Maison Diptyque, New Bond Street, London

“People are no longer just coming to Diptyque to buy the perfectly scented candle. They are buying a piece of French and Parisian lifestyle, including a constellation of product categories and collaborators,” explains Laurence Semichon, SVP of Diptyque. “We have a great portfolio of products and we were a bit frustrated with not being able to share this within our existing stores where space is limited. With Maison Diptyque, we will be able to show all that we offer.”

The concept is inspired by the first-ever Diptyque boutique on 34 Boulevard Saint-Germain in 1961. Launched by its three founders — interior designer Christiane Montadre-Gautrot, painter Desmond Knox-Leet and theatre director Yves Coueslant — the boutique doubled as a bazaar experience, with objects curated by the founders from their travels, sold alongside the brand’s perfumes and candles. While the interiors of the Paris Maison Diptyque pay homage to its French heritage, in London, original artworks from the brand’s British co-founder Knox-Leet appear in the gallery corridor on the ground floor.