It’s not surprising that following last September’s much-publicised reopening of the revamped Bottega Veneta store on swanky avenue Montaigne in Paris, an event we covered in a previous post, a similarly stellar retail space would be inaugurated at home base Milan. Well, that moment has now come. The Milanese fashion house has taken over a highly coveted spot at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a highly prestigious shopping arcade in the city’s Duomo district, from fashion powerhouse and fellow Kering brand Gucci. Measuring no less than 242 sqm. (2,600 sq.ft.) spread over two floors, it’s Bottega Veneta‘s third standalone boutique in downtown Milan. The interior design, created by the brand’s new creative director Matthieu Blazy and the in-house design team, is based on the retail design codes that were first revealed at the renewed retail space in the French capital. It’s distinctly contemporary with a slight futuristic touch, captured by a range of natural materials, notably Italian dark walnut wood.

The walls and ceilings are covered in a grid filled with glass blocks that optically enlarges the premises. The flooring equally features a grid, but it’s filled with Verde Saint-Denis marble tiles. Another striking detail are the door handles which have been created by Ritsue Mishima, a renowned Japanese artist based in both Venice and Kyoto. The new Bottega Veneta store carries the brand’s women’s apparel collection, in addition to women’s and men’s bags, both presented on the ground floor. An eye-catching spiral staircase, entirely in timber, leads to the upper floor. Here, small leather goods and shoes are showcased. Mind you, in celebration of the store opening, three key looks from the brand’s S/S 2024 Collection have been pre-launched—the Kalimero Cha Cha and Città bags in signature intrecciato leather, and the Cha Cha shoe. Additionally, there’ll be a limited-edition of five unique Kalimero Città bags in python, as well as 15 ceramic handle Sardine bags.