The new illyshop at la Rinascente Department Store in Piazza Duomo, Milan – the internationally-renowned centre for premium, elegant Made in Italy shopping -opened its doors this Saturday, 11 July.
Located on Floor -1, the illyshop is a groundbreaking concept store that follows the illy boutique design rolled out recently in Piazza Gae Aulenti, Milan. The brand’s iconic elements play a starring role: the colours white and red, coffee cups, the company’s unique blend of coffee, and espresso machine design.
The shape of the central counter is inspired by one of illy’s figurative images: the espresso coffee cup. Two white cups, overlapping and viewed from above, are repeated on the counter as a motif to create an interplay of geometric forms against a red backdrop – illy’s signature colour.
The walls of this new corner fully embrace the customer within the illycaffè universe. Against a red backdrop, one wall states the brand’s key values: a strong link to Trieste, a constant quest for perfection, seeking out the good and the beautiful, and an ongoing focus on technological innovation. A second wall hosts a mosaic of an image from a Xanti Schawinsky poster, the first the Swiss artist advert designed for illy back in 1934.
The corner also features a large space showcasing illy’s range of products, from its various lines of espresso machines to illy’s limited edition Art Collections, its 100% Arabica blend (available as medium roast, dark roast or decaffeinated) and the Monoarabica lines consisting of the individual Arabicas used to make the traditional illy blend (Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, India and Ethiopia currently available).
Assisted by the staff, customers at the new illyshop can get hands-on experience of the machines, test them out, discover the differences between them and choose the one that best caters to their taste so that they are able to replicate the illy experience at home.
