Loro Piana Introduces New Store Concept in Dubai
MILAN — Loro Piana is doubling up on retail space and VIP treatment.
The Italian luxury brand has unveiled a new store concept with the reopening of its flagship in Dubai Mall, following an extensive renovation that doubled its size to almost 6,700 square feet over two floors.
More from WWD
EXCLUSIVE: Louis Vuitton Signs Swimmer Léon Marchand as Brand Ambassador
Luxury Stocks Drop After LVMH Results Confirm Weaker U.S. Demand
“The reopening of the Dubai Mall store marks an important milestone in this very important region for Loro Piana,” said chief executive officer Damien Bertrand. “An homage to our dear clients, offering an exquisite blend of traditional elegance and contemporary design and inviting customers to explore an unparalleled luxury shopping experience thanks to the first Loro Piana VIP salons that will be inaugurated here in Dubai for the first time in our history.”
The store first opened at the end of August 2018 and today there are four Loro Piana stores in the Middle East, a strong market for the brand.
The facade of the Dubai Mall store, inspired by the soft and wavy texture of Loro Piana fabrics, was reimagined by architects Jun Aoki and Yoshihiko Takeuchi in handmade terracotta ceramic tiles made in Italy.
The tiles are realized in glazed ceramic in shades of the brand’s signature kummel color in a degradé pattern from top to bottom.
Aoki also designed the striking building housing the Loro Piana store in Tokyo, opened in 2020, whose facade, standing more than 100 feet high, comprised mirrored steel strips with an extremely fine laminate and louvers used on its surface to give an image of countless vertical lines of fiber threads.
The architect has worked with Loro Piana’s parent company, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, on a number of Louis Vuitton stores.
In Dubai, natural materials, the warm color palette, the signature oak wood and Carabottino details reflect the Loro Piana legacy, as do the rich and textured surfaces and the fabrics used for upholstery. While the design is sophisticated, comfort and function are also key to the store, located in the heart of Dubai Mall’s Fashion Avenue.
Bertrand told WWD earlier this year that Loro Piana in his mind “is about touch and sensorial experience, so the material that we use must represent this and it must be the natural evolution of a concept that lasts for a long time. Clients must enjoy staying in the store, because they stay a lot when they come.”
The first floor is for the sole use of VIP clients, only available through private appointments and accessible through a private entrance, with exclusive and dedicated salons. A Dubai Mall capsule collection was created solely for this unit.
Two dedicated and private rooms for VIP clients are on the entire upper floor, inspired by the Wunderkammer. The rooms feature refined wood boiseries, champagne metal details and fine silk paneling by Loro Piana Interiors.
Both salons feature handcrafted and luxurious furnishings. In the center of each room there is a handmade wool and silk carpet together with sofas and armchairs; the upholstered furniture was created using Loro Piana’s cashmere and copper. The copper, together with the marble in Medicean breccia used for the coffee table, contrasts with the softness of the cashmere, and adds a touch of kummel to the room, in line with the rest of the boutique. To further enrich the décor, a refined chandelier is placed above the center of the lounge area.
On the ground floor, as clients enter, they are greeted with a personalized assistance. The reimagined store layout has distinct areas for the women’s and men’s collections.
The entry is dedicated to accessories with a central wall displaying leather goods, leading to individual dedicated shoe and ready-to-wear areas for women and men.
The footwear display is enriched by touches of kummel and fine materials such as red Jasper marble. Ready-to-wear is located in the quieter and more private end of the store.
Each product display is custom-designed with details in materials from the natural world, such as oak wood treated in signature Carabottino. Carabottino also returns in the drawers, treated in a mineral manner with marble in shades of kummel.
Wall coverings and seating are made using Loro Piana Interiors fabrics, with a special emphasis on cashmere.
Bertrand in November 2021 joined Loro Piana from Christian Dior Couture in Paris, where he was managing director.
In February, for the first time, Loro Piana showed the men’s and women’s collections together, as Bertrand aimed to show the new “chic, elegant, timeless” silhouette of the brand, with the same inspiration, as reported. Another key goal was to explain more the unique savoir faire and craftsmanship of Loro Piana.
The company has been emphasizing its accessories category, recently opening another plant in Porto San Giorgio for the production of shoes, which are also made in Porto Sant’ Elpidio, another strong footwear hub. Leather goods are made in Impruneta, Tuscany, and knitwear and textiles in Piedmont.
Next year Loro Piana will mark its 100th anniversary.
Best of WWD
