When times are tough, store openings get even more attention then they do in a stable economy, which is why there is a plenty of excitement surrounding the new 17,000 square foot Gucci Shanghai flagship store (located on the corner of the Golden Eagle International Shopping Square). The huge space marks creative director Frida Giannini’s latest retail concept (which has already hit New York, Rome, Munich, Hong Kong, and London), debuting in Mainland China.
Giannini remarked that principal goal of the new Gucci concept was to bring light into the interiors of their stores. For Shanghai specifically, the designer said that she wanted to “blend a modern architectural statement that fits with the contemporary feeling of the city, but also keep it firmly tied to iconic materials and elements from Gucci’s heritage.” This is in stark contrast to the Tom Ford concept that sought to keep light out and create an aura of starkness with clean, dark lines.
In other big Gucci news, Giannini made history when she recently accepted the Fashion Editors’ Club of Japan award for International Designer of the Year. She is the first women in history to do so.
As for Cynthia Rowley, the contemporarily designer opened a more modest store – a 450 square foot boutique (and Rowley’s sixth U.S. store), at 164 Newbury Street. In an impressive fete, the store opened a mere 13 days after the lease was signed.
Rowley will also join the pop-up craze when in mid-June she opens a temporary location in Montauk.
