AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE DIVINE

The launch of Gucci’s flagship boutique in Singapore revives obsessive interest in one of world’s leading luxury brands

For those who find spiritual solace in, ahem, shopping, the Frida Giannini-masterminded Gucci boutique launch in Paragon signals a renewal of faith. Its grandeur is expressed in dimension (10,000 sq ft), spatial configuration (areas dedicated to specific merchandise) and adornment (old Midas comes to mind). It is vintage Gucci, i.e., unblinkingly opulent with just a smidgen of decadence, but it is also a departure from the overt sensuality that distinguished its boutiques previously. The underground VIP club touches are mostly gone, replaced by an open plan bathed in natural light. The most important innovative touches, however, lie in the assemblage of materials such as ribbed glass, warm polished gold, smoked mirrors, smoked bronze glass, miles of marble tiles and even cracked lacquer.

Official communiqué suggests it “recalls the elegance and richness of Art Deco”, but there is also a latent medieval quality to it by way aged gilding. That and a sense of timelessness.

Launched in February this year, the Gucci shop announces its new location, just across its old precinct on the ground floor of Paragon, with a five-storey façade, although the boutique actually occupies just two. A row of golden rods wraps a corner of the building on which Gucci logos are emblazoned in signature burnished golden hue. Beneath this prominent signage are rows of show windows coinciding with the first and second storeys.

Gucci’s creative director since 2006, Giannini has been receiving plaudits for her design oeuvre as well as successful brand-building activities. She has also worked with top auteurs Chris Cunningham and David Lynch to produce ethos-defining advertising campaigns, even getting involved in UNICEF and Raising Malawi campaign. Rolling out her design for the Gucci flagship stores worldwide brings an element of fullness to her body of work for the brand.

“My objective for the new concept is to bring light into the interiors of the store,” Giannini explains. “The Singapore store is awash in both natural light from the large windows, as well as for the golden hues I have chosen for the interiors.”

Inside, dynamic straight lines created by the black marble strip on the floor, the repetitive shelves on the walls and even the trenches on the ceiling hurtle and converge at a vanishing point, deepening the space even further. From one of the two gilded entrances they seem to terminate at the staircase – the shop’s sculptural focal point and an access to the rarefied second storey.

The ground floor, where the latest handbags, luggage, fine jewelry, watches and other accessories pull in a steady crowd, is efficient and well-stocked with merchandise. Although a crowd three deep settles around the counters, there is enough space to stand back and peruse the pin-lit articles.

On the second level, meanwhile, women’s evening wear, runway looks, men’s ready-to-wear, suits and accessories are displayed in salon-like areas. Here deep banquettes and commodious couches are at the disposal of those deciding between the classic Gucci loafers or the sombre lace-ups. The environment is decidedly more genteel, the merchandise arrayed artfully in a few corners or assembled as looks on mannequins. On any reflective surface, from polished vitrines to mirrored walls, one encounters his image, making life-changing choices about neckties much easier to execute.

Over 30 stores have received the same gilded treatment including New York and Rome, London and Shanghai, ensuring familiarity and consistency in encounters with the divine.