The waves of time

FOR THE NEW FENDI STORE IN LONDON DIMORESTUDIO HAS CREATED A SPACE WHERE PAST MEETS PRESENT, WITH STYLE.

The Fendi store in London on Sloane Street, designed by Dimorestudio, is organized like an apartment. Its idea of luxury is based on fine materials, and especially on the choice of furnishings, combining pieces from different eras. The borderline between boutique and home is intentionally blurred. «We aimed at the image of a Roman flat in the late 1960s-early 1970s», says Emiliano Salci, one of the two partners of Dimorestudio (the other is Britt Moran). «We were inspired by the women who set the tone in those years: Gabriella Crespi, Gae Aulenti, Cini Boeri, but also Marella Agnelli. A period in which modern meant combining steel and Chinese objects, souvenirs, art». The resulting interior complies with the rules of retail spaces, while tactfully discarding their codes. «Our goal was to create soft, neutral spaces, to set off the fashion collections. Sand tones, pale rose, a full range of browns for the men’s area. The space is like a sequence of rooms, including the cash desk in a black chamber with bronze and gold Chinese decorations and marvelous seating by Pierre Cardin». The two levels are connected by a staircase in brushed steel with geometric inlays and carpeted steps. «It was the hardest part of the project, because of complex regulations», Britt Moran says. «We had to start with the challenges and make them into an appealing solution». The women’s zone features an enormous central chandelier, a rare piece in brass and Murano glass by Carlo Scarpa. The furnishings include remarkable pieces: the PS16 rocking chair by Franco Albini, the 597 table lamp by Gianfranco Frattini, a 1970s armchair by Luigi Caccia Dominioni, an Artona table by Afra & Tobia Scarpa.