10 Corso Como revamps Milan flagship, plans international expansion

10 Corso Como is undergoing a thorough revamp, which includes a complete renovation of its Milanese flagship and various international projects. Earlier in the year, 10 Corso Como renovated the art gallery and first-floor space of its Milan store, and has recently reopened the store’s 570-square-metre retail area, on the ground floor of the building at 10 Corso Como. The temple of Milanese fashion, founded in 1991 by Carla Sozzani and bought in September 2020 by Italian businesswoman Tiziana Fausti, owner of a prestigious multibrand store in nearby Bergamo, has now unveiled its sleek new contemporary look.  

The new-look interiors of the temple of Milanese fashion – ph Melania dalle Grave – DSL studio – 10 Corso Como

The legendary concept store has turned over a new leaf, with interiors designed by the 2050+ agency of architect Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli. Gone is the charmingly retro, brimming bazaar atmosphere, with its pop art motifs and the fairy-tale installations by US artist Kris Ruhs. 10 Corso Como has morphed into a sophisticated fashion store with a more essential, slightly impersonal style. The famous black and white concentric circles designed by Ruhs, the concept store’s signature distinguishing trait from its inception, remain only in 10 Corso Como’s highly identifiable logo and the graphics of its eponymous line, a collection of design objects, accessories and collaborations with other brands.

“The challenge was to translate in a more contemporary way a concept that has made fashion history, but which has been layered with an almost excessive number of features. We’ve introduced more modern codes, while preserving 10 Corso Como’s strong connection with art,” said Gianluca Borghi, the retailer’s CEO, talking to FashionNetwork.com. The layout has remained unchanged, just like the restaurant and the resin floor, which has merely been re-laid. Elsewhere, the previous décor has been replaced by minimalist interiors in a predominantly grey palette, with steel shelving and display cabinets, and furniture by renowned designers like Jesper Eriksson, Laurids Gallée, Odd Matter, Sam Chermayeff Office, and The Back Studio.

“This pared-down style allows us to highlight the products, and gives more visibility to our labels,” said Borghi, who did not disclose the sum invested in the renovation. “It’s been a significant make-over. Besides renovating the interiors, we’ve added a staircase and a lift, and upgraded the whole roof terrace,” he added. The retail area’s renovation focused on the main spaces, dedicated to women’s ready-to-wear. For the sections featuring footwear, accessories and menswear, the designers went for a chipboard décor, with an unfinished building site feel. 

The main new feature is the addition of an imposing metal staircase at one end of the womenswear area, directly linking the ground-floor store to the first floor. Customers climbing the staircase will find themselves in the ‘Project Room’, formerly a library and now selling, besides books, design objects and the store’s fragrance assortment. It leads on to the art gallery, which this autumn is hosting an interesting exhibition by US art photographer Talia Chetrit.

10 Corso Como’s womenswear section features some 70 labels. The main focus is as usual on Japanese designers, with Comme des Garçons centre-stage, and the Belgian school with the likes of Dries Van Noten, cleverly combined with major labels like Balenciaga, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Vivienne Westwood, and Moncler, and lesser-known, emerging names like Alainpaul, Niccolò Pasqualetti, and Roisin Pierce. The menswear range includes nearly 60 labels, with emerging names like Magliano, Namacheko and Meta Campania Collective.

Since September 10, the store is also selling exclusively for the Italian market the Phoebe Philo label, including the Edit 3 collection and several accessories. The eponymous British designer’s label was until now distributed only through its e-shop, and has immediately attracted a sizeable clientèle at 10 Corso Como.

Phoebe Philo has chosen 10 Corso Como as its only physical retailer in Italy-  10 Corso Como

This season, 10 Corso Como is also premièring fine jewellery in Milan, with “beautiful, highly creative items not usually found in traditional jewellery stores,” said Borghi, confirming the retailer’s high-end positioning. Among the brands selected, Shihara, Charlotte Chesnais, Lah, Bibi Van der Velden and Yannis Sergakis, with prices ranging from €100 to €10,000. 

After changing ownership four years ago, 10 Corso Como “has recorded regular double-digit growth” in Milan, according to Borghi, who also spoke to FashionNetwork.com about the retailer’s expansion plans. In the past, 10 Corso Como used to operate various addresses in China, Japan, and New York. It currently has only two stores outside Italy, in Seoul, opened in partnership with South Korean conglomerate Samsung, but it is about to launch several new international projects.

The first in France, at Printemps Haussmann in Paris, where it will set up a permanent space showcasing its signature line, 10 Corso Como. A similar space is set to open later in Qatar, at Printemps Doha. In October, 10 Corso Como will be busy with two other initiatives: a special installation at German department store Lodenfrey in Munich, again with its eponymous line, and a retail corner at Prague concept store The Brands, where it will feature a range of sneakers and fragrances besides the 10 Corso Como line.

“It’s important to extend the presence of 10 Corso Como. We are working to open a store in New Delhi, India, in 2025, with a very well-established local partner. We’re also aiming to return to New York and to expand in the Middle East, in Dubai,” concluded Borghi.