Opening a boutique away from a major

capital can be a canny move for retailers

looking to tap into underserved markets.
We profile three players who have turned
their cities into fashion outposts. (m)

01 Vietti
Arona, Italy

Along the shoreline of Lake Maggiore, on

one of northern Italys typical small-town
shopping streets of bakeries, jewellers and
chain stores, theres an unexpected splash
of glamour. Some of todays most desir-
able fashion brands fill shop windows
belonging to the Vietti family. In 1952,
Maria and Vittorio Vietti first opened
their namesake shop in Arona, an hours
drive from Milan, shortly before Italys
boom took hold. In just a few years it
1

retail/global

Distant beacons
Wealth, taste and lan are not only found in big cities and
these three top-tier retailers have found sustainable fame in
surprising locations.

became the territorys most significant
fashion destination.
Today the shop is run by Maria and
Vittorios children and grandchildren.
The original location has brought its
discerning luxury formula to two more
Arona offshoots, as well as locations in
nearby Gallarate, Domodossola and,
most recently, the Swiss town of Crans-
Montana. All are small but well-to-do
areas. Our stores are not in key cities
but our objective is to enhance the value
of our locations, says Andrea. And con-
vincing the labels to sell with them is a
Vietti family strength. Brands know well
stick around and so will their accounts,
he adds. Its a collaborative trust that was
born with his grandparents.
In her home above the original shop
on Aronas Via Cavour, a smiling 95-year- 2

towns and, apart from Gallarate, boast old Maria, bearing the same blue eyes as
a growing number of year-round tour- Andrea, recalls the struggle of convincing (1) Vietti shopfront (2) Accessories
ists in search of nature, ski slopes and a companies to supply the fledgling bou- on display (3) The multibrand shop
sells labels such as Prada, Loewe,
bit of shopping. Nevertheless, its still a tique. With her husband, who passed away Sacai and Ferragamo (4) Cutting-
surprise to find shopfronts along their years ago, she stocked the barren shop edge streetwear lines sit alongside
thoroughfares filled with Prada, Loewe, shelves with empty shoeboxes to give the luxury brands
Sacai, Ferragamo and cult niche brands
that seem daring to sell beyond a big city.
Its about being a point of reference
for the whole region, says Andrea Vietti,
a 22-year-old blue-eyed blonde and the
younger of two grandsons in the busi-
ness. He sources cutting-edge streetwear
lines for the shops Misbhv, Off-White
photographer: Claudio Bader

and Undercover among them which

sit alongside luxury brands including
Brunello Cucinelli and Dior. In Italys
saturated market of multibrand shops,
heavyweight labels generally limit their
sales to the most significant metropolitan
3

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no107 monocle 217
 retail/
global
1 My style was anti-establishment. Yet
2 What do you specifically like
impression of a successful business and
would ride her bicycle to artisan work-
shops to plead for merchandise. In time,
it worked. We never had a moments rest
with so many customers, she says.
Vietti launched its own online plat-
form in 2015. The site has brought Viettis
selection to a global clientele, fortifying
the business against Italys sluggish econ-
omy. Stefania Russo, a saleswoman whos
worked at Vietti for 24 years, believes that
the exclusivity of luxury is over. The
online market did away with that, she
says. But Vietti still manages to source
hard-to-find pieces. Behind her, in the
Roberto Baciocchi-designed womens
shop in Arona, are specially produced
hand-painted Zanellato bags. Vietti nego-
tiates a number of limited edition and
even exclusive items.
At the mens shop, Andrea is showing
off a limited-edition Y-3 trainer, as well as
a custom-designed handmade loafer, the
inside branded with Jerald Wilton 3 Vietti.
We can offer fashion that you would
never dream of finding in a little town like
this. lr
218 monocle no107
(1) The shelves are well stocked
(2) What are you looking at? (3)
Rack in Persuade, Bilbao (4) Rosa
Orrantia with her loyal assistant
Xabi (5) Accessories abound (6)
Orrantias antique emporium
Top customer
Chiara Iacomelli
law-office receptionist
How did Vietti become your
favourite shop?
I started coming with my mum, who
was already a client, seven or eight
years ago. Its difficult to find a shop
that treats customers as personally as
they do. Plus, anything I find on their
website I can ask to have delivered to
whichever store I prefer; I can try it on
or buy it there.
What do you like to shop for?
I probably buy about 15 pairs of shoes
and four or five bags from them a
year, alongside clothing and different
brands because I like to mix things up.
Their store is perfect because they have
a huge selection that you cant find in
other shops.
Do you find this shop keeps you
from having to go to Milan to do
your shopping?
Absolutely. Milan stores target a single
taste but here they have everything
not just for local taste where people
maybe are a bit more provincial and
appreciate logos.Vietti has options for
the logo lovers but there are people
around here like me looking for
something more fashion-forward; they
do a great job stocking those kind of
clothes too.
4
02 Persuade
Bilbao, Spain
Making a multibrand shop work is much
like putting together the right flower
arrangement, says Rosa Orrantia. With
so many different styles, colours and
shapes at your disposal, you can create
the perfect look for anyone. For 32 years, survived by pursuing our own truth:
the Bilbao native has been battling against stocking labels that share our commit-
her citys straight-laced sartorial current ment to utmost quality. And we eschew
from inside her fashion-forward shop. mass-production for the handmade.
Offering Comme des Garons and Issey In some instances this philosophy has
Miyake, even before Gehrys Guggenheim 5 prompted her to drop labels that opted
museum put the city on the map, has seen this subscription to sameness is typi- for cheaper offshore production
Persuade become a design beacon in its cal of many smaller cities, the presence Nonetheless, this resolve continues
own right. of Persuade has given more individual to be challenged on many fronts. She
When I opened my first shop in 1984 minds an outlet to express themselves. laments the ubiquitous influence of fast-
people would walk in, look me in the face Being a lone wolf may seem like fashion as a scourge on every city and has
and tell me I wouldnt survive, she says. a challenge but its a strength too we resisted pressure to sell online, preferring
stand out, says Orrantia. Today her loyal to impart her wisdom in a more personal
Top customer
more than three decades later the naysay- customers include the upper echelons way. As we say in Spain: la avaricia rompe Miren Lore Garmendia
ers have been forced to eat their proverbial of Bilbao society. Mothers introduce el saco [greed breaks the bag]. artist
hats. Orrantia hasnt just outlasted many their daughters, who then bring their This bullish approach may have
of her retail rivals, shes also expanded. Her grandmothers. While we are speaking, a cemented her shops status as northern What and how many pieces
current shop now covers 350 sq m, stocks German man stops in, makes a purchase Spains most fashionable outpost but do you buy?
I started out purchasing the occasional
more than a dozen labels, including Bless and says the shop is always part of his itin- it has also provided Bilbanos with the unique pieces but shop more frequently
and Paul Harnden, and even has a rear erary when visiting Spains north. threads needed to stitch their own sense usually monthly with a focus on
repository filled with Chinese antiques. Bilbaos art-inspired regeneration has of style. Her secret is clearly spelt out on more prt--porter. I recently bought
As a bastion of industrial wealth, also cultivated a home-grown class of the shopfront; a patient ability to persuade some Maurizio Amadei sandals, a
Bilbaos style has long bordered on creatives. Thanks to Orrantias inspired successive generations to care about qual- summer dress by Issey Miyake and a
Comme des Garons skirt. I believe in
the uniform. Men seem to love striped selection they no longer have to make ity. Retailers are on the frontline, she
wearing everything in my wardrobe
shirts, the women display an affinity for the 400km slog to Madrid when looking says. Its our responsibility to ensure clothes are made to be worn!
conservative colours and cuts. While for a more expressive ensemble. Weve these brands dont disappear. la
about the shop?
The space itself but also the designers.
Rosa has such a considered selection
of garments each piece makes such
a clear statement.
How does Persuade fit in
Bilbaos retail landscape?
This shop isnt just unique for Bilbao
or the Basque country but also for
Spain. If it wasnt here Id probably be
forced to travel around Europe to shop.
Where else do you shop in
the city?
There just isnt anywhere else for me.
3
However, if I had to choose somewhere
it would be small independent shops
such as Otegi in my home village of
Ordizia.
How has Persuade shaped your
individual style?
Its never been about attracting
photographer: Markel Redondo
attention. Im passionate about well-
made things; wearing quality clothing
gives me a sense of wellbeing. For me
this has always been the shop.
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03 Capitol
Charlotte, USA
For Laura Vinroot Poole, the owner of
Capitol in Charlotte, North Carolinas
largest city never seemed like an odd loca-
tion for an upmarket womens boutique.
Bank of America and Nascar are based
here these are companies where people
travel all the time and do really interesting
things, she says. Yet they were all wear-
ing the same stuff. Growing up Poole
watched as her mothers friends went
shopping in New York and came back
decked out for the charity events that
inundate the well-to-dos social calendar
in the city. I thought it was strange that
you couldnt do that at home, says Poole,
her hands tucked into the pockets of wide,
cascading Cline silk trousers. I knew
that people here were more sophisticated
than we got credit for.
By 1997, when Poole moved back to
Charlotte after finishing her arts studies
in nearby Chapel Hill, there was still no
fashion shop servicing the soire-goers.
Thats when the idea to open her own
place was born. Now about to celebrate
its 20th birthday, Capitol has become a
destination renowned across the coun-
try yet it remains tucked away in an
unadorned suburban strip mall, hidden
behind a red-brick faade. What awaits
shoppers inside, however, is an explosion
1 the shops stock doesnt even make it onto
of colour and patterns from the likes of
Gucci, La DoubleJ, Peter Pilotto and
some 60 other designers. A lot of women
come in here and they feel like they are
going through their closet: there is some-
thing less intimidating about feeling like
youre not going to mess things up, says
visual director Scott Newkirk as he looks
at the racks bulging with stock a marked
departure from the sparse look that many
concept stores opt for today. Its funny:
sometimes I feel like we are bursting at
the seams but it all gets sold.
Over the past two decades online
retailers have dramatically transformed
the USs retail landscape. But where
many big-box department stores have
been defeated, Capitol has managed to
resist even thrive. What we do is spe-
cial because we have a beautiful space,
4
an incredible edit and amazing service,
says Poole. Her individual approach to
buying (which includes a penchant for
the colourful) has won Capitol its zealous
following and her personal touch can be
felt in the service too. About 40 per cent of
the rails but instead goes straight to a cli-
ents wardrobe hand delivered of course.
Poole ensures that her seven-strong
team of stylists know their clients cal-
endars a year in advance so that theyre
prepared for anything, from debutants
2 7 balls to summer parties. That also means
making sure nobody inadvertently turns
up in the same outfit. Charlotte is, after
all, a small city only 300 or so people will
attend the citys biggest gala in November
and a staggering 70 per cent will be
Pooles clients, so planning is essential.
Yet despite the citys size, when it came to
Top customer
choosing where to expand with her mens- Charlotte Harris Lucas
wear venture, Tabor, Poole stuck to home interior and textile designer
ground, opening in an inner-city suburb.
What we do best is our service, she says With Capitol here in Charlotte,
with a wide smile. I dont know if we do you still go to bigger cities
for shopping?
could do that in another town. cmf The good thing about Capitol is that
3
this is the best of the best of what you
could find in New York.You truly dont
need to go anywhere else.
Do you think that shoppers in
Charlotte have a distinctive
sense of style?
Its definitely vibrant and colourful:
8 people arent walking around the
streets wearing black like they are in
New York. Due to the weather and the
climate, peoples wardrobes change
with each season here.When spring
arrives out come the florals, pastels
and bright colours; when fall hits its
time for plums and other dark shades.
6
(1) Staff at Capitol How often do you tend to shop
(2) Accessories on at Capitol?
display at upstairs I work full-time and have two young
sister store Poole Shop children so my shopping time is limited.
(3) Shoes on show A stylist pulls things out especially for
(4) Laura Vinroot me for any events that I have coming
Poole (5) Gucci up. That is what I love about it: people
display (6) Turtle are thinking about you when youre
ring, Munnu the Gem not able to think about yourself and
photographer: Erin Adams
Palace (7) Patrick thinking ahead of time too. If I was
Blanc vertical garden picking out my outfits all the time I
(8) Window shopping think they would plateau at a certain
(9) Gucci embraces point.You need somebody to keep
its inner child (10) pushing the envelope for you.
Shop floor
5 9 10
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