Dolce&Gabbana opens new flagship store in Milan on Via Montenapoleone

An imposing green marble staircase leads to the first floor, which is dedicated to menswear, and to the second floor that is home to eveningwear and jewellery. Green and onyx marble dominate the space, covering the floors and walls in two different shades of the colour and blending with the precious stucco reminiscent of the motifs used for Verdi opera sets. Large mirrors and gilded baroque furnishings are stunning elements that make an impact in the rooms.Everything in the boutique revolves around two elements: green marble and briar-wood.

The choice of the colour green, which is unusual for Dolce&Gabbana, comes from a long study of colours and their emotional impact. Green is the colour of chlorophyll and a symbol of rebirth that maintains its original connotations. Briar-wood is a symbol of strength and stability which does not change with time. And all of these elements and symbols can be projected onto Dolce&Gabbana’s new retail strategy.

The Via Montenapoleone boutique, in Milan, and the recently opened store in Aoyama, Tokyo, mark the end of a uniform retail design store concept, globally. Individual store designs will be gradually implemented at each flagship store worldwide.

Dolce&Gabbana will be introducing new retail design store concepts at the stores in Milan, Porto Cervo, Capri, Tokyo, St. Barth, London, Brussels, Monte Carlo, Venice, Beijing, Los Angeles and Dubai.

This creative input has been handed to five architecture studios: Storage Associati (Milan, Italy), Gwenael Nicolas’s Curiosity (Tokyo, Japan), Steven Harris(New York, USA), Marco Costanzi (Imola, Italy) and Eric Carlson’s Carbondale (Paris, France). The two designers initiated a dialogue with them to create radical and unusual perspectives for the brand and the location where the one-of-a-kind boutiques will stand.

“The new Milan boutique was designed to connect the different personalities and spirit of Dolce&Gabbana, from past to future. The space represents a dialog between two worlds: the energy of the Baroque and the clarity of Modernism. Much like what happens in a modern art gallery, the soft yet extraordinary mood of the ambiance reawakens a sense of discovery and renewed curiosity.” Gwenael Nicolas