03/27/09 - Gucci unveil its newly renovated London flagship boutique located at 18 Sloane Street. This will mark the fifth store in the world to reflect the new design concept of Frida Giannini. With a touch of irony, Frida Giannini has designed the exclusive limited edition "Sloaney Bag" collection as a tribute to London in the Seventies...

Gucci unveil its newly renovated London flagship boutique located at 18 Sloane Street. This will mark the fifth store in the world to reflect the new design concept of Frida Giannini, Gucci´s Creative Director, following openings on New York´s Fifth Avenue, Rome´s Via Condotti, Munich´s Maximilianstrasse and Hong Kong´s Canton Road.

First opened in 1990 the new Sloane Street boutique covers 20.000 square feet on two spacious floors. Giannini´s innovative concept, which employs open space, warm luxurious materials and natural light to spectacular effect,
is a departure from traditional codified fashion retail spaces symbolising Gucci´s 21st century contemporary look.

An impressive 60 meter facade looking onto London´s famed Sloane Street captures attention through the use of tone-on-tone bronze metal enhanced with a special LED lighting affect. Signature Gucci materials of rosewood and marble remain, but are enhanced by the introduction of new elements such as ribbed glass, warm polished gold, smoked mirror and smoked bronze glass recalling the elegance and richness of the Art Deco period.

"I wanted to amplify the luxurious and intimate sensibility of the Gucci boutique environment to create an aesthetic that complements the history of the House, but at the same time ensures that it is thoroughly contemporary" explains Gianinni. This design concept is a modern architectural statement that references iconic materials and elements from the past.

Of course my emphasis has been to create a backdrop to showcase the various collections in the strongest possible way. Geometric lines, including stylised characterisations of Gucci’s signature web striping define the internal space adding further symbolic detailing. The smoked mirror and glass alternate to allow for an elongated perspective; door handles
are comprised of alternating gold and glass stripes; the floor is covered in white marble that is sliced with a black marble strip running under foot, up the wall and on the ceiling overhead; a fused bronze glass with a striped cross section and cracked lacquer are used on shelving and display cases, while clothing rails have been created in warm polished gold
square cross sections.

Walls, covered in both bronze glass and bronze mirror contribute to the intimacy and sophistication of the environment. Giannini has recalled the historical Gucci crest as a recurring visual icon. An eye catching feature is the free-floating staircase running diagonally across two floors of rosewood wall, delineated by a stunning series of vertical gold and ribbed glass rods.

To celebrate the refurbishment of the Store Frida Giannini has created a unique selection of products, available exclusively at the Sloane Street flagship.

Discover the Sloany Bag collection... click here >>