The art of shaping spaces

The Row Paris store

In luxury retail, the store is no longer just a place to buy—it’s an experience. Luxury brands are redefining the shopping journey, using interior design to create environments that resonate emotionally and tell a story. From the inviting warmth of a living room to the immersive atmosphere of a curated space, interior design is becoming a powerful tool for brands to connect with consumers in ways that go far beyond the products they sell.

We spoke with design experts Catherine Kurz and Sowmini Suresh to dive into how interior design is shaping the future of luxury retail. Here’s what they had to say about the evolving role of design in creating unforgettable consumer experiences.

Tell us about yourself! How has your relationship with interior design evolved over the years?

Sowmini

My relationship with space began in my childhood in India, where interiors were rarely neutral. They were vibrant, symbolic, and layered with story. Every room held memory and meaning, from the terrazzo floors of my grandmother’s home to the carved wooden doors etched with mythology. That early exposure gave me a lasting appreciation for design that speaks emotionally, not just visually.

I began my professional journey as an architect, initially drawn to the purity of form, proportion, and spatial logic. But over time, I found myself moving away from strict minimalism toward designs centred around intentional focal points. I became more interested in spaces that invite you to pause, to feel, to remember.

Studying Narrative Environments at Central Saint Martins crystallised this shift. It taught me how interior design can be a medium for storytelling, where spatial layout, materials, and atmosphere all work together to create emotional and experiential impact. I began to see interiors not just as functional spaces but as living environments that hold and shape stories.

Catherine

I'm still relatively new to the industry, but I would say I've always been designing something. For as long as I can remember, I've been making floor plans and designing rooms. I always abandoned my Sims family once I was done with their house. 

I was educated in business and entrepreneurship before pursuing design, and I have always been deeply concerned with how interior design shapes the success of a business, to the point of informing our choices in where to eat, shop, or spend time. 

This ultimately led me to pursue interior design professionally, and although in the profession it's easy to get bogged down with the not-so-fun stuff, I still try not to lose sight of the bigger picture, and I am still constantly buzzing with ideas on how to push boundaries and create some intriguing interiors.

In your opinion, how does interior design go beyond aesthetics to shape the consumer experience, particularly in luxury retail spaces? 

Catherine

The trend I'm seeing is that brands are moving toward a residential feel that makes the customer feel like they're in their friend's living room. They want to not only create a low-pressure environment, but have the interior reflect a more personalised experience where you really feel like you have been invited there. 

Many brands have been doing this forever (read: boyfriend couch). Still, we're seeing a scaling down of furniture and an addition of unique details that don't feel like they've been replicated in every location worldwide. When so many luxury items can be bought online or in the second-hand market, brands need to add value to their stores so customers make the trip. Even if the clientele doesn't exactly walk in off the street, they still need to feel like it's a place they want to hang out and feel inspired. 

Perhaps not a trend, but storytelling also plays a huge role in making the retail experience not just feel like a store in a mall, but a place you can discover and have a meaningful experience.

Sowmini 

In luxury retail, interior design becomes a language of identity. It's not just about housing a product, it's about expressing the ethos of a brand in three dimensions. Design has the power to slow people down, to immerse them, to shift their emotional state. A beautiful material palette might catch the eye, but it's the mood, the spatial rhythm, the intimacy of lighting, and the invitation to linger that leave a lasting impression. Especially in a digital-first world, physical spaces must offer what online can’t: atmosphere, memory, and presence.

What’s a space doing this well?

Catherine

Bode’s womenswear store, New York

Bode immediately comes to mind when thinking of luxury fashion and interior design. They (and the design team Green River Project) are so gifted at having the interior seamlessly blend with the visual narrative of the brand. Their stores are not only beautiful, they're approachable and interesting, even if you're just window shopping. 

And although it's potentially obvious and not totally in the luxury fashion space, you really can't talk about retail interiors without talking about Aesop. Worldwide, they do a really amazing job of hiring local designers and architects to consider the geographical, architectural, and cultural context of their stores, and each is designed to blend into their neighbourhood in really clever ways. Though they're all over the place and everyone knows they're aesthetically pleasing, there is a lot to take away from their approach of blending into their environment and creating beauty in a different way than just by using typical luxury materials. 

Ultimately, both of these brands do an excellent job of storytelling, and that's what sets a brand apart, not how expensive their interior looks.

Sowmini

Prada Flagship, New York

The Prada flagship in Soho, designed by Rem Koolhaas and OMA, is a space that has quietly shaped the way I think about retail design. I visited it during my time in New York, as part of a class trip while studying design, and it stood out to me not for its boldness alone, but for its clarity of vision. Originally a Guggenheim space, the store's most striking feature is The Wave: a dramatic curving form carved out of the ground floor that connects seamlessly with the basement. One side features stepped seating, used for both product display and as an amphitheatre, while the opposite side unfolds into a stage. This flexible configuration allows the store to transform into a venue for film screenings, performances, or lectures, blurring the lines between retail, culture, and public space. Even decades on, it feels fresh, a space that doesn’t follow trends but creates them.

I’m especially drawn to the seasonal pop-up environments brands are creating in places like Courchevel and St. Tropez — from Loro Piana to Jacquemus. These aren't just shops; they're immersive, place-specific expressions of the brand's identity. Whether it's tactile wools and warm woods in a snow-covered chalet, or linen canopies and clay tiles by the sea, these spaces blur the line between retail and retreat. They’re immersive because they’re contextual, deeply tuned into the environment around them.

Their impermanence makes them even more alluring. There’s a sense of discovery and exclusivity as if you’ve stumbled upon a well-kept secret. And in doing so, you don’t just remember the product, you remember the feeling.