Aquazzura’s first store in India

Founded by Colombian designer Edgardo Osorio in 2011, the Florence-headquartered Aquazzura is known for its towering heels and a clientele that extends from Meghan Markle to Amal Clooney. The brand’s arrival in India follows Osorio’s admiration for the country—he is a repeat visitor and calls it his “happy place”. “I envisioned the idea of creating an indoor shoe garden, like a fairy tale world where clients can enter and immerse themselves in a new kind of shopping experience,” says the designer, adding that the Aquazzura’s offices in Villa Corsi Salviati inspired the idea. The mediaeval-era villa was the site for one of the first Italian gardens, built in the 17th century.

Located in The Chanakya mall, the store—built in partnership with DS Luxury Retail Limited—is marked by tall arched doors and windows which serve double duty as displays for heels and bags. A bright aqua hue—signature to the brand—calls for attention from the interiors. To recreate the environment of a garden in a brick and mortar space, Oudejans started with creating trellis arches on the shelves and the façade–these arches are among the designer’s favourite features in the store. “We hand painted the ceiling with a trellis bamboo design and filled it with summer flowers and fruits, and also decorated the trellis shelving with garland motifs,” she adds. “The consoles have been decorated with stone engraved shells, as you can often see in Italian gardens.”