MILAN — Vespa is zooming forward with its way of life push, unveiling Saturday its first “The Empty House” idea retailer.
Positioned a stone’s throw from the Duomo cathedral on Through Broletto, the place an everyday Vespa scooter retailer stood till earlier than the summer time, the area will carry a choice of merchandise, from the model’s trend line, the primary class extension launched in June 2024, and design objects to Vespa mopeds.
Wrapped in curved brushed metal partitions nodding to the steel of the scooter, the 1,829-square-foot area options a mixture of stone and concrete flooring impressed by restore outlets and heat durmast shows and accents all through. Oversize spherical lights on the ceiling additional the idea retailer’s futuristic spin.
Contained in the Vespa The Empty House idea retailer in Milan.
Courtesy of Vespa
Performing because the store’s centerpiece, the Vespa Café introduces a brand new model extension, marking Vespa’s foray into city hospitality. As reported, the model has beforehand personalized seaside golf equipment in tony resort locations within the Sardinia and Liguria areas within the summers of 2024 and 2025.
“Vespa The Empty House represents the pure evolution of Vespa’s journey into way of life. A spot the place all of the worlds of Vespa come collectively,” mentioned Chiara Tognotti, head of way of life and equipment at Piaggio Group, Vespa’s father or mother firm.
“Mobility, experiences, tastes, shapes and magnificence coexist in a coherent and harmonious approach. [We’re] beginning experimentally in Milan with the thought of taking it around the globe,” she mentioned.
Contained in the Vespa The Empty House idea retailer in Milan.
Courtesy of Vespa
The transfer marks the primary stand-alone retailer mission for Vespa, which had examined retail waters earlier with a roving pop-up format at main malls in key areas resembling Paris, Milan, Beijing, Vienna and Singapore, amongst others.
Held throughout Milan Style Week, the Milan retailer opening coincides with the discharge of a brand new Vespa trend lineup referred to as “Al Vento,” or “Within the Wind” in English. Organized in drops, the gathering celebrates the carefree spirit related to the Vespa scooter and is wealthy in items meant to be layered and the model’s signature emblems and graphics. The primary drop accessible this month is titled “Pilot Canines” and options dachshund motifs all through, splashed on T-shirts, sweatshirts and shirts, in addition to wide-leg denims.
The Vespa Pilot Canines drop.
Courtesy of Vespa
As reported, father or mother firm Piaggio Group final 12 months banked on Vespa being “not solely a mobility model however a way of life one,” as Davide Zanolini, government vice chairman of promoting and communication of Piaggio Group, advised WWD in June. Vespa was catapulted to world fame by Audrey Hepburn using on the again of Gregory Peck’s scooter within the iconic 1953 film “Roman Vacation.”
The approach to life push by the way coincided with the launch of the model’s seminal trend assortment, for which Vespa recruited an skilled staff of designers.
Earlier than venturing into trend immediately, Vespa had orchestrated collaborations within the area beforehand, linking with Emporio Armani in 2016; sneaker guru Sean Wotherspoon in 2020, and Dior in 2021.
