A new year has brought a new look to Tom Ford’s flagship Beverly Hills store. Moving away from the brand’s masculine and darker characteristics, the new store, an astonishing 9,200 square feet in size, marks the birth of a floor entirely dedicated to Womenswear. Tom Ford, alongside his long-time collaborator Bill Sofield, has cleverly harmonized the space and the light to create a more streamlined design throughout the Rodeo Drive store. Perhaps what truly makes this particular store work is the inviting and comforting female approach the brand has adopted; having moved away from the feel of an elegant men’s club, dark woods, chrome and deep colors, Tom Ford has upgraded his sophistication with the use of pale greys and silver and high-gloss lacquer and glass: this is true Los Angeles glamour.

As you enter the store through a 23 foot façade

of smooth white plaster, your eyes are met with the continuity of marble, which stretches into the Entry Vestibule, and meets the pale grey, hand-rubbed walls. Beyond this you walk into the Perfumery, where glass reflects every product at its full potential. The Womenswear floor can be reached by a staircase, walled in mirror and polished stainless steel.

In the men’s salon, accessible through the Perfumery, visitors can appreciate the high ceiling and open space, pleasantly complimented by the dark, velvet upholstered sofa. From here, you can alternatively take the marble-floored elevator to reach the Womenswear floor. Oyster greys, hand-rubbed lacquer walls and pale grey, wool striped carpets ooze comfort. The new design concept will now continue to be the standard for future female dedicated floors; a definite style to be experienced.

Paris Fashion Week is famous for its elegance, style and, perhaps most importantly, retail therapy. In the world of fashion, there is no better time to open a new global attraction: this is exactly what Carolina Herrera has successfully achieved. Following on from the 2010 store openings in London and New York, the new store, which boasts a space of over 3,000 square feet, lies situated between Tuileries Gardens and the Place Vendôme. The store exudes an apartment aura, where six large arched windows help to combine original Parisian features into the building. Marble fireplaces, gilded mouldings and parquet flooring all intertwine with signature design elements from its global store concept. The designer’s aim was to “capture all the magic of the city”. With a cleverly hand-picked color scheme of brown, grey, alabaster and hints of red, the store’s ambience helps to exemplify the unique pieces on offer. Complementing the intricate internal décor, the store’s collection has been skillfully designed to capture the “truly unique style” of the French woman. Famous for their ability to capture fashion in their own way, French women will undoubtedly find this store as a blessing. Carolina Herrera now has 70 freestanding stores globally and 150 shop-in-shops across 16 countries. 10 Rue Castiglione in Paris is undeniably a new hot spot in this magical city.

The birth of the first Lanvin Italian boutique, located in the infamous Quadrilatero della moda, is living proof of Lanvin’s continuing ability to expand further on European stateside. The new boutique, under the creative direction of Alber Elbaz, occupies the ground floor of a beautiful hotel, set in the heart of Milan. Intimate in retail size, 100 square meters, Lanvin Milan sits perfectly between the two Milanese luxury temples, Via Della Spiga and Via Santo Spirito. This boutique, a universe dedicated to womens ready-to-wear clothing and accessories, exists as the missing piece in the Lanvin network. Milan is the second luxury capital in the world; the new boutique reminisces that of the Paris store set in the historic location of Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Each store is inspired by the city in which it lies. As a matter of course fashion, Lanvin Milan has been greatly influenced by the architectural designs

surrounding it. The ground floor oozes character, specifically emphasized by the black and white Carrara marble, while the mirrors reflect the intimate detail throughout the store. In the window extension, passers-by can leisurely appreciate the original scenography imagined by Alber Ebaz, or perhaps glance at the numerous handbags on display in the large wall bookcase. The jewelry is dramatically displayed through the use of iron black shelves, covered by glass and metal windows. True to Lanvin’s philsophy, the boutique’s interior catches the eye yet creates a friendly, personal atmosphere. It is due to the intelligent mix of rough with defined, modern chandeliers with natural oak walls and irregular designs with detailed moldings that makes this boutique original. This landmark displays a flawless relationship of classicism and modernity; a must visit for every woman to indulge in the Lanvin dream.

The passion behind the Puma brand lies in the heart and potential of the mind, body and art of exercise. Puma, a brand with a worldwide reputation for its designs and products, has cleverly pulled out all the stops with the addition of Puma House Tokyo, located in the city’s Aoyama district. For the first time in Puma history, the interior design has combined the brand’s press room and event space into one large area; not only can this space be used for exhibitions, product launches and media events, Puma House also offers this area for public rentals. Throughout the store’s entirety, there is a clear dominant theme, where timber staircases climb around the existing building features. Rather than for public use, the staircases wrap around the concrete columns like vines, all

clearly displaying Puma sneakers as well as giving a clear sense of character to the store. The underlying message of this interior theme is to constantly remind customers of Puma’s important relationship with sport; the staircases’ visual existence bring a strong sense of movement into the store, as well as offer clients to view products from a three-dimensional view.

The simplicity of the color scheme throughout the store, consisting of brown, white and grey, helps to showcase the Puma products to their full extent. The trainers, on every level, are eye-catching and wherever you look, the Puma sign is prominent yet subtly understated. For those of you who truly appreciate the art of sport, Puma House will make you feel at home.