The Armani Group is pleased to announce the opening of a new Giorgio Armani boutique in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on May 25th, 2005. The new store covers over 150 square metres in the Suria Kuala Lumpur City Centre on the ground level. This is the first Giorgio Armani boutique in Malaysia following the opening of Emporio Armani in 2000.
Giorgio Armani, together with a team of in-house architects, designed the new boutique following the image of the recently opened Giorgio Armani boutiques in Melbourne, Taipei, Palm Beach and Shanghai to create a modern, timeless, but at the same time accessible environment for Armani's collections. The interior of the 150 square metre space dedicated to the Giorgio Armani women's and men's apparel and accessory collections is entirely finished in natural cotton canvas panelling – the new signature element of the boutique. This takes the place of the St. Maximine stone that has traditionally been the trademark of the Giorgio Armani boutiques. The natural cotton canvas fabric is horizontally pleated over panels that are joined to cover the high walls of the boutique. These contrast with the ceiling and columns which are plated with sheets of stainless steel. The display tables and counters are intentionally stretched horizontally to counter-balance the verticality of the columns and are made of dark wood, as is the floor. A futuristic space-like effect is created through the reflection of the high walls in the stainless steel ceiling. This is further enhanced by the lighting design which plays with shadow and light creating focal areas and sensations. Invisible recessed lamps, transformed into spotlights, trace the contours or aim directly at the garments and objects on display, while versatile light fixtures appear to blend in with the surrounding space.
Giorgio Armani said "I'm always looking to create an environment where the store architecture supports the presentation of the collections in a way that is modern and accessible for our customers. The new Kuala Lumpur boutique is an example of this philosophy."
