Opened in 1929 in via Roma by the Panconesi family, the historic store owes part of its name to Luisa Jaquin– grandmother of Andrea Panconesi (e-commerce founder and current President of the company)- who at the end of the nineteenth century opened a hat boutique in Paris.
A stone’s throw from the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral, the store is widely known thanks to its selection of clothing and accessories curated by Andrea, who at the end of the 1960s began working as a buyer for the store, bringing in the latest collections from Balenciaga, Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Balmain and many other brands. It is precisely his avant-garde vision that is the cornerstone of the store’s success. A pioneer in buying in Italy, he was the first to photograph the pieces purchased in the showroom and then present them in preview to customers in the store. He is also credited with having introduced the unprecedented talent of Kenzo to the European market- LuisaViaRoma was the first store to sell the creations of the Japanese designer.
But the fashion mecca that is Florence would not be what it is without LuisaViaRoma’s famous digital store windows. The first, in the eighties, was conceived by internationally renowned artist Kyle Bradfield. His creative genius, his aesthetic sense and his skill contributed to making the shop one of the most recognizable in the world, marking a turning point for the visual sector in Italy.
In 1999 the company launched LUISAVIAROMA.COM to give customers the opportunity to shop online from all over the world and began work on a general restyling of the flagship store that would make it one of the most iconic of its kind in Italy.
A vast selection of styles and trends
Entering the shop in via Roma means physically exploring not only with your eyes but with your hands the entire world of fashion, including legendary designers and emerging brands.
The ground floor is the land of luxury, with historic fashion houses and new talents that are establishing themselves in the sector. For women, there are Roger Vivier, Jimmy Choo, Mach & Mach and Gianvito Rossi with timeless pumps and cult accessories; Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Alexandre Vauthier and Alexander McQueen with structured blazers and other sartorial classics. There are also rising stars like Jacquemus, The Row, The Attico and Khaite – now gone viral on Instagram. Paco Rabanne, Nensi Dojaka, Dries Van Noten and Del Core round out the selection with an eclectic touch.
For men, the spotlight is on the pillars of menswear such as Moncler, Off-White, Tom Ford and Balenciaga, but there is also room for the eternal elegance of Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana and Lanvin. Infiltrating the luxury section to add some pop influences are Maison Margiela, Sacai and Marni.
With Mini-Me versions of the Burberry and Dolce & Gabbana collections and garments and accessories with a focus on being green such as those by Stella McCartney Kids and The Animals Observatory, even the little ones find their perfect dress code on floor 0.
Going down a few steps, the basement opens to reveal the contemporary selection. Here, the latest sneakers by Nike and adidas share their environment with the sustainable jeans by Re/Done and Citizens of Humanity; the street-inspired creations of Heron Preston go hand in hand with boho-chic silhouettes of Isabel Marant; and the glamorous pieces by Rotate and Paco Rabanne are contrasted with the essential lines of Comme des Garçons and The Frankie Shop.
Midway between physical and digital, the shopping experience offered in the flagship store is completed with a range of beauty products from Byredo, Diptyque and Penhaligon’s and interior design objects are displayed on the store’s terrace.
Discover the selection
The added value of collaborations
With around 35,000 visitors each month, the concept store in via Roma transforms every season with installations created ad hoc by interior designers and multifaceted artists showcasing the home decor of the new collections.
Since 2018, numerous collaborations with brands, architects and prominent personalities have flourished, giving life to noteworthy thematic installations designed to transform the store into an evocative stage.
June 2022 marked Jil Sander’s take-over, scheduled for the summer edition of Pitti Immagine. The new installation, which occupies the ground floor and first floor of the store, includes pieces from Jil Sander’s Fall/Winter 2022 collection. The concept recalls a series of islands where nature and architecture find balance through the fusion of objects and materials in earthy colors such as clay, ochre, and sienna. Columns, arches, the sun and the moon along with other planets animate the store environment with bright shades of white, yellow and pink, evoking an enduring imagined world.
Among the most recent projects is Cassina in Terrazza, an event held for the launch of the brand’s exclusive capsule. Presented for the occasion of Pitti Immagine Uomo 2022, the installation will be present in the store until 2023. Two living areas in warm tones introduce the unmistakable soft and playful shapes of Patricia Urquiola’s outdoor trampoline collection, combined harmoniously with the iconic creations of Charlotte Perriand. In the dining area it is possible to enjoy a moment of total relaxation on a Caprice or Passion chair designed by Philippe Starck, at the nine tables designed by Piero Lissoni .
The talk created in collaboration with Outpump was very successful. The high-end world and that of sneakers belong to two seemingly distant spheres, which, however, step by step, have mixed harmoniously. This was discussed during SNKRS_FASHION.INDEX featuring Claudio Pavesi, editorial coordinator of Outpump as moderator, together with the invaluable contributions of Agata Panucci, footwear designer of RAL7000STUDIO, Federico Barengo, digital entrepreneur, and Marco Renna, assistant buyer at LUISAVIAROMA.
Among the other collaborations which have regularly decorated the store with new garments in recent years, we remember: Marble Iceberg, on the theme of climate change; Home For the Holidays, the transformation of the shop in celebration of the holidays; Eden, the reinterpretation of the interior dedicated to the launch of the exclusive capsule of The Attico; Marni Moon Market, a pop-up on the store’s terrace, Aerial Underwater World, the project that recalled the zeitgeist of these years and the installation designed by Ruslan Baginsky, with a selection of this emblematic hats.
