Following a renovation of almost three years, the Louis Vuitton store in Milan timely reopened its doors during this year’s Salone del Mobile, which, as always, puts the city in the global limelight. Occupying part of Palazzo Taverna, a grand, late Neo-classical structure with a façade comprising Ionic columns and tympani, it was erected in 1835 on the design of architect Ferdinando Albertolli (1780-1844). The building has been fully redeveloped and redesigned, and now features not only a retail space, but also a café and restaurant. The main entrance with its arched door framed by structural decoration has been retained. The colours used are warm and sober, in line with Milanese tradition. Upon entering the premises, shoppers will instantly notice that the retail space has gained a significantly greater height.
The new design of the Louis Vuitton store, created by acclaimed New York City-based architect and longtime collaborator Peter Marino, is more or less anchored by the courtyard which features greenery cascading from the long surrounding balconies. The courtyard now boasts an elegant glass skylight which allows floods of natural light to permeate the premises. Needless to say, elegance reigns supreme, spawned by a great eye for detail which engaged local woodworkers and stonecutters. Mind you, all stone was cut in workshops in Lombardy—there are as many as 15 different varieties, including the Giallo di Siena that is traditionally used in the region. The three flights of stairs leading to the first floor draw inspiration from Villa Necchi Campiglio in the city’s Porta Monforte neighbourhood by architect Piero Portaluppi (1888-1967).
The stairs are set in a stairwell lined in lacquered parchment, an unusual artisanal technique which has been given a modern twist by adding more light and including a checkerboard pattern, yes indeed, a reference to the Louis Vuitton’s iconic Damier motif. The ground floor presents footwear. Here, the ceiling is inspired by Milanese entrance halls, with a linear design in stucco and plaster. The room for women’s ready-to-wear echoes Casa Corbellini-Wasserman, another design by Portaluppi in the city. The private salon is clad in metal panels, in colours ranging from white to gold, made by the American artist Elisabett Gudmann. The middle of the courtyard, below the balconies and cascades of leaves, a staircase leads down to the basement, which is the men’s domain. Interestingly, the renovation of this space during construction led to the discovery of the 19th-century foundations of the Palazzo Taverna.
There were unexpected discoveries, such as the cross and barrel vaulting of the rooms. It was decided that the old architecture should be emphasised, with the clay bricks restored, protected and left visible. Die-hard Louis Vuitton fans will be happy to know that the entire first floor of the renewed store in Milan is dedicated to design, and yes, that means that not only the Louis Vuitton Home Collections will be on display, but also, a permanent space for the highly coveted Objets Nomades collection. Throughout the store, shoppers will come across tightly curated, exceptional pieces, including a desk by Luciano Frigerio, pieces by Gio Ponti, Ico Parisi, Osvaldo Borsani and Angelo Mangiarotti. A similar discerning approach is shown with the contemporary art on display which includes works by Mimmo Paladino, Carla Accardi, Peter Halley and Alfonso Clerici.
As said, the dramatic store renewal comes with alluring places where to have an aperitif, and where to wine and dine, all done in collaboration with the chefs of the Michelin-starred Da Vittorio restaurant in nearby Bergamo. Aptly called Da Vittorio Café Louis Vuitton, the restaurant is located in what was the central courtyard of Palazzo Taverna. A railing and a colonnade mark the entrance from the Via Montenapoleone shopping artery, but guests can also gain access through the main atrium. As said, a glass ceiling covers the courtyard, creating a charming jardin d’hiver. The flooring comprises stones in gradated colours, from white to black, to reproduce a design by Martin Kline. The restoration of the walls has meant the recovery of the original arches, which have been enhanced by adding perspective to increase the feeling of depth.
Between the tables, a natural feel and green plants are predominant, all created Milanese landscape architect Marco Bay. The café menu is aimed at luxury snacking—familiar, generously portioned dishes reinvented with equal parts fun and refinement. The restaurant, DaV by Vittorio Louis Vuitton, has its own entrance on Via Bagutta which was designed by Portaluppi, and aims to be an outpost of Italian culinary and gastronomic excellence. The restaurant setting sees strong, joyful colours as a response to the formal, urban image of the street. On the main wall there is an artwork: the Pink Panther, holding a pizza and wearing sneakers, by Katherine Bernhardt. Although playful, the setting is highly sophisticated, featuring chairs by Carlo de Carli and iroko panels, and star-design parquet flooring. The plates, glasses and cutlery are part of Louis Vuitton’s Art de la Table, presenting the new Constellation rage in striking orange and pink. © superfuture
Louis Vuitton
Via Montenapoleone 2 (Duomo)
20121 Milan
Telephone +39 02 006608888
Mon-Sat 10am-8.30pm
Sun 11am-7pm
Daily 8.30am-9.30pm (Da Vittorio Café Louis Vuitton)
Daily 12pm-3pm and 7pm-10.30pm (DaV by Da Vittorio Louis Vuitton)
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