Valentino opens the doors to its new Sloane Street flagship store in London, continuing the brand’s evolution towards a more intimate, design-led retail dimension.
Set over four floors, the Sloane Street flagship explores some of the Maison’s visual codes through distinctive areas dedicated to accessories, ready to wear and private client spaces, defined by a unique chromatic treatment that nods to Valentino’s iconic motifs.
Like previous Valentino stores, each floor’s design is based on a distinctive visual narrative whose starting point are the Maison’s colours, from the use of red as well as ivory and black. In all its visual richness, the resulting environment remains neutral, allowing to emphasise the collection’s aesthetic.
From the street, the traditional white stone facade offers a glimpse into the store’s ground floor, with two full height windows dedicated to ready to wear displays. Replicating the visual codes of previous stores, the design adapts to the unique features of the building, maintaining the environmental identity already explored with 645 Madison Avenue in New York.
Inside, the ground floor is defined by an iconic chequered motif on the floors in nero and Botticino marbles, setting the chromatic tone for the space. Here, the Maison’s accessories are displayed on backlit black marble shelves and bespoke plexiglas modules. Ivory wallcoverings connect the room to the architecture, referencing the stone building with a softer approach on straight and curvilinear walls. A bespoke lighting installation on the ceiling nods to the Rockstud, further connecting the store’s design with the Valentino codes.
On one side, an impactful red staircase leads to the first floor, a space defined by ivory. A space dedicated to the brand’s shoes offering, is pervaded by ivory on the ceiling and on the walls, while a black and white stripe motive carpet covers the floor. The seating - namely B&B Italia’s Camaleonda by Mario Bellini, are found throughout the store in different colour interpretations. Meanwhile, minimal black accents offer some elements of contrast. Valentino Rosso remains a presence in this environment, with the staircase in the same hue continuing to the store’s second floor.
Here, a distinctively different mood is dedicated to the ready to wear collections, with ivory wallcovering contrasting with a black Versailles wooden floor and the same iconic chequered motif from the ground floor replicated on the carpet. Minimal display elements in Plexiglas and brass contribute to the intimate feel of this space, which opens onto a private fitting room furnished with red seating.
