Hermès is delighted to open the doors of the new Bahrain store located in Marassi Galleria, a brand-new waterfront shopping destination. The house settles down its presence in the Middle East with this sixth boutique in the region which combines its familiar architecture with the unique backdrop of a vast desert landscape nestled between the sky and the sea. The house’s sixteen métiers unfold in the oasis-like setting with sandy hues and textural treatments.
The façade, reminiscent of a stone massif, features the curves and textured surfaces of weathered rocks. The single entrance leads into a spacious room showcasing women’s silk, with a display for fashion jewellery and men’s silk on one side and the perfume and beauty universe on the other. In the center of the store, a domed ceiling soars above a circular salon flanked by niches and adorned with deep blue-green wallpaper – a backdrop for the jewellery and watches as well as the home universe. Further along the path, the salon is divided into the men’s and women’s universes, with leather goods at its heart. Semi-transparent panels crafted locally from hand-woven and knotted macramé create intimacy for each métier while preserving the open, airy feeling of the layout.
Envisioned by the Parisian architecture agency RDAI, the store’s design reflects the surrounding nat- ural landscape. Both form and materials take inspiration from rock formations carved by the elements over many millennia. The evocation of sand and water continues in the flooring through the milky blue and the beige terrazzo tiles of the Faubourg mosaic. Ring-shaped motifs reminiscent of wave ripples adorn the carpets, whose colours range from deep cerulean to earthy ochres.
The store is further enlivened by a selection of artworks featuring equine silhouettes and naturalist illustrations. From the Émile Hermès collection, majestic Arabian horses are brought to life in a series of sketches as well as in paintings by Horace Vernet. For the store opening, artist Faissal El-Malak’s artwork When the Guard Crosses the Street at Night animates the windows. The horse, inspired by the Faubourg’s balustrade, is transformed into a ribbon of ropes and gateways from which ladders emerge to allow the objects to flow between the different métiers.
In this modern and ever-evolving city, Hermès invites loyal customers and visitors to discover the creativity and craftsmanship of its collections in an atmosphere that celebrates the local heritage through the store’s unique design.
