Case Study: Lulu Guinness

Annie Block, Mark McMenamin, and Meghan Edwards -- Interior Design, 8/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

The Collectables vitrine at the London flagship renovated by HMKM. Lulu Guinness's embroidered satin Birdcage bag from 2002 is a Collectable, one of a limited edition of 500.

Lulu Guinness, flirty handbag designer extraordinaire, is marking her namesake company's 20th anniversary. And what better way to celebrate than to redesign her original London flagship? HMKM has infused the 450-square-foot space with a witty 1920's aesthetic. Classical detailing such as herringbone parquet combines with such playful brand icons as hand mirrors on the ceiling. Past meets funky present in the shop's pièce de résistance: Inspired by Victorian cabinets, a brass-framed glass vitrine 9 feet tall contains her limited-edition Collectable bags. Each of the 16 displayed spins slowly on a motorized turntable, while an interactive handset provides their histories.