MILAN Amiri is opening its first European flagship store, in Milan. The store follows the opening of the brand’s European headquarters in Milan earlier this year, marking the brand’s increased focus on the country and the continent. The interior design is evocative of classic luxury hotels, or private residences in the Hollywood Hills also evoking a movie set. The unit juxtaposes natural textures of wood and travertine and limestone on a checkered quartz floor, reminiscent of 1920’s architecture. Amiri footwear is displayed against pale green-toned onyx walls and shelves, tactile banquette seating in draped velvet in the background. Wallpaper and soft, pre-loved fabrics in muted hues contrast with sleek limestone and travertine shelving. A bespoke beveled glass bar and tapestry artworks woven into wooden boiserie feature on the lower floor. Vintage furniture and art objects Art Deco lamps, Terrazza sofas, vintage tables dot the flagship. This is the 30th store for the L. A.-based brand since debuting with its first flagship on Rodeo Drive in 2020. In 2019, Italian fashion group OTB founded by Renzo Rosso, took a minority stake in Amiri, founded by the designer in 2014. The brand has garnered a who’s who of celebrity fans including Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys and Post Malone, to name a few. Amiri seasonally shows at Paris Fashion Week. Here, exclusively with WWD, the designer elaborates on the opening and the future of his brand. WWD: What are your thoughts on Milan? Why did you choose this city to open your first boutique in Europe, and what do you think of this specific location? Mike Amiri: Milan is a key fashion destination not just for us, but for the world. Opening this space here, for me, is a clear statement of where Amiri stands in the global luxury landscape. Italy is one of the central hubs of our manufacturing, and Milan is where we established our European office earlier this year, so opening our first European flagship here was in complete alignment. The energy of Milan has always connected with my idea of Amiri craftsmanship, a tailoring tradition, a sense of dynamic modernity. It’s an amazing space, that enables us the scope to create a retail environment that really expresses the Amiri universe. It offers visitors a sense of openness, but also discovery. WWD: How would you describe the interior design and how does this boutique differs from other Amiri stores? M. A.: Including this new Milan flagship, our retail network now comprises 31 standalone boutiques globally and these are for us, a fundamental opportunity for storytelling through an entire immersive environment. A lot of people speak about the “experiential,” and that is important for us coming from Hollywood, for me there’s a sense of these spaces as almost like set pieces, or stages to help us convey our brand narrative. They are a key context for the clothes, to help bring a visitor into our world. This retail space has a number of distinct identities, for different facets of our product offering but also different expressions of creativity. It’s also a melding of worlds references to America’s West Coast, our birthplace, our home and our adopted home here of Milan. So there are nods to the 1920s, a sleek elegance of design, combinations and juxtapositions of different tactile surfaces like limestone, marble, velvet, wood boiseries and custom tapestries, that create panoramas for our clients to explore. In all our retail spaces, we try to have some kind of response to the local community, to create something unique and tailored to that space, that culture. I love that this space feels like it could be either an Italian palazzo, or a private home, or a luxurious hotel in the Hollywood Hills. It’s transporting. WWD: Where would you like to open new stores in the near future? Are there any projects already underway? M. A: For me, it’s less about rapid expansion and more about placing boutiques where the culture feels aligned. I want every opening to be intentional, a space that contributes to the local creative dialogue rather than simply occupying a name on a map. We have been expanding around the world across the past 12 months and while we have plans to continue expanding next year, for now, our focus is on this milestone of our Milan flagship, and this new footprint in Europe. WWD: How many wholesale points of sale currently carry Amiri? M. A.: Our wholesale network comprises approximately 150 luxury accounts, operating across nearly 400 points of sale worldwide. It’s a true reflection of Amiri’s global reach and resonance with cultures and communities. WWD: What are the brand’s bestsellers? M. A.: Our bestsellers truly span categories total looks resonate with our clients, which is something satisfying, that they want to buy into the entirety of our Amiri vision, and feel a true part of our world. Tailoring is also one of our strongest segments, for both men and women, day and evening our clients respond to the craftsmanship Inherent to that, and it’s become a hallmark of Amiri, and one of our signifiers. Additionally, accessories are experiencing particularly rapid growth, especially footwear and women’s bags, which are a key category for us. Alongside the innovation we showcase in our runway shows, we’re building on enduring signatures, season after season, and our clients are responding. WWD: What are your personal dreams or long-term ambitions?.
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