The new store, located on Sloane Street, is taking a sustainable approach to design. After paying tribute to Gianni Versace’s legacy with a high-energy spring 2018 show in September, Donatella Versace has kept the celebratory spirit alive and brought it to London.

On Monday night, she accepted the Fashion Icon prize at the Fashion Awards here and the following day she marked the opening of the new Versace boutique on Sloane Street.The store is located a few yards away from the previous one, and Versace made the move in order to secure a bigger space.

“London means a lot to me, all the young, creative talent is here who I try to work a lot with,” said Versace at the boutique’s opening party, where she was joined by one of those young talents, Christopher Kane, who used to design the Versus line. Other guests included models Natasha Poly and Irina Shayk. “I wanted a bigger space, and I’m particularly proud of this store because of the sustainability approach we are taking.”

Versace said the store will not only save energy and water, but it will also reduce waste and support human health. “Nowadays, if you don’t think differently, if you don’t respect the planet, then you cannot move forward. We aim to be the first in everything we do, we will be the first also in this,” added the designer, pointing to a wider retail project that will see new and refurbished Versace boutiques take a more sustainable approach to interior design to ensure the brand reduces waste.

The store will be the first on Sloane Street to receive a LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, certification.