THE CURTAINS ARE RAISED AS UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON
REOPENS ITS ICONIC ISTANBUL FLAGSHIP STORE

For its ten-year anniversary, Benetton's biggest store in Turkey has
been totally renovated. A contemporary project that boasts the work of
architect Tobia Scarpa

 
Ponzano, 12 April 2019 - The United Colors of Benetton flagship store in Istanbul reopened a few weeks ago. The store was originally designed by architect Piero Lissoni in 2009 and has since reopened to the public in a new guise. It is one of the most iconic and recognisable buildings on Bagdat Street, the liveliest shopping street in Turkey's economic capital.
 
The store was created as part of "Opening Soon...", a futuristic project that aimed to define the future of the Benetton sales space. Now that the future is here, the store's space continues to transform. The sales area currently occupies three floors of the building , while the other four floors will be used as Benetton showrooms and headquarters in Turkey, a country that currently hosts 46 of Benetton's single-brand stores.
 
The store has been updated following the new Light Colors concept, conceived by the Benetton Group retail design team with the collaboration of the architect Tobia Scarpa.
 
Scarpa's design includes an original lighting concept, built around: - disco, Nón-Lá lamps and light bars. "Together they create a quality of light which brings out the 'happiness' of the colours of the displayed products," the architect explains "The originality of this project comes from the use of diffused, direct and indirect light sources, and the diffusion of linear light used in an innovative way in retail."
 
Cozy atmosphere, natural textures, Italian style: these are the characteristics of the new format designed to meet the needs and expectations of clients all over the world. Thanks to the flexible furnishing system, the product is always in the spotlight. The new store design is highly functional: it works with shops of different sizes, with light and elegant display structures that are easy to transport and simple to install. In this manner, the new concept meets the needs of international retailing, which is evolving constantly, at a surprising pace. It is a light and simple system that can easily adapt itself to United Colors of Benetton vast network of retail and wholesale stores.
 
The reopening coincides with a complex time for Turkey. This circumstance has not stopped Benetton, which - with this flagship store - will go back to representing the colourful and unique identity of Bagdat Street. The opening not only demonstrates Benetton's reliability in the Turkish market; it aims to generate a confident commercial momentum and create a communication hub that will serve as a sounding board for the brand's messages and values. This is why the third stop of the Benetton Race will soon take place in Istanbul. Together with London and Milan, the shop windows of Turkey's commercial capital will be transformed into a large photographic set open to passers-by, who will help create a "visual map" of the people of the city.