A Gaetano Pesce chair installed on the new Piero Lissoni-designed flagship for Design Holding.
Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
Sprawling Showroom for B&B Italia, Flos, Louis Poulsen, and More Opens on Madison Avenue
Design Holding’s 25,000-square-foot emporium houses exceptional furniture and lighting from its six iconic brands
Once so associated with the advertising industry it became shorthand for the business, Madison Avenue itself has undergone a rebranding. Today, the thoroughfare has become Manhattan’s de facto design district, with many of the most celebrated labels occupying locations between 34th Street and Madison Square Park. Opened last week, Design Holding’s flagship at 135 Madison Avenue displays pieces from its six brands—B&B Italia, Flos, Louis Poulsen, Maxalto, Arclinea, and Azucena—over two floors in a high-design, 25,000-square-foot showroom.
“Our ecosystem of iconic brands excels in innovation, craftsmanship, and design services,” Daniel Lalonde, CEO of Design Holding, says in a statement. “This space offers a captivating experience, showcasing the creativity and excellence that define our heritage.”
Exterior of Design Holding flagship at 135 Madison Avenue in New York. Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
Conceived by Lissoni Architecture New York, the showroom’s newly reimagined second floor houses the Flos, Louis Poulsen, and Arclinea collections. At the grand opening, Lissoni’s COO and business developer Stefano Giussani explained that they set out to neutralize the space to let all of the brands express their own identity.
Thus, open volumes allow pendents and chandeliers to weightlessly float unencumbered, while geometric displays support a diverse array of stunning table lamps, including Flos’s new Bilboquet series by Philippe Malouin, a petite lantern that magnetically connects to a silver sphere, allowing light to be refocused in infinite ways. At the celebration, Malouin explained its essence was inspired by the first real design piece he ever collected—a Parentesi lamp by Achille Castiglioni and Pio Manzu—the modern iterations by Flos now displayed nearby.
A Gaetano Pesce chair installed on the new Piero Lissoni-designed flagship for Design Holding. Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
This level also presents brand icons such as Arco, Taccia by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, and the 2097 chandelier by Gino Sarfatti, as well as new introductions like Almendra by Patricia Urquiola, Skynest by Marcel Wanders, Céramique by Ronan Bouroullec, and the U.S. debut of My Circuit by Michael Anastassiades.
A graceful arcing alcove hosts the company’s outdoor collection in a chic, lifestyle like setting, while the remaining area is dedicated to exceptional examples from Louis Poulsen, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, offering the Danish brand its first space in North America. A polished B&B Italia lounge joins installations of the brand’s wardrobes, and an Arclinea Thea kitchen is punctuated with a Gaetano Pesce Serie UP chair, which gives the room a vibrant kick.
Flos outdoor lighting installed in the new Design Holding flagship at 135 Madison Avenue in New York. Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
A plethora of B&B Italia furnishings cover the flagship’s ground floor, including Mario Bellini’s Camaleonda sofa, Patricia Urquiola’s Tufty-Tie seating, and Antonio Citterio’s Alex table, all carefully orchestrated by Lissoni, who is also B&B Italia’s artistic director. Maxalto creative director Antonio Citterio coordinated that brand’s installation, which is accessible through a separate entrance. “After 26 years of designing the Maxalto collections, I believe that the expansion of the store in New York, with a large exhibition area and new dedicated storefront, is an important milestone in our brand’s evolution and the development of its distinctive identity,” he says in a statement.
“We wanted to share the melting pot attitude of New York City, where everyone and everything can blend together holistically,” adds Lissoni. “We went to the essence of the iconic brands, highlighting their DNA and proposing a common ground that could host and enhance the design codes of each identity.”
See more images below:
Louis Poulsen lighting installed in the new Design Holding flagship at 135 Madison Avenue in New York. Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
Louis Poulsen lighting installed in the new Design Holding flagship at 135 Madison Avenue in New York. Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
Flos lighting installed in the new Design Holding flagship at 135 Madison Avenue in New York. Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
An Arclinea kitchen installed in the new Design Holding flagship at 135 Madison Avenue in New York. Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
Design Holding's new flagship at 135 Madison Avenue displays pieces from its six brands, including B&B Italia and Louis Poulsen. Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
B&B Italia furniture installed in the new Design Holding flagship at 135 Madison Avenue in New York. Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
Cover: A Gaetano Pesce chair installed on the new Piero Lissoni-designed flagship for Design Holding.
Photo: Courtesy of Design Holding
