Galerie OM opens in Berlin this week at Potsdamer Straße 100 with ‘Partie Une’. Founded by Moana Thies and Oscar Gröne in collaboration with Creative Director Julian Zacharias Eide, the project brings 20th-century design, contemporary works, and collectible pieces together in one space, including works by Pierre Chareau, Jean Prouvé, Jean Royère, Ettore Sottsass, Maarten Baas, and Martin Margiela / Maison Martin Margiela.
Berlin has rarely had a dedicated space for collectible design, and Galerie OM operates without fixed inventory, bringing in works for each exhibition and changing the selection each time. Historical and contemporary pieces are shown together without separation by period or category, with works placed in close proximity so different materials and forms can be read in relation to one another.
Sound, scent, and hospitality shape the presentation, guiding how visitors move through the space. Based in Berlin, the gallery draws on references from Paris, Milan, London, and New York, sitting between interior, exhibition, and gathering space. We caught up with Thies and Gröne to find out more…
Portrait: ALESSANDRA FOCHESATO
What kind of space did you feel was missing in Berlin’s design landscape?
Berlin has always had an incredible mix of creative people and industries, but collectible design never had a true home here in the way it does in other European capitals. We wanted to create a space that reflects Berlin’s openness and cultural mix, somewhere architects, artists, musicians, collectors, and curious newcomers all feel equally welcome. The existing market often felt either overly commercial or inaccessible, especially for younger collectors. As Berlin continues to grow as a cultural city, the infrastructure around collectible design simply hasn’t kept pace. We wanted to create a space that feels open, social, and genuinely engaged with the creative community around it.
Your model is intentionally commission-based rather than inventory-led. How does that change the relationship between the gallery, collectors, and the works themselves?
It gives us freedom. An inventory-led gallery is naturally tied to a fixed direction, whereas our commission-based model allows us to move entirely through curiosity and instinct. One exhibition might focus on twentieth-century collectible design, while the next explores historical tapestry or contemporary craft. What collectors are really engaging with is our eye and our way of bringing objects together, rather than a fixed roster or category. That flexibility keeps the programming experimental, curated, and alive.
Berlin has long been associated with art, music, and nightlife, but less so with collectible design. Why does this feel like the right moment to launch Galerie OM in the city?
Because Berlin shaped who we are. The city’s art, music, and sense of freedom deeply influenced our taste and vision for the gallery. Galerie OM feels like a natural extension of the creative communities we already move through, where design, art, nightlife, and culture constantly overlap. At the same time, Berlin is evolving into a more international city with a growing community of collectors and creative professionals. The timing feels right because the city itself is entering a new cultural phase.
There is a strong tension in Partie Une between historical design masters and younger contemporary voices. What connects a figure like Jean Royère to someone like Maarten Baas within the context of this exhibition?
The exhibition was driven less by names and more by character. We were drawn to works that felt raw, alive, and emotionally charged, regardless of when they were made. What connects these pieces across generations is a shared refusal to be purely decorative. The historical works and contemporary pieces speak to one another through attitude and material honesty rather than imitation. Accessibility was also important to us, both financially and emotionally. We wanted visitors and younger collectors to feel genuinely included in the experience.
The works are presented in what in a highly cinematic and atmospheric manner. How important was it for the exhibition to function as a complete environment rather than simply a display of collectible pieces?
It was central from the beginning. We never wanted Galerie OM to feel like a traditional white cube gallery. We believe the environment completely changes how an object is experienced, so the atmosphere surrounding the works is part of the exhibition itself. Partie Une incorporated elements like Japanese incense, sake, music, and texture to create a sensory experience that engaged people before they even focused on the objects visually. We wanted visitors to feel immersed rather than simply observing from a distance.
Your backgrounds span international fairs, curation, and private art advisory. How have those experiences shaped your understanding of what today’s collectors are looking for?
We’re still early in our careers, but those experiences gave us insight into both what works and what feels missing in the current market. Working across fairs, curation, and advisory allowed us to see how collectors engage with design from different perspectives. Galerie OM grew naturally out of our own tastes, frustrations, and observations, less as a calculated business model and more as a response to what we felt collectible design could be.
Galerie OM places a strong emphasis on performance, food, and social interaction alongside collectible design. Why is the social dimension of design so important?
Because design has always been social. Objects are meant to be lived with, gathered around, and experienced within everyday life. Removing them entirely from that context can make them feel static. For us, the performances, food, and shared atmosphere are not separate from the works, they are part of how the works naturally exist. That social energy and sense of community are deeply connected to Berlin and to how we see design itself.
Many galleries are becoming increasingly polished and brand-driven, whereas Galerie OM embraces something moodier and more atmospheric. Was this visual identity a conscious reaction against the current design market?
Not really. We weren’t reacting against the market so much as following what felt authentic to us and to Berlin. The gallery’s atmosphere reflects the city’s layered, moody character and our own personal sensibilities. If that contrasts with the more polished direction of parts of the market, it’s something that happened naturally rather than strategically.
The gallery references influences from Paris, Milan, London, and New York, while remaining rooted in Berlin’s underground creative culture. How do you balance those different worlds without losing a clear identity?
Berlin is always the anchor. Each city influenced us differently. Paris taught us about tradition and historical depth, Milan about experimentation and elegance, London about the energy of a deeply underground and diverse creative crowd, and New York about confidence and cultural ambition. Galerie OM brings those influences together, but always filtered through Berlin and through our own generation. The identity stays clear because everything ultimately comes back to this city and the perspective we developed here.
You’re opening in Berlin first before expanding into Paris and Milan. What do you hope people will consistently associate with the gallery, regardless of the city or format?
We want people to associate Galerie OM with a feeling, entering a space where every detail has been chosen with conviction. The atmosphere, the sensory experience, and the point of view will remain constant wherever we go. At the same time, each city should retain its own identity. Paris should still feel like Paris, Milan like Milan, but always filtered through our eye. What stays consistent is the sense of curiosity, atmosphere, engagement, and intention behind everything we do.
Galerie OM opens on Thursday 28th May at 8pm, Potsdamer Str. 100, 10785 Berlin
