Balenciaga opens flagship on Milan’s Via Montenapoleone, prepares new eyewear launch
Balenciaga continues to expand. After opening a second store in Hawaii’s capital, Honolulu, last month, the Kering group’s luxury label has opened a new flagship store in Milan. Balenciaga relocated from Via Santo Spirito to number 23 in nearby Via Montenapoleone, Milan’s top luxury shopping street, a boost to the label’s visibility.
The 400-square-metre flagship on two levels takes over the premises formerly occupied by Hogan, a brand owned by the Tod’s group. The interiors are furnished in the minimalist, industrial design style typical of Balenciaga stores under the aegis of Demna Gvasalia, the label's creative director since 2015.
The lighting blends in with the metal pipes which serve as clothes racks for the women’s and men’s ready-to-wear collections on the ground floor, whose spaces feature glass or aluminium-panelled walls. Upstairs, a multi-coloured patchwork carpet by artist Cayetano Ferrer covers the entire floor area, contrasting with the coolness of the décor.
Balenciaga is planning to open a major flagship store on New York’s Madison Avenue in 2019, and currently operates just over 120 monobrand stores worldwide. The label’s avant-garde street couture fashion has driven sales growth in all product categories this year, especially for accessories and menswear.
Balenciaga is currently working on relaunching its eyewear collection with Kering Eyewear, having collaborated with the Marcolin eyewear group for six years. The label plans to launch the first, futuristic collection produced under the aegis of Kering Eyewear on January 2. Initially, it will be distributed exclusively by Dover Street Market.
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