MILAN, Dec 19, 2002/ --- Europe's largest Yves St. Laurent Rive Gauche boutique formally opened its doors in Milan last week, capping off a frenzied year of retail expansion for the Gucci Group.

On the heels of big-ticket store openings for sister brands Gucci and Boucheron, the YSL brand, which recently moved out of its close quarters in Via Verri, has taken over 850 square meters of expansive, prime real-estate in Via Montenapoleone 27.

The new two-floor outpost is actually the site of the former Gucci store, which held the address for nearly five years prior to relocating to its enormous emporium down the street.

The primary shell of the store was maintained for YSL but the company completely refurbished the interior in the brand's new style, bringing in treated wood furniture, covering surfaces with aluminum chrome, and repainting walls and adding cement floors.

Despite the renovations, which began in July 2002, a strong reliance on black lacquer and glass, chrome detailing, and cut-mirrors in the new aesthetic is heavily reminiscent of its past inhabitant.

Tom Ford, creative director of YSL who collaborated with architect William Sofield on the new store said, "The new store design allows customers to truly live the experience of YSL and to understand the language of the Maison."

Interestingly, the design which uses new earthy elements, such as nicked wood displays, a cement floor, python-printed leather paneling, and fur-covered chairs, feels very much in the same family as Gucci and Bottega Veneta, which have also been designed by Sofield.

All have incorporated rustic, natural elements into more modern contexts.

Equally true to Gucci Group spirit, the store features incredible product merchandising and marketing.

The entire first floor is dedicated to accessories, one room after another boasting an expansive selection of men's and women's handbags, small leather goods, watches, shoes, eyewear and cosmetics/fragrances.

Upon entering the store, one is immediately hit by the company's bread and butter: the women's handbags, each bearing a name and an endless possibility of shapes, sizes, materials and colors.

There are the Mombassa hand bags, now offered in six different shapes and materials like a new waxed cord rope, velvet, canvas or suede; the Deco bag, as seen in YSL's advertising, sprinkled with deer horn or dark wood pailettes; and the Nadia, YSL's newest introduction, a chic, petite rectangle covered with a giant leather appliqué which folds like a rose.

Prices range from the positively affordable 400 euro (for a mini Mombassa) to 1,970 euro for a Deco bag in nappa leather.

Upstairs, the full women's and men's collections are dispersed into two spacious, separate areas (men's in black, women's in white) that have plenty of room for lounging out.

A deluxe female dressing room, with extra large white mohair couches, is sure to keep the VIPs and their tag-alongs duly pampered.

The expansive store, the second largest in the world after New York's Madison Avenue, allows for the entire YSL collection to be placed under one roof in Italy.

YSL's previous location, a mere 280 square meters and which will be the new home to Alexander McQueen in the spring, limited the brand in terms of its merchandise selection.

This new opening is just one peg in YSL's extensive retail renovation program, which aims to bring all 48 existing YSL boutiques under the same aesthetic guise.

The first new concept store was unveiled in New York in September 2001, followed by London last February.

After Italy, the company has its sights set on its home territory of France, where there are currently six YSL boutiques in operation, including the historic Rive Gauche store where St. Laurent first introduced his prêt-a-porter in 1967.

The company confirmed that in 2003, the women's St. Sulpice location as well as the large venue at 38 Faubourg St. Honore will both receive face lifts, while a brand new location at 32 Faubourg St. Honore will also open.

Also in 2003, the YSL store in Monaco will be renovated, while brand new locations will open in Bologna, Italy and on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.