Pull up a bespoke pew at Milan’s new luxury perfumery Satinine, an homage to the city’s entryways

If you've ever entered a Milanese residential building, you'll likely have been impressed by the details that go into the lobby area. From marble walls or rich tapestry, to designer sconces or intricate terrazzo floor tiles. These gateways to people's homes were often crafted with care.

When fragrance company Satinine was founded in 1883 in Milan by Lorenzo Usellini, the famous Galleria Emmanuelle II had recently been completed and the Liberty style was about to flourish. For the brand’s 2025 relaunch and Milan store, Satinine celebrates the past and the city's entryways. Engaging a team of creatives to reinterpret the imagery of Italian art deco, Satinine CEO Andrea Galletti chose designer Mara Bragagnolo, who specialises in inclusive and narrative spatial design, to head up the project.

‘When I thought of Mara, my aim was to find somebody who could help me connect the product with the store. We knew that we wanted to create an extraordinary retail experience and brand,' explains Galletti. 'Mara has been the store designer and she's also consulted with designer Franz Degano to align his product and branding design with the space.'

The walls feature dark timber panels, some smooth and some reeded, adding texture while dark green glossy subway tiles have been applied vertically to follow the invisible line that runs from the ceiling to the floor. Other details reveal themselves as you move around the zones, like the baked clay floor tiles that imitate luxury marble, they were created by artisans from Lombardy.

‘It does resemble a historical marble that you can find in some villas in Milan, for example Villa Borsani, which was one of my inspirations,' Bragagnolo says. There are no distractions, the walls feature two poster designs that were original Satinine adverts, for the bestselling scent Orchidea Nera (Black Orchid). A stained glass door leads to a more intimate space at the rear that can be used for private consulations. Here, the lighting, like the carpeting and seating, is very soft and delivered in an olive green hue.

The concept as a whole manages to allude to Satinine's golden years in the 1930s while connecting it back to the city of Milan. 'After spending some time living abroad, I came back and was able to appreciate how rich, diverse and well-curated these spaces are,' Bragagnolo explains. The way this intermediate zone connects the city to the more intimate spaces within the home was an aspect of Milan the team wanted to exploit.

'We realised the entryways of Milan have their own language of symmetry, material compositions and details, and when you recognise them you feel safe,' Galletti explains. In order to make the boutique feel inviting, the team established a 'portineria', or concierge desk – commonly found in apartment lobbies – where clients can sit on the bespoke stools at the timber and marble bar to enjoy a welcome drink of coffee or prosecco.

Above this area is a unique 1940s piece, once used for holding hotel guests' keys. Andrea found the item online and asked his father to help deliver it to the carpenter for restoration. 'When my father picked it up, he was initially shocked at the condition and called it ugly and unsuitable,' Galletti laughs. 'But after the carpenter restored it, he saw how beautiful it was.' Bragagnolo adds, 'It's a real statement piece, and it's actually the first thing that we got for the store.'

Bragagnolo and Galletti also worked with Martina Frattura on the lighting scheme, while the distinctive wall sconces were made by a Milan-based company called Matlight. 'Working with the artisans was one of the most enjoyable aspects of this project, as it made everything so much more meaningful,' Bragagnolo says.

satinine.com