Chicago is an extremely dynamic city, both commercially and culturally, and a meeting point between East and West, Canada and the United States: Chicago is a strategic destination for international design. This is evidenced by the various retail openings that have recently invigorated the city. Brands such as Prostoria, Arper, and Maharam have opened new showrooms to share their philosophy and style with the American public, starting in the neighborhoods most associated with design, River North and Fulton Market, up to the iconic The Mart.
In the River North Gallery District, the Croatian brand Prostoria opens its first flagship store in North America in Chicago. At 303 West Illinois St., the company will present its new home collection, complementing its presence in The Mart store, which is dedicated to the contract sector. A dual display designed to reflect the brand’s equally diverse soul and design versatility. Naturally lit by the large windows at street level, the new showroom recreates the atmosphere of a home or a lobby, dotted with wraparound settings where the protagonists are sofas, armchairs, tables and seating, along with a wide range of accessories and complements to decorate and personalize the spaces.
“Comfort is the trait d’union of all our collections,” says Art Director Iva Silovic, “we want people to love using our products, to appreciate the comfort of sitting and living with them.” Arper has chosen the Fulton Market as its showcase in the city, replacing its previous space at The Mart. The company has long dominated the American market with a direct presence: in addition to the production site active since 2014 in High Point, North Carolina, Arper actually has three showrooms in the United States – Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, to be precise.
The Fulton Market space — 400 square meters curated in the interior by Charlie Green Studio – rhythms between indoor and outdoor environments, allowing the display of the brand’s entire and diverse collection, a versatility that lends itself as much to the workplace as to the hospitality and residential sectors. With the goal of creating an inspiring and engaging space that supports all the ways people live and work today, the showroom recreates a studio-like environment where designers and customers can browse, design and create customized solutions for their specific needs. “We want to be part of a thriving and diverse neighborhood that serves both industry professionals and consumers,” said CEO Roberto Monti. “This space showcases our perspective, The Project of Living, by offering different solutions in the same environment that intuitively support residents and their diverse needs.”
The first in a series of four to open this year between North America and Europe, Maharam’s new showroom is located inside The Mart. The multi-brand space, which houses collections from Edelman, Knoll Textiles and Maharam’s own brands, was designed by architect Neil Logan as a gallery to showcase the potential of each brand’s collections. Maharam, founded in New York in ’92 as a manufacturer of textiles for commercial and residential interiors, showcases its values of sensory design and a strong tactility derived from natural materials. Wooden shelving systems create a veritable library where customers can browse, select and touch the many samples for a shopping experience based on interaction with the fabrics.
