La Martina boutique, Prague

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Founded in Argentina in the 1980s, La Martina today is a global player in the world of polo. A quintessential brand which initially made a name for itself with exclusive polo equipment, it is now recognised across the world primarily for its lifestyle clothing and polo inspired accessories. Representing elegance, prestige and the traditions of polo, its style appeals to an established clientele. Early in 2014 La Martina opened a boutique in Prague – ERCO supplied the lighting.

The new flagship store is located in the Palladium, the most upmarket shopping mall in the Czech capital. Bringing together Country House and British gentlemen’s club, its ambiance has an air of dignity. The boutique required harmonious ambient lighting that would lend the salesrooms a bright and friendly atmosphere, but with precise directed lighting accents on selected products and ensembles – a challenge perfectly suited to the strengths of the recessed spotlights and floodlights in ERCO’s Quintessence range. Tilting at angles of up to 40°, the light can be aligned precisely for uniform illumination of the room while giving focus to the store’s exclusive appointments. Most notably, however, the fashion itself is staged brilliantly in the light. Thanks to ERCO’s highly precise photometrics coupled with the use of state-of-the-art LED technology, the colours and high-quality materials are shown to their best advantage. The recessed luminaire remains unobtrusive as it recedes into the background blending smoothly with the shop’s interior design.

The display windows also feature lighting tools by ERCO. The challenge here was to direct attention expertly to the mannequins, while bringing to the fore individual accessories arranged around them. Whereas ceiling-mounted Light Board spotlights cast the light from above onto the display area, spotlights from the Pollux range fitted at the sides ensure the required accentuation. Highly inconspicuous with excellent glare control, a compact shape and an understated design, these lighting tools are ideal for a context involving high exposure.