Hostem Archive · London, UK

Name: Hostem Archive
Words: Steph Wade

In the ever-changing London district of Shoreditch lies Blue Mountain School, an understated grey building designed in collaboration with 6a architects—encompassing six floors of curated fashion, gastronomy, music, art, and design.

The retail component of the complex, ‘Hostem Archive’, spans the lower ground and ground floor levels, offering a selection of bespoke and handmade garments, ceramics, artworks, and design objects as well as a perfume atelier offering a selection of seasonal fragrances in handblown perfume bottles. A retreat from the fast pace of the current consumer landscape, ‘Hostem Archive’ proposes a bold new model for retail, commissioning one-off projects and bodies of work and allowing artists, designers, and makers to produce work in a sustainable way. The items on display are available regardless of season as part of a permanent collection and are added over time, available to browse online or by appointment at Blue Mountain School. The building is host to several other sophisticated spaces: Mãos, an intimate, sixteen-seat restaurant; a custom-designed BDDW space on the second floor realized in collaboration with the artist Tyler Hays; Grace’s, a sequestered space for reading and listening designed by studio Valentin Loellmann on the rooftop of the building; and Blue Projects, an exhibition space comprised of a series of viewing rooms that presents a diverse programme of exhibitions throughout the year.