Fresh Flagship
It’s the season of change at Valentino.
The Italian luxury brand has opened the doors to its new London flagship on Sloane Street, which has four floors in a minimalist design using the signature Valentino red color and shades of ivory and black throughout.
The store offers dedicated areas for accessories, ready-to-wear and private client spaces, which of late has become a priority for any luxury brand trying to engage their loyal clientele.
The nuances of the store nod to the brand’s signatures, such as the bespoke lighting installation resembling the Rockstud.
The store is decorated with seating designed by Mario Bellini for B& B Italia.
To celebrate the opening of the store, a limited edition of the Valentino VSling bag will be available, as well as a permanent made-to-order service of exclusive readyto-wear items.
The London store takes cues from the unit at 645 Madison Avenue in New York, which debuted in November and has backlit black marble shelves and bespoke Plexiglas modules.
The flagship marks an important strategic moment for Valentino’s retail approach worldwide, after the opening of boutiques in Florence and Paris in 2022, followed by Shanghai at Plaza 66 a month later, among others.
“Our intention is to bring Valentino around the world,” former creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli told WWD in an interview last year.
“It is undeniable that every location is unique, and in particular in Madison we let the interiors determine the path we should take.
I like to interact with the locations, to create an exchange based on respect and curiosity,” he added. “I like to think that opening a store can also have a cultural value that is every
time a possibility to bring who we are into the world.”
On March 22, WWD was the first to report that Piccioli was exiting the Rome- based couture house based on information from market sources, who also believed that Alessandro Michele was negotiating his contract to become his successor, which was confirmed a few days later.
Michele’s first collection will be for spring 2025.
— HIKMAT MOHAMMED