Dolce and Gabbana breathes new life to destination shopping
Mr. Domenico Dolce and Mr. Stefano Gabbana once again challenge creative standards with the launch of the Dolce&Gabbana boutique on Via Montenapoleone in Milan.
Where the norm was once geared towards consistent and harmonized looks for all retail outlets worldwide, the duo has decided to evoke different places that resonate with the brand – a new direction it pursues in its stores worldwide.
In Milan, the boutique uses green marble and briarwood to create an interior that blends baroque style and modernism. In Tokyo, Curiosity founder Mr. Gwenael Nicolas was commissioned to create a mix of Oriental and Sicilian elements in a 550 square-meter boutique. In London, Mr.
Nicolas evokes the spirit of Mssrs Dolce and Gabbana in the Old Bond Street store with bookmatched natural stone. Milan’s Teatro alla Scala provides an inspiration for the two-storey Miami boutique.
A more conceptual approach finds its way in the New York boutique located in an historic former fire station. Picking up on the idea of change, the staircase connecting the first and second storeys of the store is built to respond to the flow of the architectural spaces. Like props on a stage, the gold damask panels and the freestanding furniture are easily transported.
Colors and finishes define the different rooms of the Venice boutique, which is modeled after an Italian palazzo. Ancient multicolored marbles are inlaid on the floors, while wooden bas-reliefs adorn the wall.
The new aesthetic direction aims to expand the meaning boutiques from mere shops that sell merchandize to hubs that spark cultural exchange, dialog, and an emotional response. In this time of weakening retail performance, turning shops into destinations may prove to be just the ticket.