Delvaux makes its debut in the United Arab Emirates
Iconic Belgian brand Delvaux opens its first store in the Middle East, in the Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping center. The concept by Vudafieri-Saverino Partners stages an aesthetic experience that traces the heritage and originality of a fashion house that invented the idea of the modern bag.
Founded in Brussels in 1829, Delvaux is one of the oldest luxury leather goods companies in the world, with over forty international stores. Now it is entering the Middle East and landing at the Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates. This project is entrusted to the Italian studio Vudafieri-Saverino Partners, which has been signing Delvaux stores since 2012. The challenge is to represent the almost two centuries of the brand and its nature as an icon of high craftsmanship. From the invention of the modern handbag with the first leather model in 1908 to an archive of more than 3,000 pieces, all handmade, to being the official supplier of the Royal Court of Belgium since 1883. Tiziano Vudafieri and Claudio Saverino blend design, art and architecture to reflect the brand’s expertise, heritage and craftsmanship in the new store. On Dubai Mall’s Fashion Avenue, the House opens with a sleek display in shades of optical white highlighted with black, a sort of treasure chest that opens onto a fabric-covered portal reflecting refinement, sophisticated taste and attention to detail. The curved wall elements of the atrium represent a contemporary version of traditional Flemish furniture, combining intimacy, comfort and functionality. This hallway faces a large door decorated with a selection of antique leather cutting tools from the Delvaux workshop in Brussels. Framed by a majestic marble cornice, a small bar with a custom-designed counter, finished in nickel velvet, is reminiscent of European cafés. The lounge area hosts armchairs with Angolo by Tato footstool, a reissue of a great design classic signed by Corrado Corradi Dell’Acqua in 1963. A hallway covered in soft burgundy fabrics with pale gold niches leads to the VIC (Very Important Costumer) lounge, decorated with custom wallpapers inspired by the De Stijl style and Piet Mondrian’s drawings, in sophisticated metallic tones in pale gold on a silver background. An invitation to discover the collections in exclusive comfort. It is the visionary strength of the Delvaux universe that the designers assert by proposing each time in an original way showrooms in which the belgitude of the historical leather goods is connoted and harmoniously introduced in the conceptual and cultural fabric of the various countries.
