The opening of the 600 square meters dedicated to menswear follows that of the women’s palace and completes the important renewal process undertaken by the well-known Roman sign of luxury multibrand, founded in 1950 The original concept, signed by architect Marco Costanzi, mixes innovation and heritage and sustainability, creating a trait d’union between the two buildings. In the foreground, a luxuriant internal garden that pays homage to our planet and the “Club” space dedicated to special projects and collaborations with artists, brands and creatives.
“The result of the demanding design process is the physical manifestation of Leam’s culture and origins. A store concept which was missing in Rome. There could not have been a better way to celebrate our 70th birthday since my dad Lello Amati founded, in 1950, the first men’s clothing store, right at 26 Via Appia Nuova” explained Gianni Amati, at the helm of Leam.
“The shop is divided into two distinct areas connected by an exhibition gallery. A formal rigor and natural light make the new one gallery a real contemporary theater in which to get lost and be transported. The massive use of concrete and mirrors anticipates in the colors and materials the aesthetics of the project and accompanies the customer to the new sales area, characterized by the luxuriant garden of tropical plants created in the center of the space” said Marco Costanzi.
Leam’s restyling starts from history, with an archeology operation: it began by digging up to the raw earth to reveal the post-war skeleton of the shop and, therefore, translating it into a new structure, able to blend beauty, heritage, innovation and sustainability. The goal is to guarantee customers a unique experience of fashion and luxury, research and selection, hospitality and well-being, even before purchasing.
The ambitious project also represents a return to the past for the architect Marco Costanzi who, in this new work, reinterprets the favorite authors of American Minimal Art of the 60s and 70s: Carl Andre, Michael Heizer and Richard Serra. Their influences are evident in the materials, structures and in the search for the perfect balance between form and function, achieved by subtraction.