Project
On Via del Corso, the 16th century Palazzo Ruspoli opens its doors as the Rome location of Massimo Dutti. Like its Copenhagen cousin, this location asks not how to maximize sales per square metre, instead looking to create real resonance between the historical architecture and contemporary culture, its collections included.
The renovation of its historical location required a rigorous heritage study, employing expert artisans to restore and preserve original elements. The palatial scale of the rooms is preserved through a tactful balance between the rich but minimal furnishings, which provide ample room to shop and linger but leave plenty of space for the architectural details to breathe, too.
Lighting is deployed masterfully, beginning in the vaulted halls, dotted with spots like stars. Indirect light illuminates the numerous arches from below, emphasizing their height and monumental construction. Colour complements the lighting, defining zones between browsing and checkout areas.
The opening of the Palazzo Ruspoli location is paired with the release of a limited AW26 collection where tailoring takes centre stage, highlighting excellence in material paired with precision cutting. Alongside the collection, the brand brings fragrance, art and literature into its world, calling on local and regional voices and underlining a value for sophistication and craft.
An Olfactory Archive inspired by ancient apothecaries was developed together with the Florentine artisanal perfumery Profumoir. The space incorporates glass samplers developed by Barcelona-based artist Pia Glassworks, and for the first days of the location opening, visitors will be led through an olfactory journey by the master perfumers themselves.
More culture is on the menu with Leporello books, an independent Roman bookstore specializing in art, design and culture, curated a library of nearly 100 titles for the location, presented alongside an Apartamento city guide created for the occasion. The store brings fragrance, literature and history together to form local dialogues, embedding the Massimo Dutti brand into the rich culture of Rome.