When you go into a store just to buy something, do you pay attention to the interior design?

As a customer, I would like to concentrate on what I am buying. But sometimes I involuntarily pay attention to the interior, whether I want to or not.

 

What do you think about the “corporate” design of boutiques of major fashion houses all over the world?

That’s a difficult question. There are pluses and minuses here. The fact that they have the same design all over the world is convenient for customers. But the negative aspect of this is that if they all the same, then you don’t want to go to all of these stores. It’s sufficient to go to one. In my opinion, even stores of major corporations should have a special element that reflects the national color of the specific location. This is more interesting and provides an additional flavor of uniqueness.

 

The speed at which you complete your projects is legendary. What’s the secret of your efficiency?

It’s very hard for me to answer that question. The quality of the idea doesn’t depend on how much time you spend on it. And if a job absorbs me, then it’s easy for me to come up with new ideas. So the speed at which I work is natural for me.

 

Fred Perry Laurel will represent an integration of three cultures: Russia, Britain (because it is a British brand) and Japan. How do you see the role of these cultures in this project?

The main theme of the project is the synchronization of these three cultures. I wanted to make it special, and it will not be embodied anywhere but Russia. There is the history of Russia’s transition from the Communist system to the current system.

Russia is a growing, developing country. And the fact that the Russian owner of the store invited a Japanese designer is reflected in the design. I didn’t specially try to bring in any Japanese themes – the fact that I am working here creates the theme.

When I came here, I realized that both in the Soviet Union and today’s Russia there are many cultural matrices, and different peoples. And I tried to depict this cultural mosaic by placing many different and dissimilar rugs on the floor.

 

You insist on calling yourself a designer, but do you have any architectural ambitions?

I call myself an interior designer, and even if I work on an architectural project, I speak of myself as an interior design. I don’t have architectural ambitions, although I often work as an architect. But interior design helps me to establish communication more effectively and leads to closer contact with people