Poltrona Frau, the esteemed Italian luxury furniture brand, is thrilled to announce the opening of its new flagship store on the iconic Madison Avenue in the vibrant heart of New York City. The store is housed within a historic early twentieth-century building, which now stands as one of the area's earliest Art Deco masterpieces. Encompassing three levels and covering an impressive 19,000 square feet, the flagship store is one of the largest in the midtown Manhattan design district, showcasing exceptional furnishings and accessories for residential and commercial interior and exterior settings.
The new store aims to become an experiential center, offering clients access to a diverse range of brands including Poltrona Frau, Haworth's Lifestyle Design Group, and others. It will serve as a hub where clients can immerse themselves in various home settings, creating their ideal living space with artisanal brands like Ceccotti Collezioni and Officine Gullo, as well as the design-forward brand Cappellini.
Ceccotti Collezioni is a unique company based in Cascina, Tuscany, recognized worldwide for its craftsmanship and expertise in woodworking. It was acquired by Poltrona Frau in 2018 with the aim of complementing the artisanal leather craftsmanship with solid woodwork, thus becoming an integral part of Poltrona Frau's product offering. Some iconic pieces such the sofa D..D.P. and Bean desk both designed by Roberto Lazzeroni, are displayed in the new flagship store, and can demonstrate the character and qualities of a company that has never neglected its deep personal commitment to luxury craftsmanship.
For those seeking the most forward-thinking design objects, Poltrona Frau's flagship store showcases a range of design products from the esteemed Italian brand Cappellini, now under Haworth's Lifestyle Design Group. Cappellini products are today considered design icons present in the most important museums around the world - from the MoMA in New York to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. They are distinguished by their spirit of experimentation and exploration, continually pushing the boundaries of contemporary living.
To complete the experience within the new Poltrona Frau store, there is an area dedicated to the kitchen featuring the Italian brand Officine Gullo, that will be implemented in May for the grand opening. The Florentine company embodies a blend of artisanal craftsmanship and technological innovation, crafting exclusively with noble metals such as brass, copper, and steel using traditional Florentine techniques. Officine Gull represents the pinnacle of Italian excellence, renowned for producing luxurious metal kitchens, professional cooking appliances, and kitchen accessories.
"As we inaugurate our new flagship store on Madison Avenue, we fondly look back on the many years our SoHo store has served as a beacon of our brand's identity," says Nicola Coropulis, Chief Executive Officer of Poltrona Frau. "While bidding farewell to our old location, we believe that this new flagship represents a pivotal moment in the brand's history. Not only does the larger space cater better to our clients' evolving needs, but it also signifies our commitment to growth and expansion. The expansive setting serves as a dynamic canvas to showcase our diverse solutions for residential living, workplaces, and public spaces, offering visitors an unmatched experience that goes beyond mere furniture and design. This new flagship store embodies a fresh chapter, a symbol of our brand's continued journey, and we look forward to welcoming our clients into this exciting phase of our legacy.
CONCEPT: ELEGANT ARCHITECTURE, MODULARITY AND MATERIALS Developed by the multidisciplinary creative studio AML CIRCLE, led by acclaimed Italian architect Michele De Lucchi, the store introduces an innovative retail concept. The space seamlessly blends dynamic layouts and immersive design elements, promising an inspiring and unparalleled customer experience that transcends traditional furniture retail norms.
This new store builds on the success of Poltrona Frau's partnership with AMDL CIRCLE on the brand's Shanghai store, inaugurated at the close of 2023. The new NY store steers away from a static exhibition space to embrace a dynamic and interactive approach. Deriving inspiration from diverse influences, including hotels, fashion retail, and industrial spaces, the design contributes to the creation of fluid and adaptable environments, fostering interactions and serving as sources of inspiration.
By intentionally omitting a reception desk, the store seeks to immerse visitors in the environment, deviating from the conventional showroom setup. Spanning multiple levels, the store incorporates architectural features such as self-supporting stairs and unfinished ceilings with exposed utilities, evoking the industrial style characteristic of New York. A significant emphasis is also placed on the stage located on the mezzanine level, facing onto the street level. AMDL CIRCLE's design philosophy is characterized by the creation of interconnected spaces, dynamic showcases, and fluid pathways, which further heightens the immersive and captivating nature of the space.
The interior architecture harmoniously engages with the furnishings, emphasizing their aesthetic and material characteristics through careful color combinations and meticulously planned spatial arrangements. The brand's iconic pieces and all other collections, with a special emphasis on the 2023 Pleasures Collection, are extensively showcased, creating domestic scenographies that radiate an intimate and welcoming atmosphere. The main levels of the store converge at the center, featuring a 34 feet long library, designed akin to an haute couture atelier - a collaborative workspace and an inspirational hub. Materials are neatly organized on sleek black metal shelves, inviting hands-on exploration, tactile experience, and experimentation with creative combinations. In the basement level, a large central space hosts a garden furnished with the Poltrona Frau Outdoor Collection, creating a serene ambiance.
Michele De Lucchi, Architect and founder of AML CIRCLE, reflects on the evolution of retail spaces: "In this ever-evolving world, we must continuously reimagine our surroundings. Conceptions of home, taste, and the mindset that inform our interior design choices are shifting. Consequently, a store is no longer merely a place of commerce but a space for perceiving transformation and catalyzing change. Our aim is for the store to evolve into a gathering hub, where individuals are encouraged to engage in dialogue. Much like our Shanghai flagship, it will become a place of identity and comfort that inspires proactive involvement within an environment that complements one's lifestyle.
THE EXCLUSIVE LIMITED EDITION OF LEPLI STOOL
To commemorate the opening of the new flagship store, Poltrona Frau is launching a limited edition of 50 Lepli Stools, exclusively available at this location. This special version of the stool pays homage to its original organic shape while embracing a new dimension as it is reimagined with hand-woven wicker. Chosen deliberately for its profound history intertwined with interior design, wicker - crafted through ancient manual processes for cradles, baskets, furniture, and ornaments - made its way to America, where it became synonymous with relaxed sophistication and emerged as a symbol of prestige for affluent Americans on vacation. With a distinctive lightness, the stool introduces an elegant outdoor ambiance that gracefully merges tradition with innovation. Its voluptuous curves, inspired by the female form, are accentuated by a slender Pelle Frau leather belt that highlights the stool's "waist." Adorned with a leather soft cushion on the top, the stool exemplifies a unique blend of craftsmanship and elegance, embodying the spirit of New York and its rich design legacy.
