Between the 1930s and ’50s Italian watchmaker Officine Panerai was the official supplier of the Italian navy, creating expertly crafted timepieces with the utmost durability. Now, to celebrate its rich history, the brand has tapped esteemed Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola for a new store concept that riffs on both its Florentine origins and its seafaring past. Her design for New York’s Madison Avenue location, which opened this month, showcases a dramatic printed image of Florence’s cathedral. The surrounding space remains rather neutral, accented with brass light fixtures, wood details, and reeded glass that recall materials used in shipbuilding. Studio Urquiola has applied a similar treatment to stores in Florence, Paris, Hong Kong, and Miami.
Officine Panerai, 703 Madison Avenue, New York;panerai.com
