Known for their love of Rome, Valentino’s co-creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli continue to draw inspiration from their Italian heritage as can be seen at the brand’s spanking new boutique located in the sprawling Marina Bay Sands.
Designed as if a modern Italian Renaissance palazzo, the 342-sq-m boutique is the latest to boast Valentino’s innovative global store concept. Deviating from the traditional showroom format, here, shopping means soaking in the ambience of an architectural masterpiece. First introduced in 2012, the retail concept is afterall a collaborative effort with award-winning British architect Sir David Chipperfeld, who is perhaps best known for his renovation of the 19th century Neues Museum in Berlin.
Featuring discreetly luxurious materials — grey terrazzo with carrara chippings, timber, marble, glass, thick leather and soft carpets — that aptly highlights the duo’s timeless creations, the boutique echos Valentino’s quiet opulence.
Taking “window-shopping” to the next level, the boutique also features a 20m long shop front with see-through windows showcasing women’s ready-to-wear, accessories and fragrances — a perfect way to flaunt the jaw-dropping intricacy of those artisanal embellishments gracing the latest Africa-inspired Spring/Summer 2016 collection, if you ask us. Do look out for those tribal-inspired ornaments by Italian jeweller-artist Alessandro Gaggio, as well.
