The new 3826 square foot ME+EM store located at 4-5 Marylebone High Street is a celebration of modern British design. It is the largest of the modern luxury label’s eight UK stores and is ME+EM’s first official flagship location.
Collaboratively crafted by interior and spatial designers Ed Milton, from EJM Studio, and Tina Vaia, from Tina Vaia Studio, the store harmonises heritage and modernity, reflecting ME+EM’s ethos of understated luxury with a distinctive British flair. By embracing artisanal craftsmanship, natural materials, and thoughtful spatial design, the store creates an inviting environment that balances function and aesthetic appeal.
Having collaborated previously on two other store designs for the fashion retailer, Milton and Vaia worked closely with ME+EM’s founder Claire Hornby to articulate the brand’s identity through its Marylebone premises. The goal was to craft a space that felt contemporary and rooted in tradition, fostering a sense of community and warmth.
The design concept honours the heritage of the building, which was previously occupied by a London & South Western bank. Existing architectural features, including the arched windows and original columns, have been preserved and turned into focal points. Circular banquette seating wraps around structural pillars and dark wooden furniture evokes the feeling of a historic grand banking hall. The tiled coffee tables, handmade in Valencia by Vaia, are finished in an emerald green glaze which pay homage to the iconic tiles and traditional charm of Victorian pubs and railway stations.
British design typologies are also found in the custom stone floor which merges a traditional Victorian chequerboard with the popular 1970’s‘Crazy Paving’. Milton and Vaia dedicated hours to perfecting the proportions of this intricate pattern; carefully calibrating the tile sizes, grout width, and the placement of the small inlaid black squares to achieve the ideal balance. The bespoke pattern of the artisan floor tiles is continued across custom rugs in the fitting rooms designed by Milton and produced by Floor Story.
Many of the design elements focused on achieving a balance between the old and the new while embracing an artisanal, handcrafted aesthetic. The bobbin rail fixtures, reimagined with a contemporary CNC-crafted twist, are made from oak sourced from fallen trees in and around London.
Other design details include the fitting rooms which redefine the conventional experience by functioning as social hubs. Featuring generous seating and expansive floor-to-ceiling mirrors, the changing area, with an abundance of natural light, invites customers to relax, linger, and engage.
The design of the store drew on principles which emphasise well-being and a connection to natural elements. By using authentic materials such as limestone and marble, wood, and linen, the space evokes a grounding sense of connection and warmth, enhancing the overall shopping experience. To maintain a personal and handcrafted aesthetic, Milton and Vaia collaborated with local, sustainable suppliers such as Yarn Collective and Fallen & Felled, steering clear of mass-produced decor.
The store’s overall colour palette draws inspiration from Josef Albers’ iconic Homage to the Square series, embodying a harmonious yet dynamic interplay of tones. Mustard yellows and greens, combined with rich textural elements, create a visually layered and engaging environment. By blending neutral hues with mustard tones and incorporating diverse materials and textures, the palette mirrors the interplay of clashing textures that define ME+EM’s collections.
Milton and Vaia’s collaborative workflow embraced a constant feedback loop, blending Milton’s architectural and furniture design expertise with Vaia’s focus on colour and material. From creating 3D studies to testing material combinations, the process was a hands-on exploration of ideas.
