The Luca Faloni Store in London, designed by PlaC, showcases a seamless fusion of elegance and functionality, embodying the brand’s essence while adapting to its unique location. This boutique is part of a global re-imagining of Luca Faloni stores, with other locations in Stockholm, Miami, Munich, and Milan sharing a similar design philosophy.
Each store reflects its locale’s character through specific finishes, colors, and materials while maintaining Luca Faloni’s signature features, creating a consistent yet distinctive brand identity.
1. Elegance Meets Functionality: The Heart of the Store
At the core of the Luca Faloni London Store are two central counters: a cash desk and a bar, crafted to balance beauty and utility. These elements, made from Canaletto walnut and adorned with Marazzi tiles, embody timeless Italian craftsmanship.
Their tops, made of genuine Arabescato marble, add a luxurious touch to the store’s interior, enhancing the sense of elegance. The cylindrical base, hollowed to accommodate electrical cables, ensures a clutter-free workstation, highlighting the thoughtful integration of functionality and style.
The attention to detail extends to the materials chosen for the store. The unique combination of wood, tiles, and marble reflects the brand’s Italian heritage, while the design of the space ensures a practical shopping experience, enhancing customer satisfaction.
2. A Play on Reflections: Mirrored Lounge and Aqua-Green Tiles
The lounge area is one of the store’s standout features, clad in mirrored panels and three-dimensional aqua-green tiles, reminiscent of London’s classic tiled pubs and tube stations. This nod to local design traditions creates a sense of place while maintaining Luca Faloni’s sophisticated aesthetic.
The use of mirrored surfaces reflects light and space, creating a more open, inviting environment, while the aqua-green tiles add texture and depth to the overall design.
This area not only enhances the visual appeal of the store but also serves as a relaxing, elegant space where customers can unwind and enjoy the shopping experience.
3. Versatility and Personalization: The Tailor’s Mezzanine
The mezzanine level of the store offers an additional layer of luxury and service. With extra fitting rooms and a dedicated counter for a tailor, customers are given the opportunity to customize their garments, making their shopping experience even more personalized. This focus on customer service aligns with Luca Faloni’s commitment to offering a premium, tailored experience to its clientele.
By integrating a tailor into the design, the store provides both a functional and symbolic extension of the brand’s craftsmanship, further reinforcing the importance of versatility and personalization in retail design.
4. Lighting Design: Creating Atmosphere with a Blend of Modern and Classic
The store’s lighting plays a crucial role in enhancing the spatial experience, with Traiano Luce 73 responsible for designing and supplying the lighting system. The lighting re-creates the pleasant atmosphere of an open space, bringing a sense of warmth and elegance to the store.
Barrisol® panels, adorned with Candela di Vals pendant lamps by Viabizzuno, illuminate the central atrium, while the Aol system by Artemide lights up other areas of the store. Decorative suspensions, including Model 2065 by Astep and Flamingo by Vibia, complete the aesthetic, adding a modern yet timeless touch to the design.
The strategic use of lighting highlights the store’s architecture, enhancing the sequence of volumes and creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. This combination of modern lighting elements with a classical design ethos reflects Luca Faloni’s ability to blend old and new, much like the balance of natural and artificial materials in the store.
5. Material Harmony: A Blend of Diverse Textures
The project involved a plurality of materials, each chosen to reflect the store’s dual focus on beauty and practicality. The meticulous planning and execution by Brugnotto Group’s Hi Contract division ensured that all furnishings were crafted with high-quality materials for versatility and functionality.
From the Canaletto walnut and Arabescato marble of the counters to the mirrored panels and three-dimensional tiles in the lounge, the materials reflect the diverse yet cohesive nature of the store’s design.
This careful selection of materials also extends to the lighting fixtures, which combine modern technology with traditional design to create an inviting atmosphere, making the store both practical and visually captivating.
6. Conclusion: A Reflection of Luca Faloni’s Global Vision
The Luca Faloni Store in London stands as a beautiful example of how PlaC has successfully blended elegance, practicality, and local inspiration to create a store that is both a reflection of the brand and a tribute to its location.
With its meticulous attention to detail, from the Canaletto walnut counters to the mirrored lounge inspired by London’s design heritage, this store offers a shopping experience that is luxurious, functional, and uniquely tied to its surroundings.
By focusing on the harmonious integration of materials, lighting, and space, the store embodies Luca Faloni’s vision of creating natural extensions of the brand’s identity, whether in London, Stockholm, or Milan.
The blend of local influences with global design principles ensures that each store feels distinctive yet aligned with the brand’s values.
Credits
Architects: PlaC Studio
Photographs: Lorenzo Zandri
