Serapian opened its first French boutique, at number 1, rue de la Paix in Paris during the course of Fashion Week. On the corner of Place Vendôme, this pop-up store is located next to major jewellery and watchmaking brands, all focussed on the same sophisticated target. Women and men in search of the exceptional, whatever the subject, who prefer Maisons de savoir-faire with uniqueness, tradition, design, identity and new, daring bespoke styles, in which the Italian leather goods maker has specialised since 1928.
Serapian has long been one of the best kept secrets in the city of Milan. At La Scala, during vernissages, and at city dinners, its name was often on the lips of the aficionados of leather bags, hand-crafted according to their tastes and colours. The main door of Villa Mozart, which currently houses Serapian’s atelier, in the heart of the Lombard metropolis, has been reinterpreted and transposed as the setting for the seven display windows of the Parisian boutique, which will remain open until the end of March 2023. Its interior design is inspired by the paintings of Giorgio de Chirico, a family friend.
An exhibitor offers Parisians the opportunity to experience the creation of a bespoke bag, as if in Milan. The backdrop consists of fifty shades of lambskin, displayed to evoke the allure of a never-before-seen Mosaico. Mosaico? It is the chessboard pattern resulting from the intertwining of soft nappa leathers using a technique devised by Stefano Serapian in the 1940s. Since then, this unique, distinctive model has characterised the creations of the Maison. Furthermore, the technique lets you to imagine an infinite range of tonal combinations in just as many unique, customised editions.
Bespoke service is often the cornerstone of Serapian’s world. The Milanese leather goods maker bestows these elective affinities onto the staging of its Parisian boutique. Some of the pieces of furniture come from the Azucena collective of Milanese designers, to which the Serapians were very attached. Some of the chairs are part of the Marta Sala Editions collection, founded by the Milanese designer and friend of the Maison. Unique pieces are also borrowed from the Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte, which as part of the Doppia Firma project establishes collaborations between artisans and designers.
On the lower floor of this pop-up store, which spans about a hundred and fifty square metres on two floors, the I Milanesi exhibition by Guido Taroni reveals Milanese personalities in their private lives. This photographic installation is yet another demonstration of Serapian’s style and sensitivity. It will remain on display until the boutique closes in spring 2023.
Photos by Valentin Le Cron
Location | Number 1, Rue De La Paix