Sophie Hicks Designs Max Mara Flagship with Orange Staircase on Avenue Montaigne

British architect Sophie Hicks has completed a dramatic renovation of the Max Mara flagship store on Avenue Montaigne in Paris, featuring a double-helix staircase in brilliant orange that she calls "a visual punch on the nose." The store, located at the corner of Montaigne and rue Clément Marot, offers a view of the Eiffel Tower from its first floor. Hicks, a former fashion editor at British Vogue and Tatler who studied architecture at London's Architectural Association, has designed stores for Paul Smith, Acne Studios, Chloé, Mugler, and Yohji Yamamoto. This is her first full structural renovation in Paris since her Yohji Yamamoto store in 2010. The interior uses Italian materials: stucco and terrazzo by masters from Padova and Vicenza, a nine-foot display table of 15 cast glass plates made on Murano, and bespoke sofas by Cassina with terracotta armrests. Lighting by Arup adjusts from morning to dusk. The ground floor is fully glazed, displaying 20 mannequins. No art is present; materials and clothing provide the aesthetic. Horticulturist Tania Compton planted 22 willow trees outside. Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, third-generation family member and board member, described the store as "a whole new concept" reflecting the brand's values of simplicity and substance.