With their artistic and genre-defying work for clients such as Dior, Hermès and Louis Vuitton, L’Atelier Five is redefining the possibilities of experiential design. Its inspirational founder talks to Cultural Union about the future of brand activations and its dazzling new monograph, Contagious Creativity.
“Digital is efficient, but physical is emotional,” says Saina Attaoui, founder and managing director of the multidisciplinary design studio L’Atelier Five (LA5). “A meaningful in-store experience offers presence: the feeling of material, scale, light, scent, sound, and human interaction. It creates memory.” LA5 – whose client list reads like the storefronts on New Bond Street – has, in just a decade, asserted itself as the most audacious and in-demand experiential studio working in the luxury space. And as Attaoui points out, that physical connection has never been more important than it is now.
To mark that decade, LA5 has created Contagious Creativity, a stunning monograph on Images Publishing. Attaoui’s story is especially pertinent as she came to the industry as an outsider, unconnected and without agency, establishing her studio solely on the strength of her ideas, creativity and discipline. Now well-established, the studio has lost none of its guerrilla sensibility – taking each new project as an opportunity to surprise. “Luxury is not only about buying a product; it’s about entering a world,” says Attaoui. “Physical retail is where that world becomes real.”
We recently sat down with the inspiring founder to talk about her studio and the future of the industry. Here’s what she has to say:
What led you to found L’Atelier Five?
I wanted to bring back something I felt was being lost in luxury retail: emotion, craft and storytelling that you can physically feel. At the time, many brands were investing heavily in the “look” of retail, but not always in the experience of it. Too often, spaces were beautiful yet predictable. What I felt was missing was a more artisan, cinematic approach where every detail has a purpose, where the customer feels transported and where the build quality matches the brand promise. L’Atelier Five was created to bridge creative direction and real-world execution: not just the idea, but the production, the logistics, the installation, the final finish. Luxury is in the details, and I wanted a studio that could protect those details all the way to the shop floor.
How did being an outsider shape your leadership style and creative direction?
Being an outsider in a closed, male-dominated sector shaped me in two ways. Firstly, it made me resilient and direct. When you don’t have the “right” network, you learn to build trust through delivery: showing up, staying calm under pressure, and proving your standards through the work. Secondly, it pushed me to lead with a mix of high expectations and deep care. I’ve always believed that the best creative work comes from teams who feel protected, respected, and challenged. I had to create my own seat at the table, and that experience made me committed to opening doors for others, especially women and young creatives.
“We are a design studio, but we also operate as a cultural translator. We take a brand’s identity and turn it into an experience that feels relevant to its audience and to the moment.”
Saina Attaoui, founder, L’Atelier Five
Creatively, being an outsider gave me freedom. I wasn’t trying to replicate what already existed. I wanted to create a studio culture where we’re brave enough to propose something unexpected but disciplined enough to execute it flawlessly.
Which projects have marked major stages for L’Atelier Five?
Every project has shaped us for different reasons. But the major stages are often marked by shifts in the industry – moments when expectations change and you either adapt or lead. What shaped us just as much was not only the project itself, but the process behind it, and the collaboration with the brand teams. Those partnerships are intense and powerful. Working side by side with such talents, under pressure, with that level of ambition, is what raises the bar and makes you evolve. Looking back, a few experiences capture those pivots clearly:
Alexander McQueen at Saks Fifth Avenue
Our first major project in the US was a moment of proving that we could deliver at the highest level, just a few months after setting up the studio. What made it unforgettable was the challenge of translating a romantic installation that still felt unmistakably McQueen, bringing that haute couture, dramatic vibe that stops people in their tracks. Seeing it mesmerise the crowds strolling past the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue in New York was a powerful confirmation that our work could create emotion at street level, not only inside the boutique. It gave us credibility fast, and it set the tone for what we wanted to be known for: bold ideas, executed with precision.
Hermès global window storytelling
Hermès taught us the power of emotion and the discipline of detail. The approach was always the same and always demanding: capturing each product as the protagonist, then building a beautiful story around it, where craftsmanship, heritage, and the smallest details do the talking. It is storytelling that feels quiet, but stays with you. We delivered that globally, from New York to LA, Kuala Lumpur, France, Switzerland, and Kuwait, learning how to protect the same sensitivity and narrative strength across cultures, cities and teams.
Dior Harrods takeover
A major milestone in terms of scale and complexity, it confirmed that we could handle a large takeover, tight timelines, and still deliver something emotionally and technically powerful. It was also one of those rare projects that is incredibly technical, yet completely magical. Delivered around the festive season at Harrods, it meant working alongside a whole group of experts to ensure excellence in execution, while protecting the storytelling and attention to detail at every step.
As always, Dior lives in the details. The craftsmanship, the precision, the attention to every finish – all of it was delivered to carry people into the wonderful world of Dior. It reinforced what we believe in most: luxury is not only about beauty, it is about feeling. It was an amazing experience, surrounded by talent, and the result felt truly unique and deeply rewarding.
Cartier Clash experiential pop-up
This marked a shift from designing a space to designing a full experience. It was built as a playful journey into a new iconic collection from the Maison, inviting a younger generation to engage with Cartier in a fresh way. From the personality test to the live poem, the photo moment, and even a Discover playlist, every touchpoint was designed to spark curiosity and participation. What I loved most was the balance: embracing Cartier’s French heritage, but with a twist of London energy. It reminded us that when you create an experience people can feel, they do not just look, they interact, share, and remember. Each stage taught us something different: how to scale, how to protect quality under pressure, and how to create experiences that people remember.
Where does LA5 sit within the overlap of art, fashion, hospitality, and urban culture?
We sit exactly in that overlap. We are a design studio, but we also operate as a cultural translator. We take a brand’s identity and turn it into an experience that feels relevant to its audience and to the moment.
Our work often includes elements of art installation and scenography, but always with commercial intelligence: it must be beautiful, but it must also function, respect safety, and deliver results. So yes, we are a design studio, but I also see LA5 as a broader practice: experience-making, with craft at the centre.
What was the thinking behind your book, Contagious Creativity?
I chose to mark 10 years with Contagious Creativity because I wanted to honour the people behind the work: the team, the makers, the partners, and the clients who trusted us. Creating the book gave me perspective. When you’re always delivering the next project, you rarely stop to see the full journey. The book made me realise how consistent our values have been: craft, detail, and the desire to create something that feels almost magical.
This book is for young creatives who need proof that you can build something from nothing, for women who want to see what’s possible in industries that don’t always make space, and for clients and collaborators who love the behind-the-scenes reality of how experiences are made. What I hope readers take away is that creativity is not a talent you either have or don’t have. It’s a discipline. It’s contagious. And when it’s supported by craft and integrity, it can build worlds.
How will the luxury industry evolve, and what role will experiential design and LA5 play?
Over the next decade, I believe luxury will become more demanding in three ways. Experiences will need to be more meaningful: less decoration, more narrative, more emotion. Sustainability will become non-negotiable: not only in materials, but in how we design for reuse, modularity, and responsible production. Cultural relevance will matter more: brands will need to speak to communities, cities, and moments in a way that feels authentic. Experiential design will be the bridge between brand identity and real-world connection. For LA5, our role is to keep pushing the standard: creating experiences that feel beautiful, precise, and emotionally intelligent, while also being practical, safe, and sustainable.
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