Inside Brookfield Place's Newest Luxury Stores: Gucci and Ermenegildo Zegna

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Just last week, Gucci and Ermenegildo Zegna were added to the roster of high-end boutiques that are now open at Brookfield Place, joining the likes of Tory Burch, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Bottega Veneta in the section of the shopping center dedicated to luxury. Obviously, we were curious to see what the two new stores were all about, so we popped in earlier this week to have a look and find out everything there is to know.

Let's begin at Gucci. It's located on the main floor of the mall, near Tory Burch and Burberry. Although it's definitely not the largest Gucci boutique, they've hired more staff than you can count — we were asked to be helped by eight different people during our 15-minute visit. So if you like a lot of attention, this is the Gucci for you.

The first department of the store from the mall's entrance is the fashion room, and it's where you'll find the handbags and accessories from the current fall and resort collections, including pieces from both the Bloom and Dionysus collections. As you make your way inward, you'll pass the icon wall — that's where all of the classic Gucci handbags are situated. The selection is pretty impressive, and they've even got a couple of the classics with Gucci's new signature bee logo.

Directly across from the wall is where to find all of the wallets and smaller leather accessories. The last room on the left has women's shoes, sunglasses, and ready-to-wear, and there's more than enough plush nude velvet seating to sit upon while slipping on new heels.

Take a right at the back of the store to end up in the men's department, filled with ready-to-wear collections, shoes, and accessories. Unlike the women's department that's furnished with pale velvet nudes and black leathers, the decor in the men's department is classic Gucci green and red. There's also an exit (or entrance) to the street, so if you're done shopping, you can head right to Vesey Street.

Courtesy of Ermenegildo Zegna

Just down the little corridor is Ermenegildo Zegna, and while it's similar in style to other Zegna stores around the city, this one definitely has a more downtown vibe. It kind of looks like a wealthy man's bachelor pad with its dark wood paneling, deep green marble floors, and gray walls. There's also a ton of seating, and not just in the shoe department — we all know how important a chair is to a man in a store. Obviously, Zegna pays attention.

When you walk in from the mall, you'll first see a collection of men's suits, ties, shirts, and a display of cufflinks. To the left is the made-to-measure room, and that's where gents can do everything from custom-design a tux to tailor a suit to perfection. As you make your way down the hall, you'll find essentials like underwear, colognes, and sunglasses. Then there's the shoe and belt department, with a huge selection — and again, a ton of seating — and the final department is where to find more of Zegna's casual ready-to-wear, including lots of knits, button-ups, jackets, and briefcases for work. And, like Gucci, it's where you'll find the exit to the street.

There are just a couple more brands who have yet to make their Brookfield Place debut, including Drybar and Hickey Freeman, before crown jewel Saks Fifth Avenue finally opens its doors in June, according to the latest reports.