facing reception hall has lower ceilings to create a more intimate entrance that opens up to an airy double-height space. Echoing the brand’s ethos of craftsmanship, the vaulted ceiling has been finished with traditional materials and techniques, including the hand-application of Roman Clay, which is an eco-friendly plaster. A VIP area features fluted glass doors and silk carpets to enhance the retail experience.

Foster + Partners has worked closely with local artisans and the New York-based makers, Benji Gavron and Antoine Dumas of Gavron Dumas Studio, who designed bespoke furniture for the project. The furniture collection, called Nomad, is a culmination of a year’s-long work. It has been sustainably made from Western Sycamore that grew within the city of Los Angeles and was once destined to be turned into wood chips. Working with local sawyers, Gavron Dumas Studio had these trees milled into the special timber. The pieces were then built by the talented artisans at DUSK, a furniture studio based in Los Angeles. The fine and freckled grain of the timber acts as a foil to the minimal white walls.

Every detail of the store has been thoughtfully considered – from the rose gold aluminium door handles, which are a modern take on Gabriela’s family ranch logo – to the bespoke rugs and wall hangings, which are based on drawings by the Brooklyn-based artist, Eli Tamarkin.

The flagship will sell the entire range of Gabriela Hearst men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections, fine merino wool and cashmere knitwear, footwear, accessories and handbags. The location will be the exclusive retailer for the Gabriela Hearst handbag collection on the West Coast, including the Nina, the Demi, the Diana, and the Baez, amongst others.

Luis Fuentes Arambula, Partner, Foster + Partners, said: “We are delighted to see the new Gabriela Hearst store open its doors. The store is a love letter to the city of Los Angeles and a celebration of local craftsmanship. It has been a great privilege to work alongside so many talented and creative people to realise this wonderful project.”