Italia Indipendent (Lapo Elkann) apre in via Montenapoleone a Milano

Italia Independent arrives in the fashion capital, opening its new Store at 19 Via Monte Napoleone, an emblematic location in the city of Milan, known as one of the world’s most prestigious places for luxury shopping.
“The Milan opening is not simply a strategic move. We wanted, we had to have a presence there, with a flagship Store that would best represent our history and our journey, demonstrating our sacrifices and dedication from 2007 until now. The opening, coming just a few weeks after that of Palermo, shows Italia Independent’s desire to continue to invest and to have confidence in this country, making our own contribution to its revival,” stated Lapo Elkann, Chairman of Italia Independent Group.
“The aim of the Store is to convey the world and philosophy of Italia Independent, with a predominant space dedicated to our core business, which is eyewear. Having a presence in Milan, and especially in Via Monte Napoleone, a global reference point for style and fashion, represents, for Italia Independent, a prestigious showcase which also will provide essential support for our international expansion,” adds Andrea Tessitore, Chief Executive Officer of Italia Independent Group.
“Milan represents the prototype of the renewed structure that we have chosen for the Italia Independent stores, with a significant part of the spaces dedicated to eyewear; Milan is the first, prestigious step in our plan to create a series of major sales points that we intend to open in the near future, principally abroad, in markets in which we operate directly,” concludes Giovanni Accongiagioco, Managing Director of Italia Independent Spa.
Located in a charming spot at 19 Via Monte Napoleone, the Store overlooks the large external lounge area of Conti Cafè, a hot spot, since its opening three years ago, for those who visit this area of Milan. This led to the development, in partnership with Conti, of Caffè Italia, a lounge which best combines the essential elements of Italia Independent with those of the famous restaurant.
The Store offers a complete range of eyewear products, including an in-store ophthalmic service, guaranteed by the quality of the materials and the Essilor equipment, the French multinational and one of the industry’s main players, with which Italia Independent signed, in March, a major partnership agreement. Glasses and lifestyle products, therefore, but also technical support for spectacle frames, with a view to satisfying customers looking to deal with a single point of contact, in order to meet their requirements, from initial consultancy to the purchase to after-sales services.
Two spaces make up the volumes of the Via Monte Napoleone Store. On one side is the area dedicated to product sales, with a focus on glasses. This has a full range of spectacles and sunglasses, together with clothing, accessories and collaborations with many international entities with which I-I has worked for many years. The second section of the Store, separate from the first, is occupied by the ophthalmic equipment; this area is used for examinations, lens fittings and for providing support to customers throughout the whole life cycle of their glasses.
The design of Caffè Italia and the Boutique was devised, like all previous I-I creations, by Changedesign, a multicultural and multidisciplinary factory led by Renato Montagner, which has managed to convey on both locations the key concepts of the Brand, taking them to an even higher level. There are many new elements which give rise to a sensory, engaging experience.
This begins with the virtual window positioned at the entrance to the space which offers, every day, a glimpse of the areas of the boutique and the products, arousing the attention of passers-by, enticing them to enter.
Looking up, having just entered the store, you will immediately see the cloud of mirrored lenses that crosses the ceiling, creating plays of light and different reflections. The portion of suspended crystal flooring offers an extraordinary view over a car race between tradition and innovation: the star, obviously, being the Fiat 500. The rest of the flooring is made from softwood, whose three-dimensionality is enhanced by a special surface treatment.
The refraction room is separated from the rest of the store by a wall of bronze mirrors which magically reveals what is hidden only when the light is turned on.Obviously, the traditional, iconic elements, present in all I-I Stores, are not missing: from the camouflage texture to the table of Fiat 500 collections, this time embedded within a crystal cube, to the metal modular elements that cover the walls and house the products.
A limited edition of sunglasses has been created for the opening. The “Unique Edition for Montenapoleone 19” shows on the temples some of the most picturesque parts of the city of Milan, created in bronze on a black background, with a colour chosen for the front too.
Another star of the opening reception is I-Spirit, the Made in Italy vodka created from the collaboration between Arrigo Cipriani, with his famous Harry’s Bar, Lapo Elkann and Marco Fantinel.
Source : Company