Between Fashion and Art

By Editorial Staff - 1 October 2024

Contamination between interior and exterior, material contrasts, and refinement: after designing two Canali’s flagship stores in New York and Beijing, Park Associati oversaw the redesign of the brand’s historic space in Milan. The project represents the values and hallmarks of the well-known luxury menswear brand: transversal products, subtle elegance and fluidity come together in a unique environment.

The concept store covers 350 sq. m, distributed across two floors in the heart of the fashion quadrilateral, in Via Pietro Verri 1.
The entrance facing the street appears like a large store window that promotes the essence of the various Canali collections, which always seek innovative tailoring solutions. The three large windows of the double-height volume overlooking the street act as transparent filters and allow complete visibility of the entire interior space from the porticoed area, inviting passersby to enter. The entrance hall integrates deeply with public space: an inclusive environment that blends with the urban one, where garments coexist with contemporary artworks.

Canali Boutique - ©Silvia Rivoltella, courtesy Park Associati L’opera d’arte site-specific Nella Soglia, realizzata da Linda Carrara, accoglie i clienti. Il mondo dell’arte si fonde con quello della moda, regalando ai visitatori un’esperienza che va al di là dello shopping.

The aim of the brand, which is committed to supporting and promoting young Italian artists, is to favor a dialogue between the art and fashion worlds, celebrating Italian cultural heritage. The site-specific artwork Nella Soglia, created by artist Linda Carrara, is the protagonist of the reception area on the ground floor, inviting people to head towards the marble staircase leading to the exposition space on the lower floor. Carrara’s work incorporates the frottage technique, with which the artist experiments using oil or acrylic paint. The result is a complex rendering, with an image that appears almost in motion. This collaboration marks another chapter in Canali’s history, where Made in Italy excellence is honored and reinterpreted through the lens of contemporary Italian art, giving boutique visitors an experience that goes beyond shopping.

To meet various display needs, three different furniture systems were designed: a modular one dedicated to wall-mounted product display, a three-dimensional free-standing one, and an adaptable niche system. The spaces stand out for curved surfaces and rounded angles, with subtle material contrasts between marble, stone, wood, and metal finishes that come together to create a sophisticated and elegant design, enhanced by lighting studied down to the smallest detail.

Canali Boutique - ©Silvia Rivoltella, courtesy Park Associati Al piano inferiore, il design sofisticato ed elegante è valorizzato da un’illuminazione curata nei minimi dettagli. Il marmo, in contrasto con il legno e le finiture metalliche, impreziosisce l’ambiente.

On the ground floor, the sloping plaster ceiling stands out, recalling the lozenge ceilings characteristic of 20^th-century Milanese interiors, reinterpreted in a contemporary key. In addition to containing diffuse and punctual lights, the decorative motif of the ceiling creates a volumetric play that gives rhythm and dynamism to the environment. Downstairs, light is diffused through a system of spotlights mounted on tracks that seem to outline the ceiling, while indirect wall lighting highlights the details of the clothing.

The concept store, which has redefined Canali’s space in Via Verri, accompanies visitors through the various phases of the shopping experience and beyond. Within the boutique, there is also a bar, the Canali Lounge: a discreet space where visitors can enjoy a moment of relaxation, overlooking a patio that encloses an unexpected beauty, typical of the interior courtyards of the city’s historic buildings.

Canali Boutique - ©Silvia Rivoltella, courtesy of Park Associati

Canali Boutique - ©Silvia Rivoltella, courtesy of Park Associati | The site-specific artwork Nella Soglia, made by Linda Carrara, welcomes clients. Here, the art and fashion worlds merge, creating a visitor experience that goes beyond just shopping.

Canali Boutique - ©Silvia Rivoltella, courtesy of Park Associati | On the lower floor, the sophisticated and elegant design is enhanced by meticulous lighting. Marble, which contrasts the wood and metal finishes, embellishes the environment.

Canali Boutique - ©Silvia Rivoltella, courtesy of Park Associati | Three different furnishing systems were used within the boutique: a modular wall system, a freestanding system with a filiform structure, and an adaptable niche system.

Location: Milan, Italy
Client: Canali Completion: 2024
Gross Floor Area: 600 m²
Architect and Interior Designer: Park Associati
Main Contractor: CEL

Consultants

Structural: Fa.Ma. Ingegneria
Lighting: In-visible lab
Electrical: Sangiorgio Alessandro Studio Tecnico
Plant Equipment: CITI

Photography: Silvia Rivoltella, courtesy of Park Associati

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