Hermina Athens | HYLE design studio

Hermina Athens shop is designed to feel like a sanctuary; a place that feels like a home and a magical place at the same time. The HYLE and Hermina collaboration was a journey to create the dream boutique for the owner, which aspires to be more than an architecturally perfect space for her. It is a place destined to express the essence of the Hermina brand, communicate the craft of jewelry making and showcase the created collections.

The project’s challenge was to materialize the character and identity of the brand. Choosing all-natural materials was the immediate response to this brief, producing a space characterized by a fluid tactility. The idea of forging a primitive or cave-like space came to mind at the initial stages, and a mixed-use space with distinct materiality and fluid forms was designed. Raw materials partner up with forms full of curves, celebrating the female body. A nod to the regular Hermina motif, the curved furniture and building assets, refer to the statue of Aphrodite of Knidos that lent her figure to the beloved "Thea" charm of the collection.

The shopping and lounging area of the ground floor had to be clearly identified by passers-by of the busy streets in Monastiraki, and be able to lure them into the magical space of Hermina. Another key aspect in the design process was the creation of a welcoming retail space, which is a jewelry bar doubling as an actual bar for the guests and customers. Incorporating a functioning bar at the boutique followed the aesthetic of its surroundings, harmoniously blended with the decor and textures of the retail, while adding extra value to the guests that get to enjoy the full Hermina experience.

The upper floors host the operations of the business, the production space of the workshop and the assembly and packaging areas. The basement houses the back of house areas and the rooftop is designed as a well-hidden outdoor private space for special events. HYLE created the Hermina store with an experienced touch reminiscent of eclectic hospitality and custom, choreographed experience that allows the jewelry products to speak for themselves in a sensorial retail space.