Italian Brand Battistoni to Open First U.S. Store in Beverly Hills

Battistoni, a favored fashion brand of Hollywood icons such as Marlon Brando, Gary Cooper, Douglas Fairbanks and Humphrey Bogart has, quite appropriately, decided to open its first US boutique in Beverly Hills.

The shop, which first opened in Rome in 1946, was beloved by stars and the jet set alike. John Steinbeck, the Duke of Windsor and the artist Marc Chagall all rubbed shoulders at the premiere location on Via dei Condotti, which was really more of a salon than a shop.

Marble floors, wood-paneled walls and leather accoutrements lend the Roman boutique a gentleman’s club feel, which is why said elite lads may have liked picking out their silk and cashmere ties, made-to-measure suits and silk shirts here; the boutique also sells Italian-made English-style leather shoes, cashmere knits and belts made of crocodile skin.

The brand, which was founded by Guglielmo Battistoni, will be a welcome addition to Los Angeles’ most luxurious shopping destination when it opens its first American outpost in January. According to WWD,  the Beverly Hills boutique will feature “walnut, leather, bronze, and travertine stone and 17th-century ceiling frescos” in a 6,500-square-foot space. Both women’s and men’s collections will be available, items of which will include suits, shirting, footwear, leather goods and accessories.

And just in case you’re concerned that the brand might be too old-fashioned, well, let’s just say that a modern-day director was in on the secret. The late, great Anthony Minghella even included the brand during a scene in his 1999 film, The Talented Mr. Ripley. “Let me buy you a jacket,” Jude Law’s Dickie Greenleaf tells Matt Damon’s Tom Ripley, adding, “When we get to Rome, there’s a great place. Battistoni.”

And there you have.

Image courtesy of Grand Tour Shopping