Gucci, the Italian fashion giant, is set to open its fifth and the largest store in the country. The store will be located in Gurgaon and the design concept of the two-floor, 4220-square-metre store is by creative director Frida Giannini.
For the special occasion, an exclusive exhibit of symbolic pieces from the Gucci Museo in Florence, that represents the Houses icon – the Flora pattern – will be on display for one month from 24th November 24th December. A large selection of the Flora iconic pieces and evening gowns will be showcased for the first time. The exhibition is composed of flora scarves from the 60s, womens ready to wear pieces including mini dresses, blouses and gowns with the flora print, original drawings of floral scarves from the 60s and 70s by illustrator Vittorio Accornero, handbags with the flora and unique porcelain items such as flora cachepots, ashtrays, glasses, mugs and a lamp.
The origin of the Flora pattern, one of Guccis most defining classics is an interesting one. Its origin dates back to 1966, when Princess Grace Kelly visited Guccis Via Monte Napoleone store, hoping to see Rodolfo Guccis wife Alessandra who, like her, was an actress. When Rodolfo pressed her to take a gift, she requestfor a scarf with flowers. Not having anything to offer his guest, he went on to ask his friend and artist Vittorio Accornero to produce a floral scarf. The response was a remarkable design, featuring 43 varieties of flowers & plants and 9 kinds of insects, which was quickly christened Flora.
In addition, a selection of evening gowns from the Houses Florentine archive will also be on display at the stores VIP Lounge Area on the first floor. The designs include Gucci Première dresses worn by Jessica Alba and Berenice Bejo at the 2012 Golden Globe Awards, Salma Hayek Pinaults Gucci Première dress from 2011 Cannes Film Festival and a one of a kind dress worn by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.
To celebrate the opening, Giannini has also created a special edition of evening bags in anaconda pink tan and blue aqua inspired by the pastel summer shades of the Gucci Cruise 2013 collection. Available as a limited edition, the handbag carries a plaque with the Gucci logo and the name of the boutique.
Gianninis innovative store design concept, which employs open space, warm luxurious materials and natural light to spectacular effect, is a departure from traditional codified fashion retail spaces, paving way for Guccis 21st century contemporary look. Signature materials of rosewood and marble are enhanced with the introduction of new elements such as ribbed glass, warm polished gold, smoked mirror and smoked bronze glass, recalling the elegance and richness of the Art Deco era. Geometric lines, including stylised characterisation of Guccis signature web striping, define the internal space by adding further symbolic detailing.
The ground floor features a wide selection of accessories including handbags, shoes, luggage, small leather goods, silks, watches, jewellery, fragrances and sunglasses. An exclusive made-to-order handbag program comprising the Guccis most iconic bags will also be available at the store. The first floor is dedicated to mens and womens ready-to-wear collections and has a space dedicated to the Houses Made to Measure service, providing a salon like atmosphere, making shopping a lavish and seamless experience.