This morning I was invited to the brand new United Nude store in Covent Garden, London, to be shown around by the brand’s Dutch Creative Director and architect, Rem D. Koolhaas.

Having always been a massive fan of his uncle, Rem Koolhaas’ work (I once based my entire thesis on his Prada shop in New York), I was slightly unfamiliar with the world-renowned architect’s younger nephew going by the same name and profession. Although it would have been easy to fade into the shadow of his famous uncle, Rem D. Koolhaas has managed to carve out his own very successful career when he co-founded United Nude with English shoemaker Galahad Clark (as in… Clark’s) in 2003.
Despite being a bit of a Marmite-kind-of-label (either you love it or hate it), as it offers such unusual designs, the label’s success is undeniable: it is now a global brand sold in over 40 countries and with flagship stores in cities like Amsterdam, New York, Shanghai, and now London.

Rem’s architectural background is very clear in the shoe designs, which are often more like little structures than just a shoe. The designs play with completely original constructions and materials (carbon fibre shoes, anyone?), whilst still maintaining a mostly affordable price tag. Some will of course be a little more pricey, because of their materials or limited edition (like the Iris Van Herpen ones Lady Gaga was spotted wearing just last week), but, as Rem assured me, he wanted his shoes to be accessible to everyone.

With his flagship stores, he also gets to enjoy his passion for architecture, with a truly unique “dark-shop” concept, which means the store is completely dark in all areas other than those where the products are showcased and literally highlighted. The shoes are displayed in his specially developed Wall of Light, a computer-controlled LED wall, where each capsule functions as 1 pixel. Standing in the shop, the colours of the wall will change constantly, and by doing so, it seems like the shoes evolve with it.

Where his uncle’s work once upon a time made me write a thesis about how shopping would change in The Future, Rem D. Koolhaas’ work is in fact a clear example of that magical future having truly arrived. The flagship is somewhere between art gallery and shoe store, whilst still being comfortable to shop in. I may not like Marmite, but I sure do like United Nude.

United Nude London Flagship
14 Floral Street
Covent Garden
London, WC2E 9DH