FERRARI’S OWN FLAGSHIP: Ferrari opened a new flagship in Via Berchet, 2 on Monday with more than double the space of its previous location — over 8,072 square feet — and a highly interactive concept developed with architect Massimo Iosa Ghini.
The boutique is Ferrari’s second directly owned store; the others remain franchises, although as the company aims for a more selective positioning, that is likely to change. In May, a new flagship in Rome will open, while another is planned for Bologna’s Guglielmo Marconi airport. Ferrari currently has 30 stores in 14 countries worldwide, in cities including Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles and Miami in the U.S.
Ferrari senior vice president of communication Stefano Lai noted that the company “is evaluating which other franchises, for instance in the U.S., to take over directly.”
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Architect Iosa Ghini has worked with Ferrari for over a decade. The key challenge in devising the new store layout in Milan consisted in visually unifying the die-hard Formula One vibe with the more “sophisticated world tied to the traditional history of the brand,” Iosa Ghini said.
Spread across three brightly lit floors, the flagship combines clothes, accessories and racing memorabilia – such as a miniature replica of the flashy red Fifties-era Ferrari 500 Formula 2 model — with entertainment: on the basement level, four simulators are being installed, and by next month clients will be able to pay to pilot model cars with 180-degree screens and high-definition graphics, choosing from among five race circuits (Monza, Imola, Mugello, Silverstone and Nürburgring.)
The ground floor is home to the upscale men’s Pr1ma ready-to-wear collection, entirely manufactured in Italy; the line retails for about 50 to 60 percent more than the Fan and Lifestyle collections, situated on the same store level but in a separate area.
Upstairs, customers will find a range of women’s wear, kids’ wear and toys, with a play area where Ferrari’s smallest customers can color their own cars on a touch-screen television.