Flagship store in a month? No problem
The concept of a flagship store in Italy’s design capital is not one that can be realised quickly: location, cost and availability must align, and then it must look the proverbial million dollars to reflect a brand’s standing and its customers’ expectations.
MisuraEmme had all this in mind when it selected Via Uberto Visconti di Modrone to
be its new Milan home. The target, of course, would be day one of Salone.
The problem was the keys weren’t handed over until March. 21 April was a month
away: and there wasn’t even a proper floor.
While rivals across the city were holding press previews as Milan Design Week
started earlier than ever, the MisuraEmme team was busy in one of the city’s
historic design streets near San Babila.
Prayers must have been said, as on 21 April, the store opened on schedule.
The timeframe meant fewer products were on display, but the increased space they
have been given works wonderfully: an oasis of serenity amid the bustle of the city.
The environment is defined by light and warm tones that introduce customers to an elegant context where furniture and architecture blend naturally: wood brings warmth, marble elevates perception of the environment, concrete introduces a contemporary dimension, while the textiles contribute to softening the whole.
The entrance opens up over a Renaissance-style window overlooking the garden. On either side, two lightweight walls in wooden strips accompany the central corridor,
gently setting it apart: these are not enclosing walls but rather let the light filter through.
Cimento developed a squared cement design for the floor and it is a recurring motif, repeated in the doors and in the wood panelling surrounding the living and dining
areas. The first floor, overlooking the street through large windows, covers 1,400sqft, while the basement is 3,220sqft of space devoted to the bedroom and sleeping. (There
is no real ground floor as the entrance is up a flight of steps.)
The appearance belies the lack of time available before opening, with accessorising
kept simple and unobtrusive.
Less really is more.
