Just Opened: Lanvin’s First All Mens Store in the United States
One of the best pieces of style news to strut our way during New York Fashion Week is actually from one of the most legendary houses of high Parisian style—Lanvin. They just announced the opening of their first ever men’s flagship store in the United States, on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a few feet down from its women’s store on Madison Ave.
The 5,800 square foot landmark townhouse, now store, comes with some major bells and whistles. The first, you’ll notice, is that you have to physically pass through the window display in order to navigate between floors, actually making you a part of the window narrative. Also, this is the only Lanvin store in the world–outside Paris, to snag yourself a bespoke suit.
The first and third floors are covered by a warm grey custom plaster, a signature of the new concept, while the 2nd floor features beige suede walls. Very masculine. Even more luxe. The first salon, with its warm grey walls and contrasting black metal fixtures, houses the runway collections of Lanvin menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver. At the rear of the floor the brand’s sportswear collection and accessories are featured. A newly conceptualized bag and shoe wall in black metal transitions between the areas, featuring Lanvin’s mythic men’s sneaker.
The walls lining the staircase are covered in Makassar ebony and guide the visitor to an area dedicated to the brand’s sartorial collection. On the second floor, a lustrous ambiance prevails, with walls covered in beige suede and the brand’s emblematic Versailles parquet floor. A formalwear salon is at the rear of the floor.
Also noteworthy to the new concept, is the manner in which the brand’s accessories are presented. The new, evolved retail concept uses integrated lighting to highlight the subtle details of each product. This is seen in the custom-made freestanding fixtures for men’s finishings, but also in the built-in wall units designed specifically for dress shirts. Yet amongst this traditional merchandising, touches of the Lanvin whimsy are still present: for example, the brand’s iconic bow ties are displayed like butterflies in antique glass domes and appear in a glass vitrine on the second floor as a “cabinet of curiosities.”
The crown jewel of the men’s flagship is its third floor, with its Made-to-Measure area and VIP salon. As aforementioned, the floor will soon cater to bespoke suiting, The “home” model, which has been at the heart of the Lanvin retail concept, finds its place in the VIP Salon. This richly textured environment, executed in tones of dark grey, alludes to the simple elegance of a tailoring house. Under the light of an Art-Deco chandelier, the posh sanctuary is anchored by the townhouse’s original fireplace, opposite a velvet banquet, which runs the length of the salon.
The Lanvin retail concept conceived under the artistic direction of Alber Elbaz who explains, “What attracts a man today? A man needs to be reassured, to be heard, to get straight to the point and to know in an instant that he is in a place of “expertise”. I wanted to recreate the spirit of a hotel particulier where each wall, each piece of furniture, each detail, alludes to a savoir-faire and discreet luxury which calls upon the highest quality materials.” The boutique is home to the brand’s full menswear offering, everything from runway to made-to-measure.
The 4,200 square foot boutique is the first in the U.S. to present all facets of the Lanvin Man. Lanvin chief executive officer Thierry Andretta states, “When a man steps into our New York flagship, he comes within reach of different worlds — but different worlds belonging to the same spirit. He can go for the very trendy, fashion forward pieces or more conservative items. He can even indulge in a made-to-measure or bespoke experience, which has been a heritage of the house’s bespoke legacy since 1926. All of these elements are a reality of our Lanvin men’s business and our flagship allows us to unite them.”
In its men’s flagship, Lanvin creates a universe dedicated to the breadth and range of its diverse product. The newly executed retail concept gives a singular voice to the many notes of the Lanvin Man. This concept, which debuted in Chicago, also appears in the newly opened Lanvin Hong Kong and Beirut boutiques. The website has also been updated to include a section containing exclusive Lanvin Men’s content. Visit www.lanvin.com to find out more…
To celebrate the recent opening of its Men’s Flagship Store on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Lanvin welcomed editors, clients and influencers to an exclusive cocktail during New York Fashion Week.
[nggallery id=230]
