fiorucci revives historic milanese store as virtual pop up with AR

fiorucci’s playful irreverence returns to milan’s piazza san babila

For just one week, Fiorucci returns to its home at Milan’s Piazza San Babila in a purely digital format. The reopening marks an evolution as well as a nostalgic revival, using an immersive virtual store accessible via a QR code at the site of its former boutique. Opened in 1967 by founder Elio Fiorucci as the brand’s first physical presence, the original San Babila store introduced a new kind of experiential shopping that blended design, music, and pop culture. It officially closed its doors in 2003.

Now, Fiorucci translates this legacy into an eclectic contemporary digital space that reinterprets the energy of the original flagship through AR. The interactive environment is filled with archival imagery and pop culture references that nod to the legendary fashion brand’s bold aesthetics and vibrant irreverence, while showcasing a new limited-edition collection of apparel.

all images courtesy of Fiorucci

a limited-edition capsule collection drop at the virtual store

The digital reopening follows Fiorucci’s Fall/Winter 2025 show and marks a significant evolution for the Italian brand as it embraces new technologies while maintaining the spirit that made it a cultural touchstone in the 1970s and beyond. In its early years, the San Babila store introduced a new model of retail in Italy, influenced by London’s Swinging Sixties, removing the formality of traditional boutiques and allowing customers and retailers to interact freely with products. This sense of engagement and creative exchange is rekindled in the virtual store and its digital storytelling, which comprises three interactive rooms that encapsulate the brand’s eclecticism.

Alongside this experience Fiorucci is launching a limited-edition capsule collection in collaboration with LePub, featuring a t-shirt, cap, and hoodie that will be available exclusively in the digital space. The Fiorucci Virtual Store will be live from March 20th to March 27th in Piazza San Babila, with the capsule collection launching globally on Fiorucci’s website on March 28th.

three interactive rooms can be explored via AR