Toasts are in order for the opening of Canali’s new flagship boutique in New York City.
On Thursday, the Italian fashion label began welcoming guests into its sophisticated new digs at 600 Madison Avenue. Set between 57th and 58th streets, it’s located just one block away from the brand’s former flagship space at 625 Madison Avenue and spans a total of 3,200 square feet. Though the new store doesn’t have two floors like old location, its larger square footage allows for refreshing displays of the menswear, footwear and lifestyle items you can shop in the space.
While the old store was accented with dark gray marble displays and masculine mood lighting, frequent shoppers didn’t find it particularly visible—which is one of the key reasons for the move. “Many customers were claiming they didn’t know we had a store on Madison Avenue, despite the fact that we’d been there for 15 years,” Stefano Canali, the brand’s CEO, tells Robb Report.
The new location is designed to welcome in more natural light, and to prompt new customers to walk in and explore the space. Curved displays, crafted from wood and light-colored marble, line the shop, and the displays are accented with metal finishes that allow the brand’s immaculately tailored clothing to stand out. Handwoven wool carpets and Pietra Serena stone flooring, mirroring what you mind find in the private courtyard of an Italian palazzo, make for a welcoming enviroment.
“We wanted to mix the typical features of a luxury store with the not-that-common features of an Italian house in order to make space for an incoming customer,” Canali says. “I want to have a chance to create and host events, exhibitions and experiences to share with our customers in order to deliver a complete engaging experience for our customers.”
Given all the current shifts in menswear today, Canali’s offerings reflect how in tune the brand is with the times. I tried on a lightweight single-layer blazer with no shoulder pads, as well as a knit sport coat with elasticized cuffs at the opening. Both stylish pieces were a good indicator of the brand’s step toward more relaxed offerings that appeal to both younger and older crowds. “There’s no boundaries between the formal and the casual—they’re kind of blurred by now,” Stefano explains.
Other standout features in the new flagship include an assortment of striking artworks throughout the space by the Italian duo Goldschmied & Chiari. The colorful works are a part of a project called Untitled Views that captures vivid skies rendered by fumes. One area of the store is also dedicated to the label’s personalization and made-to-measure service, dubbed Me by Canali, as well as VIP services. Featuring a fully stocked bar, dressing room and ample space for measurement taking, it’s an accommodating and intimate space.
Canali’s Madison Avenue flagship is the first to showcase the new store concept. Its design elements will be applied to future store openings around the world, according to the brand. Luckily, fans of the brand won’t have to wait much longer.
“We’re going to have many openings coming up next,” Canali says, noting that his family business will open new stores in France and China by the end of the year.
Click here for more images of the flagship store.
