There's something about arches and archways that's simultaneously glamorous and inviting—think the Arc de Triomphe in Paris or Spanish-style bungalows in California or Italian palazzos. So it's no surprise that they figure so prominently in three newly opened boutiques, where fashion and architecture work together to transport you to opulent worlds (no purchase necessary, if you can help it).
Last week, Italian luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta opened a maison in Beverly Hills designed by its creative director Tomas Maier. The light and airy two-story boutique on Rodeo Drive was in part inspired by Spanish Colonial Revival style, which was popular in the area in the 1920s, and features—surprise!—archways and arch cutouts throughout the store.
Over in New York City, another Italian luxury brand has set up shop in an 19th-century brownstone. Aquazzura opened its first U.S. flagship boutique on Madison Avenue, and its graphic black-and-white interior calls to mind the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, where the label was founded. Bold, playful arches accent the space, which was designed by interior designer Ryan Korban and Aquazzura's creative director Edgardo Osorio.
Literally one door down, French travel-goods luxury house Moynat has also opened its first boutique in New York inside the former Whitney Townhouse. The interior features a double-height ceiling that is also—you guessed it—arched. A glass column, around which a staircase wraps itself, rises in the center of the store. Gwenaël Nicolas of Tokyo design firm Curiosity designed the space.