Alexander Lamont flagship shop is a quiet and sophisticated space where we show our collections of lighting, object, furniture and materials. It is an expression of Alex’s dedication to meticulous workmanship, rare materials and an aesthetic taste refined by a life lived between East and West. We opened this shop in 2018 in Gaysorn Village, a high-end department store located in the central shopping district in Bangkok. Today we would like to take you through the beauty of our flagship shop.
The shop also serves as a venue for our events. As announced in the last article, Alexander Lamont hosted Sunday Salon on September 1st. The event was a great success, in which our customers from different backgrounds gathered and came in touch with the sophisticated decorative arts and culture of the Art Deco era. The participants enjoyed watching demonstrations of straw marquetry and eggshell inlay, iconic materials for decorative arts in Art Deco, as well as a first-hand experience in crafting them. A calligraphy artist of Eropean tradition was also present to demonstrate the art of refined penmanship.
The shop is designed for visitors to experience the lifestyle proposed by Alexander Lamont. In the past article of “The Art of Connectivity,” our idea of luxury is narrated in detail. Luxury lies in intimate moments of everyday life rather than in objects themselves. Whether spending anniversary together with your loved ones or indulging in your own meditative thoughts, we believe that things that are present in these intimate moments must be objects made with great care and skills, from natural materials that grow old with grace. The shop displays objects that enhance such moments of everyday “luxury”.
A huge antique Javanese double wall cabinet is eye-catching. This was in awful condition when Alex bought it but we restored it, keeping the old lacquer and adding lighting, to create a wonderful sense of structure to the central display area. Displayed in the cabinet are folkart, antiques and handicrafts collected by Alex over the years made from strange and beautiful materials journeyed from across Asia, Africa and Latin America. Grew up in a family with an antique business, Alex had childhood filled with a world of colour, smell and texture. These objects in the cabinet embody the roots of Alex’s creation today.
The counter is made from un-lacquered black Palmira. This wood was one of the famous tropical woods of the Art Deco period. Innovation and exploration of materials during the Art Deco era was already discussed in the last article “Art Deco.” By not lacquering it we keep a light tone and by laying the wood horizontally we change the classic presentation in a contemporary way. The top of the counter is made from untreated copper which will gradually patinate and darken with age
Raw materials, tools and techniques are displayed and illustrated to help visitors understand how much time and care are poured into our material workmanship. For Alexander Lamont, the exploration and innovation of materials and techniques is a powerful force that drives the creative direction of the company. To actually touch and feel the raw materials and understand how they transform into beautiful objects by painstakingly elaborate work will definitely enhance your appreciation of our work.
Alex chose terrazzo for the floor material. Terrazzo is a surface that uses a base of cement into which an aggregate is added – in this case varied sizes of white stones – and this is then poured into prepared areas framed by a metal trim. The floor is a vital element in any space. It is the first and often the only material that you come into physical contact with as you walk. To keep 260 square metres of floor look fresh and interesting, the art director wanted to avoid ordinary materials. To personalize the floor we added scatterings of cast brass elements that represent some key elements of the brand. There are forms from the natural world because our materials come from nature. Tools embody the techniques and skills that we use that have been passed down for centuries. Motifs from archaic Chinese jades represent our presence in Asia and the influence of antiquity on our designs and methods.
To maintain the airiness of the space but bring structure to the large open areas for displaying furniture, we use floating handmade paper panels. They have criss-cross artistic randomness that gives a wonderful texture and transparency to the space. The walls are largely covered with a handmade woven wallpaper that has overlapping textures painted in off-white tones. The texture of the paper hangings beautifully mirrors the mottling and subtlety of the terrazzo.
The store is open every day for visitors to explore the world of Alexander Lamont. We look forward to your visit to Alexander Lamont flagship shop, whether to enjoy the moment of silence surrounded by our products or participate in one of our future Sunday Salons.
