LONDON — Giorgio Armani is not just taking over the Selfridges Corner Shop with pieces from the Emporio Armani spring 2025 line, but with his love of books, chocolates, red roses and anthurium flowers.
The Italian brand has unveiled an immersive experience at the luxury department store that’s transformed the space with steel walls and light gray concrete columns.
The pop-up has been split into three sections: Armani/Fiori, Armani/Dolci and Armani/Libri.
Emporio Armani at Selfridges Corner Shop.
TIM CHARLES SMITH
The first displays sculptural bouquets of beautifully decorated red roses and a bamboo wall installation with anthurium flowers stuck to the trees.
The Armani/Dolci space will serve hot drinks such as hot chocolate and sweets, as well as selling chocolates either wrapped in shimmering paper or stored in small bronze tins. The chocolates are part of the brand’s ongoing collaboration with Guido Gobino, the Italian artisanal chocolatier.
The final space is a library that’s been curated with books on fashion, design and architecture. Some of the titles included there are “Icons of Style” and “Gio Ponti e Milano.”
Emporio Armani at Selfridges Corner Shop.
Emporio Armani is the second brand to take over the Selfridges Corner Shop after running brand On.
Selfridges is entering the new year with a beat in its step after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, PIF, took a 40 percent stake in the luxury department store last October, replacing René Benko’s troubled Signa property company as a significant minority investor.
Emporio Armani at Selfridges Corner Shop.
With PIF bringing stability, it’s back to work for the Central Group, which is Selfridges’ majority shareholder after the Thailand-based company increased its stake to 60 percent as part of the deal, the terms of which were not disclosed.
On the shop floor of the London store, Judd Crane, executive director of buying and brand at Selfridges, is putting his focus on exclusivity.
