Introducing the June 2022 Escapes Issue of Wallpaper*

Few brands have shaped our understanding and appreciation of sport as much as Nike. The apparel behemoth marks its 50th anniversary this year, and reaffirms its innovative spirit with the unveiling of the Serena Williams Building in Portland, encompassing one million sq ft and bringing all its design, consumer insights and merchandising teams under one roof for the first time. As its chief design officer John Hoke describes, it’s a ‘once-in-a-generation project, to build an environment that leverages design to spark creativity and craftsmanship at the next level’. This issue includes a ten-page exclusive reveal, courtesy of photographer Mahmoud Mfinanga and our US editor Pei-Ru Keh, which also shines a light on the brand’s pioneering approach to inclusive design.
We are equally proud to present a tour of Balenciaga’s freshly unveiled London flagship, a stripped-down space that stands apart from its New Bond Street neighbours. The store is a prime example of ‘Raw Architecture’, as championed by the fashion house’s artistic director Demna, working with architecture studio Sub. Beyond its otherworldly allure, the new store is remarkable for reducing the use of virgin materials to achieve a lighter environmental footprint. Sub’s Niklas Bildstein Zaar and Andrea Faraguna have also created our limited-edition cover, which shows a volumetric scan of the newly reorganised sample room in their Berlin studio.
Elsewhere, we highlight a series of eye-opening, soul-salving destinations around the world. For our newsstand cover and main fashion story, photographer Dham Srifuengfung and fashion director Jason Hughes headed to Amanruya, a placid and perfectly appointed retreat on the shores of Bodrum. Our beloved ‘The Trip’ series makes a happy return: photographer Olgaç Bozalp and magazine editor TF Chan deliver a snapshot of Muscat, highlighting contemporary architecture that represents varying views on Omani identity and introducing the artists currently representing the sultanate at their first Venice Biennale pavilion. Meanwhile, photography editor Sophie Gladstone presents an absorbing visual essay of Doha, whose investments in art, architecture and design are reaching critical mass ahead of the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
The unveiling of a new pavilion at Provençal winery and art centre Château La Coste is always cause for celebration, even more so when the pavilion is listed as the final work of Oscar Niemeyer. We asked Deyan Sudjic, Wallpaper* contributing editor and director emeritus of London’s Design Museum, to assess the building and reflect on the late architect’s legacy. Further afield, we check in at Marufukuro, a new hotel in Kyoto with an unusual past life as the headquarters of gaming giant Nintendo, and answer the call of the wild at Casa Azul, a Studio MK27-designed residence in the glorious seclusion of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. There’s even a sprinkle of wanderlust on our Artist’s Palate page: take your tastebuds on a journey with Cao Fei’s Singapore laksa. Safe travels, and enjoy the issue.
Bill Prince
Acting Editor-in-Chief
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Bill Prince is a journalist, author, and editor-in-chief of Wallpaper* and The Blend. Prior to taking up these roles, he served for 23 years as the deputy editor of British GQ. In addition to editing, writing and brand curation, Bill is an acknowledged authority on travel, hospitality and men's style. His first book, ‘Royal Oak: From Iconoclast To Icon’ – a tribute to the Audemars Piguet watch at 50 – was published by Assouline in September 2022.
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All-In is the Paris-based label making full-force fashion for main character dressing
Part of our monthly Uprising series, Wallpaper* meets Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø of All-In, the LVMH Prize-nominated label which bases its collections on a riotous cast of characters – real and imagined
By Orla Brennan
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Maserati joins forces with Giorgetti for a turbo-charged relationship
Announcing their marriage during Milan Design Week, the brands unveiled a collection, a car and a long term commitment
By Hugo Macdonald
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Through an innovative new training program, Poltrona Frau aims to safeguard Italian craft
The heritage furniture manufacturer is training a new generation of leather artisans
By Cristina Kiran Piotti
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Art, artefacts and Armani Casa: step into our Made in Italy showcase
In this photographic series, we combine Armani Casa’s timeless furniture collections with Italian art and rare artefacts to tell the story of Made in Italy craftsmanship
By Nick Vinson
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Playful design codes rule in this London Victorian family home
2LG Studio embraces colour and comfort in an extensive renovation of a Victorian family home
By Hannah Silver
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Design at the White House: the creatives working with US Presidents past and present
Interior designers, fashion designers and artists, whose collaborators have included the White House and its residents, with commissions that range from interior refits to presidential portraits
By Pei-Ru Keh
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Essx store opens in New York’s Lower East Side
Essx is a new concept and community store by local architecture firm Leong Leong and designer Yossi Shetrit
By Pei-Ru Keh
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Eastside Bowl scores big with a maximalist postmodern aesthetic
Designed by Cowboy Creative, Eastside Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee, combines American nostalgia and southern charm
By Pei-Ru Keh
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The Design Parade kicks off a creative Summer in the French Mediterranean
Design Parade 2023, set between Hyères and Toulon until the fall, features a showcase of design by emerging and established talent
By Jean Grogan
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This Los Angeles bolthole by Masastudio and Kelly Wearstler is a carefully considered gem
Laid out like a village, the first collaboration between LA-based Masastudio and Kelly Wearstler is a sculptural family home inspired by Mediterranean architecture
By Pei-Ru Keh
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Building Salmon Creek Farm: inside California’s ultimate creative retreat
Salmon Creek Farm's founder, the architecture-trained artist Fritz Haeg, opens the doors to his cultural commune and tells us its story
By Fritz Haeg