MOUNT BALMAIN: Balmain has moved its London store, but it hasn’t gone far.
The brand, which opened a flagship on South Audley Street in 2015, has moved around the corner to 94 Mount Street, with neighbors including Simone Rocha and Marni.
Balmain’s new, 1,077-square-foot store houses the women’s, men’s and accessories collections, and there is also a private suite for VIP appointments.
The store soft launched earlier in March, with creative director Olivier Rousteing officially cutting the ribbon this week with a cocktail for customers and a small, private dinner for friends and collaborators.
“Knowing that London is such an important destination for both British and international fashion lovers, it was very important for me and my team to create this special, one-of-a-kind environment, where we could welcome our guests into a distinctly Balmain universe,” said Balmain CEO Jean-Jacques Guevel.
Guevel said the interior of the new store was “directly inspired by the look and feel of Rousteing’s fitting rooms, where he and the house’s artisans oversee the final touches needed to perfect each new collections’ offerings. By channeling that unique house space, we not only have the opportunity to present our latest designs, we can also take advantage of that interior design to spotlight what truly sets today’s Balmain apart.”
The Mount Street space has in the past housed Pringle as well as an art gallery. The new store sits across the street from Scott’s and is a few steps from the Connaught Hotel, Christian Louboutin and Creed Fragrances.
To mark the opening, Rousteing held a private dinner at Apollo’s Muse, Richard Caring’s new private members club, with guests including Jourdan Dunn, Maria-Olympia of Greece, Poppy Delevingne, Isamaya Ffrench and Sam McKnight.
This story was reported by WWD and originally appeared on WWD.com.
