École De Pensée · Montreal, Canada

The store is unique in its aesthetic; its walls are designed to look weathered and warm, and between the clothing racks are pieces of furniture from famed mid-century Danish designers Finn Juhl and Poul Cadovius. Like the familiar apartment of an old friend, the space “is calm and welcoming, reflecting the brand’s ethos”, the École de Pensée team explain. It is a fairly literal reflection: the designers spent 250 hours creating the textured walls, and all of the concrete elements within the store—the plinths and stands—were hand poured by the team. Working with a local steel workshop, they created the custom hanging system for the store that serves to heighten its pared-back elegance.