Luxury retailer Valentino has just unveiled a new global creative concept that is entirely in sync with its client-centric approach as part of its gradual redesigning of its worldwide locations this November, starting with Saudi Arabia and the Maison’s boutique in Al Khayyat Center, Jeddah.
The new concept showcases the evolution of the brand towards its goal to use an increasingly human-centric approach through a more intimate retail dimension using a contemporary design that was conceived in-house within the Maison itself.
In a joint interview with creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, chief executive officer Jacopo Venturini said: “This is consistent with the strategy laid out two and a half years ago, of repositioning the brand as a maison de couture,” reports Women’s Wear Daily.
“It reflects the history of the house and the intimate relation between the premiere and the client. This should be translated into a company strategy and in retail into a real contact with the customer.”
The brand’s redesign accompanies its rebalance of retail and wholesale channels. The goal is for retail to account for 80 per cent of sales in three years, up from the current 65 per cent, according to Venturini. In 2019, retail comprised 55 per cent of the total.
Valentino blended 1930s Art Déco design with a contemporary look. The interiors pay homage to 1930s Art Déco and the bold design style of the 1970s, using ceramic tiles, Botticino and Sahara Noir marble, as well as details in onyx and wood. Specialist craftsmen were then enlisted by the Maison to create handmade ceramic door handles, brass decorations, and delicate chandeliers made of sculpted plaster.
The luxury retailer wants to focus intimately on the relationship with its clients, rethinking the retail experience towards a more personalised experience and a guided process for the clients.
Retail grew in importance “exactly because there is also the online platform,” Piccioli told Women’s Wear Daily. “The physical space where you can be welcomed is even more important, to offer experience and emotions, not only to buy an object.”
Although the design concept will envelop the global Valentino universe, each store will still offer a unique retail experience — depending on its locale each boutique will aesthetically connect Valentino’s distinctive design elements with its environment.
