Roberto Cavalli opens “experiential laboratory” in NYC

By

Robin Driver

Published
Sep 11, 2018

Italian luxury brand Roberto Cavalli announced the opening of a new store in Lower Manhattan’s revitalized Seaport District on Thursday, describing the location as an “experiential laboratory” reflecting Creative Director Paul Surridge’s new vision for the label.
 

The two-story, 200-square-meter space, which opened during New York Fashion Week, will offer a selection of pieces from Roberto Cavalli’s collections, as well as exclusive capsules. The store aesthetic aims to channel post-industrial chic with exposed brick walls, white lacquered surfaces and suspended metal rods used for displaying clothing.
 
The store also features video walls which seek to immerse customers in the brand’s universe and are currently displaying Roberto Cavalli’s Mario Sorrenti-shot Fall/Winter 2018 campaign film.

The plan is for the location to host a range of activities, starting with an exclusive event celebrating the debut of the brand’s collection for Pre-Fall 2019, slated to take place in November.
 
Later this year, the Seaport store will also be the location of the official launch of the label’s V1PER sneaker, revealed for the first time during the Roberto Cavalli menswear Spring/Summer 2019 runway in Florence this June. Customers will also be able to shop an exclusive customized version of the shoe in the store.
 
For 2019, the brand has promised a calendar of events aiming to reinforce links between the Italian label and the New York art and fashion scenes, alluding to a collaborative project currently in development with a “prestigious American fashion institute” in a press release.
 
The opening of the Roberto Cavalli store in the Seaport District is part of wider revitalization efforts currently being carried out in the neighborhood by The Howard Hughes Corporation. The project has already been blessed with the arrival of the first US outpost of the original concept store 10 Corso Como, which also opened during New York Fashion Week.
 
The Roberto Cavalli Seaport District store is open through August 2019.