Cerruti 1881 celebrate launch of flagship store in Harbour City

To celebrate the launch of Cerruti 1881's flagship store in Harbour City, mainland actor Chang Chen flew in on Thursday to officiate the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside president and chief executive Catherine Vautrin, brand managing director Agnes Shen, and Sunny Wong, group management director of distributor Trinity.

Italian designer Vico Magistretti, who did the flagship store in Paris, gave the store a new concept - a modern interpretation of the brand's philosophy and its Italian founder Nino Cerruti's family background in textile manufacturing.

"It has the atmosphere of a flat of an Italian gentleman in Paris. With the light colour scheme, a five-globe central chandelier, stone wall, textured pavement, and the very modern statement of the facade, we want to give to the shop a cosy atmosphere," Vautrin said.

"The pattern used at the facade is a kind of abstract annotation of the texture of fabric, which is our key essence. It's true to the idea that you get the general perception, and then when you get closer you see all the subtle details. It's not shouting something, it's more about general elegance of cleanliness and then you get the details of the story."

That idea is also parlayed into its winter collection. The lightness of a hand-sewn cashmere coat tends to surprise upon touch, while the double-breasted alpaca overcoat appeals with its spongy texture, and oversized design. Turtlenecks are in colour blocks of olive, charcoal and navy.