Behind the Façade

In Milan, some of the city’s most intriguing interiors lie beyond understated facades – and it was this sense of revelation and hidden richness that inspired the new flagship store of luxury leather goods brand Polène. Located on Milan’s Via Manzoni and designed by Copenhagen-based Norm Architects, the store also takes cues from the minimalist, sculptural language of the brand itself.

“Milan had a strong influence, particularly in the way its architecture balances restraint and richness,” explains Sofie Thorning, partner and architect at Norm Architects. “We translated that idea into a spatial experience that gradually unfolds.”

Rather than opting for an open-plan layout, the design team organised the store as a sequence of aligned rooms, each with its own atmosphere and material identity. It’s an approach rooted in the Milanese tradition of enfilade, in which doorways create a visual axis through a series of interconnected spaces. “We were drawn to the idea of creating a more intimate and immersive retail experience,” says Manuela Guidarini, senior architect at Norm Architects. “It gives each material and product its own atmosphere that feels aligned with Polène’s focus on craftsmanship and storytelling.”

Each room is defined by a single material, explored in its various states from raw to refined. The journey begins in a stone room, where rough-hewn travertine pedestals sit against bocciardato (bush-hammered) limestone walls. From there, visitors pass through a leather room with stacked suede, hanging off-cuts and compressed leather flooring before arriving in the main retail space. This larger room is defined by honey-toned timber, with tree-log pedestals, display tables that evoke stacked lumber, and hand-chiselled shelving.

The final space in the enfilade sequence is the payment area, which celebrates the beauty of clay through plaster walls, handmade bricks, a rammed earth counter, and a glazed ceramic artwork by Clara Graziolino. Off to one side, a separate VIP space is wrapped in fabric, with pleated backdrops, linen curtains and upholstered pedestals creating a softer, more secluded atmosphere.

This materials-led approach draws on Polène’s commitment to craft and its palette of natural leather tones. The soft, sculptural quality of the brand’s bags, jewellery and homewares and the organic character of its design language are also echoed in the interior, creating a close connection between the products on display and the surrounding architecture. 

“The gradual transition in materials, textures, and colours is designed to slow the pace down and invite exploration,” says Thorning. “It’s less about a quick shopping experience and more about engaging with the atmosphere, the materials, and the craftsmanship behind the brand.” At a time when bricks-and-mortar retail needs to offer an experience beyond the digital world, Norm Architects makes a compelling case for a space that reveals itself slowly and deliberately.