Versace has announced the opening of its first downtown boutique in Soho. The new store concept, conceived by Donatella Versace and renowned English architect Jamie Fobert, explores the positive tension between Versace’s legacy and the future of the brand. The Versace Soho boutique begins with a long hallway with 6 brass and white revolving panels on either side serving as a catwalk experience for guests entering the store. Manipulated into several orientations, these alcoves serve as a playful area to display store merchandise. Reminiscent of the luxurious details found in historic Gianni Versace boutiques, the new store design incorporates an opulent mosaic floor modelled after Roman Basilicas built in 800 A.D. floating above the mosaic floor are curved Plexiglas panels adding a futuristic element to the boutique. Curved walls continue throughout displaying merchandise in a modern, sensual way. The Soho boutique also serves as a laboratory for regular collaborations between Donatella Versace and curators. She will select various inspiring individuals, and together they will create an offering of limited-edition items that represent their personal vision or interpretation of the Versace brand. The first curator selected by Donatella Versace is Christopher Kane. The collection includes a wide range of products from t-shirts featuring archive Versace images to golden ear buds emblazoned with the Medusa, to a board game titled “Medusa & Greca.” The new boutique will offer Versace Women’s & Men’s RTW and Accessories alongside the rotating curate collections. Donatella Versace says, “Versace has always been about the blending of influences – fashion mixed with music, dance, art and celebrity. In Manhattan we now mix uptown with downtown – our new Soho boutique offers a great alternative to our established, glamorous Fifth Avenue store.”