Notabene

Entering the store, one is welcomed by a grand double-height space with exposed and tactile concrete walls, an original terrazzo flooring, striking minimalist aluminium shelves and clay podiums, showcasing the newest collection of Italian handmade shoes as delicate icons.

The space encapsulates everything that the brand is and offers much more than the average retail space; one can surely browse the store for the latest in shoe fashion, but is also able to pay a visit to the downstairs shoeshine bar with the possibility to give your favourite pair a brush up while enjoying a drink, browsing through curated coffee table books or engaging in conversations about shoe design, maintenance or whatever is happening in Copenhagen at the moment.

This meeting of different functionalities and atmospheres is not only marked by the different levels in the space – it is just as much reflected in the meeting between materials; in the way that the soft curtains brush up against the raw concrete walls; in the way that the light and delicate Japanese oak wood furniture sits on top of the traditional black-and-white terrazzo flooring and in the way that the oversized and rustic clay podiums showcase fine handmade shoes with refined leather details and precise stitching.

The stimulating clash of style, form and tactility creates a dynamic space, embracing the essence of Notabene as a brand; classic yet innovative, delicate yet powerful, refined but raw. In this way, the new concept store tells the story of a traditional shoe brand looking forward.

Carefully crafted by Japanese furniture brand Karimoku Case Study and local craftsmen alike, elegant furniture pieces accompany the monumental wooden staircase that sculpturally connects the three levels of the space, while playfully letting in the sunlight through its oak structure. The material combination of elegant wooden details, lush bouclé fabrics, hand brushed aluminum surfaces and rippled concrete creates an edgy universe that is both relaxed, refined, and luxurious at the same time.

All the furniture pieces are designed bespoke for the store in close collaboration with Karimoku Case Study and while some pieces will remain as such, others might find their way to the permanent collection of the brand. This way of working with design, that is created for specific needs, is the core principle of product development at Karimoku Case Study

While the street level part of the shoe mecca is spacious and full of light, the downstairs shoeshine bar is dim, cosy, warm and intimate. Here, a central bar covered in golden oak veneer serves both drinks, wine, tea or coffee, while a lounge setting with comfy sofas and lounge chairs from Japan, offers you a welcoming seat when putting on a pair of slippers, while your shoes are being fixed.

What we have really worked with is the materiality and the design language of the space to ensure that the downstairs shoeshine bar has the same feeling as the store area on the ground floor and likewise as the design lab on the mezzanine, all the while the different areas still needed to have their own character and to stand out as unique and diverse experiences.