Oslo, Norway – YME’s Oslo concept store draws on Norse mythology for its design inspiration, taking customers on a journey through the elements.
The brand, which sells a mix of fashion, art, interiors and design, has explored the origins of its namesake, YME, a giant from Norse legend, created through a meeting of fire and ice.
Designed and created by Norwegian interior designers Snøhetta, the store features a 25-metre pinewood frieze representing the convergence of the 12 rivers at Ginnungagap, a vast primordial void.
The first floor, sporting a range of luxury streetwear and accessories, represents Niflheim, the realm of primordial ice with backlit flowing white shelves and poured concrete flooring.
The womenswear department on the second floor is a darker, more brooding setting, with exposed wooden struts and crumbling brickwork, while the menswear area on the third floor evokes the raw power of fire through volcanic ash hues of grey and atmospheric lighting.
For more on how brands can harness fantasy narratives, read our macrotrend on Neo-Tolkienism.