Six and the City: New Gucci store feeling lucky

Gucci chose today to open its new flagship Shanghai store because the date June 6 translates into Chinese as "everything going smoothly." Gucci's 28th store on the mainland sits adjacent to the Plaza 66 shopping mall on Nanjing Road W.

Creative Director Frida Giannini brings a new design concept to the store. Spanning two floors and covering 1,600 sq m, it has a modern and powerful look.

"The principle goal of the new concept was to bring light into the interiors of our stores," said Giannini. "For Shanghai, I wanted to blend a modern architectural statement that fits with the contemporary feeling of the city, but also keep it firmly tied to iconic materials and elements from Gucci's heritage."

The ground floor is dedicated to Gucci's latest collection of handbags and luggage, in addition to men's wear, suits, shoes, ties, belts, watches and silver jewelry. The first floor houses women's evening wear, runway fashion, fine jewelry, watches and other accessories.

China Daily Shanghai Star Weekend met with Giannini to probe deeper.

Q: Will there be some exclusive collections only available at the new store? Can you give us some description of these?

A: Absolutely. It's very important to me to be able to offer unique products in our most important stores. For the Golden Eagle store in particular we created a brand new Shanghai Dragon Bag. The design is based on Gucci's well-known Boston bag with the GG logo, but it features two big red dragons on it. I like the dragon's significance in Chinese culture and I was interested in blending something from Gucci's history with something from China's past.

Q: What kind of trends can we expect for women's fashion in the coming seasons? Can you give us some idea of what's to come?

A: I wont' divulge any secrets for next spring! But I will tell you that fall has a tougher, edgier side to it. The look is still very feminine, very glamorous, but there's an undercurrent of androgyny and a very sexy attitude.

Q: What's the design inspiration of your Fall/Winter 2009 collection? Which item is your favorite and why?

A: For fall I looked back to the 1980s when iconic women like Tina Chow and Jerry Hall were making a glamorous and fun-loving imprint on style. The collection is very optimistic and centers on the joy of getting dressed up. The collection is very feminine but also has darker, more dangerous aspects to it, like the knee boots and the androgynous touches. It's hard to pick a favorite, but I think one look which sums up the collection very well is exit number 3. The oversized, belted T-shirt dress with the very high boots shows the new, strong silhouette of the season. It's elongated, with an emphasis on the legs - a very strong shoe. It's a new approach to femininity.

Q: As a fashion designer, do you think the financial crisis has taken its toll on luxury good sales? Do you foresee any changes this year?

A: The recession is creating a difficult moment for fashion, but I feel that we have to be looking to the future. For me, Gucci has always stood for optimism and confidence, two attributes that are directing my own current frame of mind. Right now, quality, craftsmanship and real value are more important than ever. These are qualities that have always distinguished Gucci and this is what we will be focusing on.

Gucci flagship store

Golden Eagle International Shopping Square, 278 Shaanxi Road N.

金鹰国际购物中心，陕西北路278号

(China Daily 06/06/2009 page14)