Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/327657
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT TEATEN THE VERY BEST OF imbibe: waterside cocktails play: extreme sports relax: outdoor meditation D reaming of the sun-drenched piazzas and winding side streets of Italy this summer? Valentino's newly renovated Boston bou- tique might ease that longing. Architect David Chipperfield and the Italian design house's creative directors, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, designed the store to feel like an intimate palazzo. "Mr. Chipperfield has successfully translated Valentino's iconography in a f low- ing, timeless manner by playing with contrasts and using minimal baroque embellishment," says Chiuri of the 2,800-square-foot space, which carries women's ready-to-wear, handbags, and shoes. Bostonians will be greeted in the new store by a series of rooms outfitted in sumptuous materials includ- ing rich leathers, American walnut, and a unifying gray Venetian terrazzo border on all of the f looring. Overhead, chandeliers of optical lenses fitted into brass bezels cast a warm light over the space. The understated glamour of the décor mirrors the brand's maison in Milan and sets the stage for this summer's collection of Grecian and Egyptian-inspired clothing and accesso- ries. Slip into a pair of Valentino's embroidered kilim knit slippers (exclusive to Boston on the East Coast) and bring a hint of Mediterranean glamour to your Cape Cod getaway. 47 Newbury St., 617-578-0300; valentino.com BC Italian Renaissance VALENTINO'S BOSTON BOUTIQUE REOPENS WITH A LUXE NEW LOOK. BY JESSICA LANIEWSKI BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 119 T he G uide EAT, DRINK, SHOP, AND UNWIND