Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) advised luxury streetwear retailer END. Clothing (“END.”) on the opening of its first retail store outside the UK, in Milan’s Palazzo Venezia building, the first step in its planned expansion into continental Europe. This deal is a part of a larger store leasing project involving Generali Italia as owner of the Palazzo Venezia, Agilité Italia as general contractor and Tekné as MEP designer.
The outlet covers three floors of the Palazzo Venezia, on Via Mercanti 21, for a total of circa 2000 square metres and with 17 display windows on three different sides of the building. Built with carefully selected sustainable materials and components, the Palazzo Venezia meets the high standards and requirements necessary to obtain LEED and BREEAM international environmental certifications.
Founded in 2005 and based in Newcastle, UK, END. is a rapidly growing contemporary fashion retailer. Initially established as a menswear business, it moved into womenswear in 2021. It is owned by the Carlyle Group, the US-based multinational private equity, alternative asset management and financial services corporation with US$376bn AUM.
Generali is one of the largest global insurance and asset management providers, present in 50 countries worldwide, with a total premium income of €81.5bn in 2022. Agilitè is an international commercial interior designer company specialising in office, retail, and hospitality fit outs across Europe. Tekné is an engineering, architecture and construction management firm with domestic and international experience in both the public and private sectors.
The WFW Italy Real Estate team that advised END. was led by Counsel Alessia Giaccari and Associate Antonio Ferrero. They supported END. on the drafting and negotiation of the contract for the customisation and fit-out of the new shop, including project management, construction management, financial management and design management.
Alessia commented: “It was a pleasure to be able to assist END., especially in terms of working with the general contractor and designer, on finalised this prestigious, complex and innovative project realised according to sustainable principles”.
