palazzo fendi omotesando modernizes classic roman architecture and arches in tokyo

Echoing Fendi’s headquarters in Rome

Palazzo Fendi Omotesando, one of the largest flagship stores in Japan, opened its glass doors to the public on February 11th, bringing over the classic Roman architectural design from the onset. Historic arches found in The Eternal City appear on the exterior of the Palazzo Fendi in Tokyo, reminiscent of the Italian luxury house’s headquarters at Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana (Square Colosseum). Rather than travertine-built sloping designs, the arches of Palazzo Fendi Omotesando are lined with warm lighting that follows the vaulted shape.

The curved lights lure in attention drawn from the use of rectangular steel planes that carpet the sides of the exterior. A large ‘FENDI’ sign tops the boxy steel-and-glass retail building, looming over Tokyo with its inviting atmosphere and contemporary design. Recognizing the fame of Tokyo for being a lights-infused city, Fendi trails behind the city’s design cues, and even amplifies it, as the steel mirrors what it sees around the neighborhood.

images courtesy of Fendi

Palazzo Fendi Omotesando in Roman fashion

The three floors inside Palazzo Fendi Omotesando act as showrooms to display the Italian luxury house’s collections while proudly fostering and spotlighting Italian design. The first floor presents iconic women’s leather goods and children’s collections, while the second floor presents women’s shoes and clothing, as well as the home decor of Fendi Casa, each with a different atmosphere. Going down the stairs and into the basement floor, the men’s collection is enveloped in a thoroughly curated, luxurious space.

the first floor presents women’s leather goods and children’s collections

The Italian and Roman feel seamlessly penetrates the interior. Capraia-looking marble decorates walls and floors to attempt to usher the visitors into an Italian environment while being in Tokyo. Visual harmony appears through the pillars and slabs of travertine-like that sync well with the marble. To hark back to the Japanese ceramics tradition, the Kintsugi style of rebuilding broken objects with gold shows up in one section where the walls and floor are clad with gold-accented marble.

For Fendi, the palazzo in Japan offers an elegant space that reinterprets the classic architecture of Rome, the birthplace of the brand, in a modern and urban way. The boutique at Palazzo Fendi Omotesando brims with the Maison’s latest collections, iconic styles, and a range of in-store premium services, and each area is uniquely designed with gold and luxurious decorative accents, coupled with Fendi’s original color palette.

Palazzo Fendi Omotesando opened its doors to the public on February 11th