Salvatori celebrates in New York with the party of the year
02.2023
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The first Salvatori New York showroom opens with an evening to remember, bringing new and old friends together at 102 Wooster Street
The clock showed 6pm on Thursday 23 February when the doors of 102 Wooster St, SoHo finally opened and design lovers from not just New York, but other parts of the globe, flocked through the doors of the first-ever Salvatori US showroom to celebrate the long-awaited opening.
It was an evening to remember, with over 800 guests enjoying great company, food, drinks and live music until the small hours, and the last contingent finally leaving in the early hours of Friday morning. It was definitely an introduction for many not just to the Salvatori design style but also our approach to celebrating. We may be serious about design, but we believe there’s plenty of scope for fun too.
So just how did the evening unfold?
From Versilia to SoHo
The vision for the New York showroom has always been clear and that is to create a crossroads between Europe and America. The opening event was faithful to that idea to the extreme, bringing Made in Italy design to New York in ways that went beyond our own products.
Salvatori’s roots are in Versilia on the coast of Northern Tuscany, so we wanted to offer guests an authentic, personal taste of our origins in the most literal sense, with food provided by the owner of renowned local restaurant Filippo. He flew out with his team and spent four days preparing typical delicacies from our region such as cecina, tordelli, tagliarini co’ fagioli and of course, polpettine, otherwise known as meatballs.
No drinks, no party, and who better to prepare cocktails than the maestro of mixology Antonio Francolino? Also flying in from Versilia, Antonio ensured guests enjoyed a perfectly-made negroni or martini, two classic Italian cocktails that have long been favourite tipples with American drinkers.
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Guests from around the world
A party is only as fun as its guests, and we were delighted to welcome a wonderfully eclectic mix, from the crème of the New York design and architecture scene to noted names from the worlds of art and entertainment, such as the iconic painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel. Friends and family flew in from all over Europe and as far away as Thailand to be part of the evening and celebrate this momentous occasion.
The Salvatori family was represented by three generations, with CEO Gabriele being joined by his father Alfredo and son Gianmarco. It was an emotional experience for Gabriele in particular who spoke about why this showroom is so dear to his heart, explaining “New York is more than a city for me. It’s the place where, many years ago, I first felt I had the capacity to really shape the future of this brand. It’s also where I realised the potential that was waiting to be unlocked by entering into a dialogue with the architects directly. And last, but definitely not least, it’s where my son Gianmarco took his first steps and spoke his first words because we were living here. So yes, New York is absolutely and undeniably part of my life.”
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A space designed to inspire and welcome visitors
Design duo George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg’s vision for the interior was to highlight both the technical prowess of the Salvatori brand and its relaxed, elegant identity and they have done just that, creating a space that is inspirational and welcoming. It certainly struck the right note with guests, eliciting rave reviews and even comments comparing it to a beautiful art gallery.
As Gabriele says, “We couldn’t have done this without George and Glenn. They were with us from the very start, even helping us find this incredible location and building. I can’t thank them enough for their contribution and of course, they’re great fun to be around, so it really was a dream team.”
The showroom extends over two floors and 600 square metres or 6400 square feet. From the main floor you take the stairs down to the basement which recreates an open-plan living environment complete with kitchen. This is designed as a space for entertaining guests and in fact, was where the party moved to after midnight.
We asked Yabu Pushelberg if they were pleased with how the showroom turned out and they were in no doubt that it delivers on their original concept, saying “We couldn’t be happier seeing the space finished and in use. Our intention was for the space to never remain the same, and the launch event showcased its versatility. It was a spectacular evening and everyone we spoke to was in awe of the showroom so it's clear Salvatori has entered New York in style.”
The day after
Despite the late night, the doors opened to the general public on Friday morning promptly at 10 o’clock and a constant stream of shoppers enjoyed being among the very first to check out SoHo’s newest resident. The showroom buzzed all day and Saturday too, with many leaving with a purchase wrapped in our distinctive white packaging.
The choice of SoHo could be considered unconventional for a design brand, given that the area has more become home to high-end fashion names such as Tiffany, Celine, Gucci and Chanel, but we have long believed that there is a real affinity between the worlds of fashion and design. “We are talking to the same customer, someone who appreciates quality and understated luxury, so by being here, we are making it easy for them to find us. In fact, for customers, it’s ideal, as they can find the perfect outfit that reflects their dress style, then walk out the door and into Salvatori to find the perfect accessory or piece of furniture that reflects their interior décor style” explains Gabriele.
And so, following an intense year and an incredible amount of work, the first Salvatori New York showroom is open after what one guest described as “by far the most amazing opening event since Covid.”
We’re now looking forward to offering our American clientele a fantastic design experience every time they set foot inside 102 Wooster.
With just a handful of weeks until our first-ever New York flagship store opens, we wanted to share a peek at its layout!
As we count down to the opening of the new Salvatori showroom in SoHo, we take a look at Manhattan’s most vibrant neighbourhood.
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