In Reichenbachstrasse 35 in Munich, jewelry designer Saskia Diez has created more than a point of sale, she has created a space of atmosphere and intention. Between light, texture and material, the store blurs the line between retail, gallery and studio. It reflects not just her aesthetic, but a philosophy of design that is sensitive, precise and poetic.
We spoke with Saskia about how she designed the interior herself, how material influences her thinking, and how her work is evolving, from fine jewelry to immersive experiences.
You designed the interior of your store yourself. What feelings or qualities did you want the space to evoke?
I want people to feel welcomed when they enter the space. That’s why I chose textures, also because of sound, light colours, warm lighting. I want people to come in and be amazed.
Material plays a central role in your jewelry. How did you translate that sensitivity for surfaces, textures and scale into the space, especially when it comes to the flooring?
To me, the floor definitely has a connection to jewelry. I chose Now in champagne laid out in chess pattern, 45 degrees turned. The subtle metallic shine gives a richness and connects to precious metals both silver and gold. The play of light is familiar to the play of light on the cuts of precious stones where the facets reflect the light darker or lighter depending on their angle. Champagne as a colour also evokes a feeling of exquisiteness, just like jewelry.
As a jewelry designer, you're used to working on a very small scale. What was it like to think spatially in architecture, light and materiality?
I love thinking in big pictures, even if usually working on small scale, I always consider the context, the bodies the jewelry is worn by, how it moves when they move, but also packaging, photography etc. It was a very nice experience to think about all these questions: how to present my work, what feelings to create when people visit, how the interaction between staff and clients looks like, how the back office space looks like and is fun to work at, the kitchen, the atelier etc.
Your work is expanding – not just across disciplines, but also into experiences like your dinner series Saskia Diez Cooks. What connects jewelry and cooking for you?
When it comes to cooking, I see similarities with designing. Creating with colours, flavours, composing a picture on a plate, creating something that also evokes feelings. Feelings of surprise, joy, memories of childhood, travels, summer, love.
On October 23rd, Saskia Diez opened the doors of her store for a special evening co-hosted with Bolon Germany. Under the title “Surface & Senses”, selected guests from the fields of architecture and interior design were invited to explore the interplay between material, craft and atmosphere.
The evening began in Saskia’s store, where guests were welcomed with champagne and a hands-on workshop. Guided by Saskia, they created bracelets using Bolon yarn and metal tags, a poetic connection between material and memory.
From there, the group moved to Bar Davide, the Munich venue where Saskia also hosts her Saskia Diez Cooks dinners. There, she prepared a three-course menu, accompanied by wine and music, while Bolon presented its latest innovation: Riff, a new flooring collection available in 16 colour variants and tile format only.
