Conceived as an immersive sequence of spatial “acts” in the heart of Madrid’s Salamanca district, Lady Pipa new flagship store blurs the boundaries between reality and imagination while challenging conventional retail typologies. Through a refined dialogue between interior design and cinema, El Departamento architecture studio transforms shopping into a sensorial narrative defined by chiaroscuro effects, reflective surfaces, and sensorial contrasts.
Spanning 106 square meters, the project reinterprets conventional retail typologies through an immersive spatial narrative titled Soirée Dreams — a concept where the boundaries between fantasy and reality dissolve into a theatrical, cinematic experience.
The “Soirée Dreams” concept: where the party begins
Faithful to their multidisciplinary and research-driven approach, El Departamento founders Alberto Eltini and Marina Martín establish a sophisticated dialogue between interior architecture and cinema. Drawing references from the surreal and atmospheric universe of David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, the store unfolds as an oneiric soirée in which shopping itself becomes part of the celebration.
The project stems from a simple yet compelling premise: for a brand dedicated to occasionwear and guest dresses, the experience of the party should begin the moment one enters the store.
Visitors are welcomed into a hypnotic environment defined by chiaroscuro effects, reflective surfaces, and sensorial contrasts.
A retro metallic wall telephone — a direct cinematic nod to Lynch’s visual language — introduces the narrative, while a neon installation displaying the phrase “Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to Lady Pipa” reinforces the brand’s provocative manifesto.
Soft textures, reflections, and a DJ booth
Materiality plays a central role in shaping the spatial atmosphere.
A continuous blue flooring with a water-like reflective effect merges seamlessly with walls finished in matching limewash paint, generating an immersive monochromatic envelope.
The checkout counter is conceived as a sculptural DJ booth, constructed from illuminated corrugated glass blocks and topped with a suspended brushed-aluminium luminaire designed specifically for the project.
Within the display area, a sequence of three mirrored arches amplifies reflections and perspectives, intensifying the dreamlike quality of the interior. Silver faux-fur surfaces provide a tactile backdrop for the garments, while the footwear collection is presented within custom niches upholstered in pink velvet internally and blue velvet externally.
The dance floor and the forbidden atelier
The fitting room area emerges as the scenographic climax of the store, envisioned as an intimate dance floor wrapped in shimmering gradient silk curtains.
Mirrors framed with dotted frontal lighting evoke the glamour of classic backstage dressing rooms. Suspended above, an imposing antique Murano glass chandelier — measuring 1.40 metres in height and 1.10 metres in diameter — acts as the project’s luminous centrepiece. Chrome stools and purple velvet poufs complete the carefully curated interplay between contemporary interventions and vintage elements. The spatial journey culminates on the lower level, where visitors encounter “L’Atelier”, a private event space conceived as the soirée’s forbidden room.
Here, the atmosphere shifts towards a darker and more intimate expression of luxury: deep green carpeting meets walls fully clad in natural Cathedral Sapelli wood veneer, creating a secluded sanctuary that amplifies the sensual and daring character of the Lady Pipa universe.
Lady Pipa’s new flagship becomes an immersive stage where architecture, fashion, and cinema converge into a singular sensory experience. Through theatrical contrasts, tactile richness, and cinematic storytelling, El Departamento transforms shopping into an act of participation within the brand’s universe.
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Short Bio
We transform our clients’ universes into plausible spaces. El Departamento is an experimental and daring studio, founded by Alberto Eltini and Marina Martín in early 2017 with the significant challenge of reevaluating the architecture and interior spaces within the historical context we live in. The studio’s ongoing research in its projects converges contemporary elements with experimentation. Our aim is to build a bridge between strict and rational architecture through free thinking and anti-establishment aesthetics, with the goal of challenging established norms and proposing a new vision. Each project represents an internal revolution that questions everything done so far, under the conscious premise that one cannot reinvent the wheel every day, but it’s worth trying.
Facts & Credits
Title Lady Pipa Flagship Store
Typology Interior, Retail
Location Madrid, Spain
Area 106 m2
Status Completed, 2023
Architecture El Departamento
Design Team Alberto Eltini & Marina Martín
Photography Sergio Pradana
Text by the authors