Following the inauguration of the label’s new boutiques in Rome in November 2010 and Paris in February 2011, the new Sergio Rossi boutique design concept makes its London debut at 207A Sloane Street.
Sergio Rossi’s new UK concept store is both a joyful ode to femininity and a respectful tribute to the icons of the seventh art. Drawing inspiration from the curvilinear silhouette of stiletto heels, the Sergio Rossi boutique celebrates the beauty and strength of the contemporary woman.
In collaboration with the house’s creative director, Francesco Russo, London-based design company Studioilse has transformed the values at the root of the Sergio Rossi philosophy into reality. Opened in 2007, the prestigious 55-square-meter boutique offers a double mise-en-scène for passers-by, who become voyeurs as they observe the ritual of trying on shoes. Both objects of fetishism and weapons of seduction, Sergio Rossi’s creations are placed at the center of attention in spaces expressing the two facets of the boutique: the “Stage” and the “Backstage”.
Numerous spotlights illuminate the “Stage”, with its huge mirror, polished brass display cubes and red velvet chaise longue. The infinite play of reflections attracts customers who admire and try on the label’s pumps and boots. On walls covered with flesh-toned curtains, shoes are displayed on invisible supports. The floor, adorned with white and black chevrons, is made of Italian marble, the better to savor the melody of stiletto heels. The omnipresent brass lamps, suspended at different heights, transform a warm environment into a spectacular setting: a dressing room open to the public.
Les Coulisses”, on the other hand, offers a darker, more intimate environment, playing on male/female seduction. The large carpet and blue curtains serve as a backdrop for an immense velvet sofa in the same hue, enthroned on a zebra skin, a veritable invitation to take off one’s shoes. Carlo Mollino’s “Ardea” chair is an invitation to wait and observe. The brass shelves, inspired by the world of Franco Albini, face a large mirror wall. The lighting creates a bewitching atmosphere of light and shadow, giving free rein to a discreet voyeurism.
“We collaborated with Studioilse to convey the essence of Sergio Rossi’s values and give them form in three dimensions, for a boutique with an authentic, unique and captivating design. We are delighted to share this with our London customers.
Sergio Rossi President, Christophe Mélard
“The London boutique represents the development of the concept of the two sides of reality and of the human being; conformity versus transgression; light versus darkness”.
Sergio Rossi Creative Director Francesco Russo
“When I look at spaces, I don’t just think about the visual aspect. I imagine them from a human point of view, I think of the primordial perspective, the thing that touches you.
Studioilse Manager and Creative Director, Ilse Crawford
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