Nordic design and lifestyle brand ARKET is opening a flagship store in Milan on 2 July, 2024. Located in the Medelan Building on Piazza Cordusio, the new store (004042-940) marks the brand’s first physical destination in Italy.
With a total area of 1,000sq m, the store spans the ground and second floors of the historic Medelan Building, inaugurated in 1902, which until now has served as the headquarters of Credito Italiano bank. The space combines ARKET’s signature monochrome palette of soft greys and natural materials, including solid oak interiors and lush greenery.
The new flagship store – carrying the brand’s full assortment of ready-to-wear and accessories for women and men, childrenswear, body care, and interior design – will also present a unique flooring composition, developed specifically for this location. The design is based on deep studies in Italian and Milanese architecture and consists of red and white marble combined with ARKET’s custom-made terrazzo and wood flooring, creating different room structures to enhance the customer experience.
‘We are beyond excited to finally be opening our very first ARKET location in Italy with this beautiful flagship store in the centre of Milan. We look forward to meeting our design-savvy local customers in person and inviting them to explore our vision of a more beautiful everyday life,’ says ARKET Managing Director Pernilla Wohlfahrt.
ARKET’s design philosophy is rooted in the Nordic modernist movement of the 20th century. Coined in 1919 by Swedish art historian Gregor Paulsson, the slogan ‘More beautiful everyday goods’ captured a new, democratic approach that aimed to bridge the worlds of arts, crafts, and functional form to produce affordable and accessible items. In the Nordic region, this aspiration embraced a new aesthetic characterised by clean lines, a neutral colour palette, and solid materials drawn from nature and the northern climate. Above all, it prioritised functionality and longevity as the basis of good design.
Inspired by this heritage of simplicity and nature, and the aesthetics of slow living, ARKET’s ambition is to present a modern-day market offering a diverse range of garments, objects, and food, all carefully made and artfully curated for a more beautiful everyday life.
In-store, customers will also find the ARKET CAFÉ, developed and headed by acclaimed Swedish chef Martin Berg. With the mission to promote food creativity and natural flavours, the café offers a seasonal vegetarian menu, pastries, and specialty coffee. The café in Milan will also feature a new signature item: silky non-dairy vanilla ice cream served with seasonal sauces and toppings.
