Burberry debuts a new flagship – Christo style - in Paris

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Mar 3, 2022

Burberry has opened a spanking new flagship in Paris, located on a coveted corner of shopping mecca rue Saint-Honoré, and debuting with a Christo-style plaid wrapping.
 
The street corner store stands between major flagships of Chanel and Dior. Spread over four floors, the store’s key colors are black, beige, white and tart red, the key components of Burberry’s signature plaid.

Descending from a beige top-floor private apartment for VIPS and key clients, to the third floor women’s department, a double-width space which extends into another building. 
 
The second floor is devoted to men, while the ground floor is devoted to accessories: the Burberry signature Lola bag; the new Rhombi bag, introduced in the Spring/Summer 2022; the Olympia bag; and the TB bag. A selection of soft accessories including a silk scarf, blankets and cushion covers are also be available exclusively within the Rue Saint-Honoré store.

Like the façade, covered in a dark birch brown check canvas, which wraps the building Christo style, much of the merchandise plays of the brand’s tartan DNA. From plaid wellington boots and comfy cardigans to stretch jerkins and mega plaid suits. That and a rich selection of Burberry’s greatest signifier – plaid and black trench-coats.
 
“The store represents all that we stand for as a brand – being authentic, bold and creative – and we look forward to inspiring our customers with a truly elevated British luxury experience in this iconic setting,” said Gianluca Flore, chief commercial officer.

 
A significantly large store, boasting 50 windows, the new boutique occupies the space that formerly housed a Tom Ford boutique.
 
It marks the first freestanding store in the region to feature Burberry’s new global design concept, and continues the brand’s celebrated history with the French capital. Founder Thomas Burberry opened his first international store here in 1909. 
 
Designed by architect Vincenzo de Cotiis, the flagship includes mirrored ceilings with intersecting metallic grids and tiled chequerboard floors.
 
“This Paris opening writes a new chapter of Burberry’s timeless story. Uninterrupted checks and warm tones create a place where all the senses are stimulated. Just as all great tales come with a labyrinth, the intersections of lines and geometries bring dynamism to the environment, where people become the protagonists of this contemporary Burberry story,” said De Cotiis.
 
To celebrate the opening, Burberry projected the new birch brown check on a series of Paris landmarks, while check-adorned London taxis toured of Paris.