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B&B Italia opens a new flagship store in New York: B&B Italia Madison Avenue

September 2016 B&B Italia opens a new flagship store in New York, at 135 Madison Avenue, right in the heart of Manhattan. A prestigious space with 5 large windows with an area of 800 m2 - 9000 sq.ft. - to scenically present the design and international lifestyle of the B&B Italia and Maxalto collections.

New York represents, for B&B Italia, a particularly significant landmark in its path of growth and internationalisation. The brand’s first flagship store was in fact opened in New York in 1976, on 5th Avenue, thanks to the vision of its founder, Piero Ambrogio Busnelli, who sensed the great potential of the US market.

Giorgio Busnelli, CEO of B&B Italia, declared: “New York is an extremely important city to us. It is precisely here that we opened our first international flagship store 40 years ago. In the 1970s, gaining a foothold in the US market was a great challenge in our industry, thought by many to be impossible. My father, Piero Ambrogio Busnelli, a man of extraordinary vision and insight, strongly believed in the project, and this has since proven to be a winning choice. I am particularly proud to open this new major flagship store and to look to this market as our first market of importance. From this perspective, this past July, we also decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary of B&B Italia in New York in a special location, the Morgan Library & Museum.”

The new store adds another design space in New York to the existing flagship store in the A&D Building on 58th Street, bringing the total number of stores that B&B Italia boasts in the Americas to 15. Today, the company is present in the world with 7 flagship stores in the heart of leading capital cities, over 40 single brand stores and has signed commercial agreements with leading players in 80 countries, developing a presence of over 800 specialist points of sale.

B&B Italia Madison Avenue135 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 - T. +1 212 889 9606 - info.usa@bebitalia.comopening hours: Mon-Fri 9.30-6.00 / Sat 11.00-6.00

store picture by Stefano Pasqualetti

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The new store B&B Italia Madison Avenue, designed by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel Interiors, has opened on the ground floor of a building originally built in 1910 and designed by the John B. Snook Sons Studio for the Terry & Tench Company. This historically significant construction company was working at that time on providing the steel for the construction of the Manhattan Bridge and the Grand Central Terminal, while participating in the work to build the subway system.

This project took into account the original features of the building, maintaining the volumes and eliminating the superfetation that had accumulated over the years with the different purposes the commercial space had been used for. Special attention was given to the perception of the original height of the ceilings, which are higher than 4 meters, as well as to the design of the existing entrance door and windows, which were maintained as an element of the location historical memory.

The store on Madison Avenue applies the new concept of product presentation that began during the renovation of the B&B Italia’s showroom in Novedrate HQ. Generally, B&B Italia and Maxalto products are presented in a more scenic manner, and in a single space: a dark box created to present them. Reflective false ceilings made with an innovative material create an increased sense of the space, emphasizing its double-height space. Large backlit images and sophisticated dividing elements in metal mesh are accompanied by a winter garden with luxuriant hydroponic plants.

The space is fluid, and the various areas, while connected to one another, offer a neat, well-defined interpretation, with the purpose of creating sets that suggest atmospheres, inspirations, and emotions, rather than articulating the space into traditional rooms.

The Store project

store picture by Stefano Pasqualetti

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Store pictures by Stefano Pasqualetti

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Store pictures by Stefano Pasqualetti

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Store pictures by Stefano Pasqualetti

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Store pictures by Stefano Pasqualetti

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Press contacts

B&B ItaliaFiorella Villa - Global Communications Director - fiorella.villa@bebitalia.it Barbara Carraretto - Press Office - barbara.carraretto@bebitalia.it - T. +39 031 795327

B&B Italia Madison Avenue - Shari Ajayi - shari.ajayi@bebitalia.com - T. +1 212 889 7935 ext.23

France - 14 Septembre Christine Mazelle - christinemazelle@14septembre.frEmilie Reboul - emiliereboul@14septembre.fr - T. +33 01 53 24 99 19

Japan - Minami Urano - m.urano@bebitalia.co.jp - T. +81 3 3401 3837

Spain - IT Comunicación Josep M. Iglesias - jmiglesias@itcomunicacion.com Marina Mateu - mmateu@itcomunicacion.com - T. +34 93 362 10 34

Store pictures by Stefano Pasqualetti