Haute Living had the chance to catch up with Nicky Zimmermann on her newest boutique in Naples Waterside Shops and where she got inspiration and design for the Naples store concept. See the exclusive interview, store photos and more below!
Haute Living: Why Naples Florida?
Nicky Zimmermann: The lifestyle in Naples really fits nicely with our brand and aesthetic. We also have some great clients who have homes in Naples and are great supporters of our brand in other stores around the world.
HL: Do you plan to visit the Naples store in the near future?
NZ: I’m hoping to come later in the year. My team and I are currently working hard on our Spring 2023 Collection which will be shown in Paris in October.
HL: How did you come up with the neighborhood vibe for this store?
NZ: We have worked with our store designers, Studio McQualter, for a long time and we approach each store with a view of bringing something new and fresh to the space so that no two stores are the same. For the space in Naples, I think we’ve created something really unique – it’s fresh and fun and has so many great pieces of art and furniture that suit the location but brings a little something of Australia as well.
HL: What was your creative direction for the stunning new boutique here?
NZ: We thought it would be great to incorporate a bit of a summer vacation theme into the Naples store – so it felt simple, cool and had a sense of journey. It was important to us that the store fit naturally into the neighbourhood but that it also had little Australian touches.
HL: Studio McQualter did a phenomenal design job on this location, have you used them for any of your other locations and what is next for your Miami DD location?
NZ: Thank you – they really have done a great job and we love the space! We’ve worked together for many years and collaborating with their team to bring our brand to life in-store is such an enjoyable part of what we do. Our Miami Design District and Tampa stores have recently opened and are wonderful spaces too.
HL: The boutique’s artwork highlights one of those aspects of Australian roots through your artwork. How did you curate this selection of artists for the Naples location?
NZ: The team spends a lot of time thinking about the art, it’s something that has really become the core of our store spaces. In Naples, there’s artwork by Australian artists such as Bridie Gillman, Emily Ferretti, and Amy French who I just love. I love the green store front too; it just feels very Zimmermann.
HL: What is the inspiration behind your Fall / Winter 22-23 collection?
NZ: For our Fall 2022 collection, we found inspiration in the stars. There’s always been something so fun and intriguing to me about pop astrology and the idea that our personalities are influenced by our birth signs. We worked with artist Anita Inverarity on twelve key prints that represent each sign of the zodiac and have incorporated these across a variety of looks across the collection. We wanted it all to feel eclectic and fun. We picked up the symbols and icons of the zodiac in our detailing and finishes and there’s a conscious clash of fabric textures in each look. It’s a collection that’s high on finer details. Maybe that’s a bit of the Virgo in me coming through!
HL: Who is your style icon?
NZ: I don’t really have a style icon. I take style inspiration from so many people in all walks of life and eras.
HL: What roles do you and your sister share within the brand and operations?
NZ: It’s great working with family because we can be so honest and transparent with each other without taking anything to heart. Simone and I have had some pretty funny sisterly fights in the studio over the years-everyone freaks out a bit, but then we just end up laughing and moving on. I’m the Creative Director and Simone is our COO, so we both handle different parts of the business. We both trust each other’s abilities and judgment, and that is what has made it easy working with one another. Simone and I have worked together for over 30 years, and she has always been a constant, stable figure in the business. We feel incredibly lucky to have done what we have done together.
HL: Do you specifically pick the pieces for each store or do the managers do the buying?
NZ: We try to bring an assortment that is not only what we know clients are after, but pieces that are also a bit unexpected. A lot of women may have only shopped with us online or are seeing our collections for the first time, so we want to take people on a journey and bring them something fresh and new.
HL: What is the standout element to your brand?
NZ: For me, it’s the optimistic attitude of our brand and the association with good times in people’s lives, whether that’s a special occasion or a great holiday.
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