Gucci unveils new Frida Giannini designed London flagship boutique with exclusive Sloaney Bag limited edition collection

Gucci is pleased to unveil its newly renovated London flagship boutique located at 18 Sloane Street. This is the fifth store in the world reflecting 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.

The exclusive jewellery set

A further, luxurious, addition to the Sloane Street exclusive collection designed by Frida Giannini is the precious 18 carat white gold, diamond and aquamarine jewellery set, comprising of a necklace, earrings and a ring. Drawing inspiration from the iconic Gucci horsebit motif, the design is further enhanced by the diamonds and gemstones chosen for their spectacular colour, incredible transparency and size. In particular three special cut diamonds have been selected: round brilliant, marquise and oval, as well as 120 diamonds for the necklace, 34 diamonds for the earrings and 373 round brilliant diamonds for the ring. This spectacular jewellery set will only be available at the Gucci Sloane Street Store.

Women's and men's department

The ground floor, dedicated to Gucci’s wide selection of accessories and small leather goods, will feature both seasonal fashion and iconic and classic handbags, as well as the exquisite Gucci Viaggio travel collection.

On the same floor customers will be able to drift away and intimately sit in a private and luxurious corner designed to introduce the client to the Gucci Fine Jewellery collection.

The first floor, which will boast views of Sloane Street through beautifully created windows, will house womenswear and menswear. Each department will be complimented by a welcoming lounge area, allowing clients to further embrace Giannini's shopping experience. The women's department will be characterized by a softer light grey palette, which will distinguish it as a separate environment. The area will offer ready to wear for day and evening with shoes displayed just a few steps away. The men's department, reachable via the monumental free floating gold staircase, will be covered by a signature patterned charcoal and brown carpet and will offer suiting, ready-to-wear, shoes, ties, belts and a special made-to-order section.

Located on this floor will be dedicated VIP rooms elevating the concept of personal shopping to a new level. Discreet and luxurious, the client will be enveloped in privacy and exclusivity.

The Gucci luxury shopping experience

Customers will receive an unparalleled and luxurious combination of personal service and attention to detail that has defined the Gucci experience since Guccio Gucci opened his first store in Florence in 1921. The boutique showcases carefully conceived details such as Guccissima leather change trays, credit card folios, shoehorns and poles designed for the salesperson to reach the handbag from the handbag display, a signature of Gucci stores past and present. In what will become a new Gucci signature, handbags will be presented with a flourish on special leather roll out pads inspired by those originally used at Gucci’s first store in Florence. Gucci robes monogrammed with the original Guccio Gucci script signature are both elegant and comfortable and will be at the customers’ disposal in the changing rooms.