Sometime, way back in the late 20s a Frenchwoman known as Luisa Jaquin opened up a boutique selling straw hats in the idyllic city of Paris. Today that boutique store, now based in Florence, has flourished into one of the most luxurious and inviting online stores the retail industry has ever seen, featuring some of the best online campaigns demonstrating the sexiness that Spring/Summer ’12 has to offer for both guys and gals. Now, it’s my favourite place to shop in Florence, without stepping foot outside of the UK.
The Paco Rabanne window display at Luisaviaroma, Florence.
Unlike other online rivals, LuisaViaRoma doesn’t simply cater for the sartorial gentleman. Labels such as Lanvin, Burberry Prorsum, Ann Demeulemeester and Neil Barrett have long been featured on the luxury market website sporting not merely the overly wearable pieces shown on the catwalk but some of the more conceptual and experimental garments from the likes of Rick Owens. The buyers at LuisaViaRoma are a collective that not only think they know their customer base well, but provide evidence to suggest they do also.
The new Luisaviaroma menswear campaign
Much like Browns, one of London’s most celebrated fashion boutiques, LUISAVIAROMA has successful buying history under its belt. In 1968 Andrea Panconesi, the nephew of Luisa and her husband Florentine Lido Panconesi, flew to Paris from Florence on his first buying trip. It was here Andrea stumbled upon a young Japanese designer. That designer turned out to be Kenzo. From there on in Luisaviaroma was the first European store to represent the Japanese designer. Quite a thing to slap on your CV!
The new Luisaviaroma menswear campaign
With Spring/Summer 2012 now hitting the shelves LuisaViaRoma is stocking some of the hottest stock straight from production. Whether you’re yearning for Givenchy, ‘Birds of Paradise’ or something a little more subtle in the form of a Pierre Balmain closure jacket, there’s something for everyone, and although the store might come with a hefty price tag it’s the ideal place for that odd investment piece. Vive la Roma!
Inside the Luisaviaroma boutique.
With special thanks to Kenny & Ula.
