Lugano Diamonds Unveils Art-Filled Boutique in London

The sumptuous interior design scheme is vision of Idit Ferder, the brand’s chief operations officer who co-founded the business with her husband, Moti Ferder, a master gem-cutter whose family has roots in the diamond business in Antwerp. “The whole process started by me wanting to have interactions with people,” Ferder tells Galerie. “The philosophy of the business itself is all about interactions and creating relationships. It is not about so much about the transaction. I wanted to create a place that would make people feel like they’ve come home—like I have invited them into my living room, and they’re surrounded by beautiful art and inspirations.”

Rendered with Lugano’s signature soothing palette of blue, brown, and grey, the furniture throughout the space is by Ceccotti Collezioni and Porada. Everything is designed with comfort and lounging in mind—think plush armchairs, a communal table, and cosy rugs. The original classic English elements of the former house have been beautifully preserved with a modern twist. “One of the first things I noticed was the gorgeous spiral staircase that has these metal rosettes on it and a leather banister that I was able to bring back to life, which is a true privilege,” says Ferder, who also added panels on the walls with a modern fabric she has used in past projects. “I wanted to marry the old with the new.”

A major collector and patron, Ferder places art front and center of the Lugano experience, tapping her extensive network of artist friends and collaborators to create pieces for the store. Among the highlights is a striking lighting fixture that was commissioned to Romanian artist Andreea Braescu hanging above the large, oval table. Inspired by the natural world, the installation features hundreds of handcrafted ginkgo-leaf-shapes that give an impression of fluttering in the wind. (Braescu was also tapped to create the light at the Connecticut salon.) “It is like a canopy hanging down from these super high-vaulted ceilings from the 1700s,” she says. “Andrea is such a talent, and she tolerates my crazy and allows me to ask her to create all these different installations.”

For Ferder, art “is a right and not a privilege,” and this bold philanthropic mission drives everything that she does. Lugano is the principal sponsor of Yinka Shonibare’s new exhibition at the Serpentine in London this season, for example, and the British-Nigerian artist has lent one of his tapestry works depicting endangered species of birds to go on view at the new Lugano London boutique during the show’s run. “I believe that art helps to bring us all together in a world that’s filled with controversy. It makes you smile and it makes you feel a shared experience.”