Raylian puts its sole into interiors

Shoe Studio Group opens its Pied a Terre flagship store next week with interiors designed by Raylian, as the company moves to reposition the brand further upmarket.

The concept will also be introduced to the brand’s South Molton Street store and Selfridges London concession in August and could form a blueprint for Pied a Terre’s national chain of stores if it is successful, says Shoe Studio Group chief executive Don McCarthy.

Pied a Terre is seeking to become a more aspirational brand and is trying to reposition itself between ‘fashion’ and ‘designer’ shoe brands, says McCarthy. The lavish interiors, developed collaboratively in-house and by Raylian, aim to reflect this shift in position.

The look is ‘extravagant, Baroque and luxurious’, says Raylian creative director Nick Short, who led the project at the consultancy. It has introduced acid yellow, laminated glass wallshelves and handmade, ornate Italian furniture in deep purple velvet and gilt. A Hampton Court-style maze motif is featured on two separate walls and a huge gilt-framed mirror dominates the back wall.

Shoes are displayed on polished stainless steel island units, customised with the signature yellow glass. ‘We wanted to keep the interiors as clean and fresh as possible,’ says Short. ‘It’s a real departure for Pied a Terre. When economic times are uncertain for the retail world, it’s even more important to be brave.’

The Pied a Terre logo remains unchanged.