Client: Mauboussin

Overview

Complete remodel of the founding and world flagship store of French jewelry company Mauboussin. About 2500sft of retail space with additional back of house. Located on prestigious Place Vendome in Paris. New showroom and client service spaces, inclusive of private VIP room, office space safe room.

Goals

The mural in this project was essential to establish this retail space. The brand's goal was to reposition itself with a younger, more cosmopolitan customer, depicted in this artists interpretation. The influence of street culture was a conscious choice to break with the barriers of the classically restrained luxury environments in the immediate neighborhood. Set right in juxtaposition with a very high-end moment of an elegantly cascading light fixture over a precious monolitic marble slab of 5,5m length it provokes, disturbs and sets the stage for re-thinking preconceived notions of what luxury is today. The artwork contributed to the declaration of an accessible luxury retail environment for a modern customer free of conventions.
The artwork is a collage of faces in front of a backdrop of animated emotions in cartoon style. Oil on paper, adhered to the interior raw brick wall. Approx dimensions: 2500mm x 3500mm

Process

The brand positioning was first formulated between the designer and the client. Once the intent was defined the artist was commissioned to develop ideas of how to support it. Several sketch proposal of various motives were made before the final artwork was chosen. The a technique had to be developed to apply the artwork directly to the wall without permanently marking it. Jay developed a paper technique that allowed him to cover the brick wall with a very thin invisible layer on which the artwork was painted.