Aquazzura New Bond Street boutique opens its doors
Edgardo Osorio’s Aquazzura label is expanding its product offer and its physical presence and has opened a London flagship store on key luxury thoroughfare New Bond Street. The new location houses all the Florence-based brand’s collections – footwear, jewellery and the still-new bags and homewares lines.
The store’s design was “envisioned” by Osorio — the brand’s Creative Director as well as its founder — and brought to life by Marie-Anne Oudejans, the Dutch artist and interior designer.
And it was certainly a big project given that it’s a sizeable three-storey townhouse building with the company working to combine the history of the building with a feel for the more modern elements of the brand.
It’s not the only big project happening on this particular prime chunk of London real estate at present. Both
Colombia-born Osorio has history with London as he trained at both the London College of FashionCentral Saint Martins
As for his new flagship, it features an all-white façade that’s said to be a “canvas for [the label’s] refined, joyful spirit”. Outside, there’s a black and white awning at the entrance with black and white wrapped columns topped in gold.
Not that colour has been rejected. Osorio and Oudejans selected a Mediterranean-inspired palette for the interiors, including aqua, pink and yellow, linked by the brand’s signature stripe motif.
The three floors each feature a distinct colour scheme with hand-painted decorations.
On the ground floor there’s a handcrafted faux orange tree and the brand’s signature palette, with nature-inspired detailing such as hand-painted palms, monkeys, and exotic birds.
The graphic black and white displays give footwear a starring role, while aqua-toned versions of the same stripe and chevron patterns also decorate walls, columns, and ceilings.
The first floor features the handbag and jewellery collections and has a more feminine edge in shades of pink. The bag collection only launched this year, “featuring an array of sophisticated and feminine day-to-night styles imagined for every occasion”.
To set it off, there’s a hand-painted trellis motif on the ceiling, plus a stylised rendition of tropical frangipani trees, complete with white and yellow flowers and butterflies. The company said this “sets a lush yet delicate atmosphere”. The products are shown in glass display cases and niches.
The mood gets even brighter on the second floor with an intense, summery shade of yellow paired with orange trees in “an ode to Mediterranean nature”.
This is where the Aquazzura Casa collection lives, including textiles, porcelain and contemporary table accessories “that embody Aquazzura’s new era as a lifestyle brand”.
The 11-year-old brand’s products are all made in Italy and the Casa collection only debuted last year, “inspired by Osorio’s passion for interior design and art de la table”.
