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Tag: asia

  • DFS Group Kicks Off Its Seasonal Gifting Campaign

    DFS Group Kicks Off Its Seasonal Gifting Campaign

    DFS Group kicked off its Give Joy Together seasonal gifting campaign in
    style with the Art of Personalization shopping experience, which was held on November 11 at T Galleria by
    DFS, City of Dreams, Macau. The world’s leading luxury travel retailer sshowcased a bespoke approach to gift
    giving through craftsmanship and customization, simultaneously drawing attention to the wide range of exclusive
    luxury items available at the store.

    Global retail influencers Bag Snob and Mr. Bags and world-famous contemporary pop artist Boyarde joined
    senior DFS executives including Sibylle Scherer, President Merchandising and Consumer Marketing, Christophe
    Chaix, Senior Vice President, Fashion, Watches, Jewelry and Accessories, Nelson Mui, Vice President of Global
    Fashion Merchandising and Trends, and Johan Pretorius, Managing Director, Cotai Limitada, DFS at the event.

    “The Art of Personalization demonstrated how bespoke craftsmanship can transform luxury handbags and
    accessories into highly desirable one-of-a-kind gifts, and we were delighted that Bag Snob, Mr. Bags and
    Boyarde were able to join us,” said Nelson Mui. “Their collective talent and knowledge of the luxury retail
    market is vast and we were honored that they were a part of this exciting event.”

    Each celebrity presented a curated selection of pieces as gift inspiration for the holiday season. Bag Snob,
    passionate bag lover and founder of BagSnob.com, highlighted her top choices for seasonal gifts that included a
    DFS exclusive Bulgari bag and watch, a Tiffany & Co Key necklace, exclusive Tod’s shoes and an exclusive
    wallet on chain by Valentino. Style guru Mr. Bags, who has more than three million followers on Chinese
    microblogging site Weibo, promoted eight of his favorite products from the many brands available at the store.

    These included a Tiffany & Co Key necklace, bags by Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry and Bulgari, shoes by Rupert
    Sanderson, Bing Xu and Tod’s, and whisky by Johnnie Walker. Pop artist Boyarde, whose playful designs are
    highly sought after around the world, conducted mini workshops and conducted live paintings. The British artist
    also presented a selection of exclusively designed and hand painted bag straps and charms for her customers.

    Bag Snob gave her tips on how best to spend 24 hours in Macau, while VIP guests had the opportunity to offer
    their own thoughts on personalization. The visiting influencers also highlighted the customization services
    available in store at the Make it Yours counter throughout the holiday season, such as tag embossing, bottle
    engraving and personalized gift wrap creation.

    A silent auction to raise money for Make-A-Wish, the world’s largest wish-granting organization, was run
    throughout the event, reminding guests that gifting is also about giving to others less fortunate. Bidders vied for a
    fabulous leather jacket donated by AllSaints and handbags chosen by Mr. Bags and Bag Snob, all personalized
    with Boyarde’s iconic and eye-catching designs. This is the fourth successive year that DFS has partnered with
    the foundation, which has made dreams come true for over 415,000 children around the world who suffer from
    life-threatening medical conditions.

    The evening culminated in a party featuring two spectacular balloon drops. Any guest catching a glitter-filled
    balloon stood the chance to win amazing prizes, whilst shoppers who spent over MOP1000 enjoyed MOP200 off
    their purchase.

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  • Apple’s Asia Suppliers Rise on Forecast of Strong Holiday Sales

    Apple’s Asia Suppliers Rise on Forecast of Strong Holiday Sales

    Apple Inc.’s suppliers in Asia, including Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. and Wistron Corp., rose after Apple forecast revenue for the quarter ending in December that topped estimates amid strong demand for its 10th anniversary iPhone.

    Hon Hai, the main assembler of the iPhone X, rose as much as 1.8 percent in Taipei trading, while Wistron, another Apple assembler, rose as much as 4.3 percent. Quanta Computer Inc., Pegatron Corp. and Genius Electronic Optical Co. also rose.

    After concerns about production volumes this year, Apple signaled it’s fixing supply problems with the iPhone X and setting itself up for a better-than-expected holiday period. Supported by resurgent iPad and Mac sales, the 10-year anniversary iPhone will help push revenue to a record high of $84 billion to $87 billion in the quarter ending in late December, Apple said in a statement. Analysts had predicted $84 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

    Apple shares rose about 4 percent in late U.S. trading after the earnings report. The Cupertino, California-based company is the most valuable in the world with a market valuation of more than $850 billion.

  • A new multi-concept Japanese gourmet hall opens at Changi Airport Terminal 2

    A new multi-concept Japanese gourmet hall opens at Changi Airport Terminal 2

    Modelled after airline lounges, the Sora Japanese gourmet food hall opens at Changi Airport’s Terminal 2 today.

    Combining two concessions, the 7760sqft (720sqm) space seats about 300 diners and is the largest restaurant across the four terminals at the airport.

    At the public area on Level 3, the dining enclave houses six Japanese restaurant brands that serve up ramen, sashimi, okonomiyaki and Nippon-inspired desserts and beverages.

    Tendon Kohaku_Kohaku Tendon (Original)

    Sora, which is Japanese for “sky”, marks the first time that ANA Trading, a subsidiary of Japanese airline All Nippon Airways, has opened a food hall outside of Japan.

    “This is part of the company’s strategy to expand in Southeast Asia region,” says ANA Trading project director Kazuhiro Nakao, who is also director of SG Retail Partners, which is running the food hall in a JV with ANA Trading and Komars Group.

    Of the six restaurants in Sora, two are new-to-market brands: Japoli Kitchen and Tsuruhashi
    Fugetsu. From Osaka, Tsuruhashi Fugetsu is an okonomiyaki chain while Japoli Kitchen offers Italian/Japanese fusion cuisine.

    Tsuruhashi Fugetsu_Mix Yakisoba

    The other four restaurants are Tokyo chicken ramen chain Menya Takeichi, Kuro Maguro, which features fish flown in daily from Japan, tempura outlet Tendon Kohaku, and Tokyo Sundubu, which serves Korean stew.

    Sora Bar offers desserts and beverages including Hokkaido milk ice cream, sake and cocktails.
    Diners can order from any of the restaurants and bar to eat at the shared seating area.

    Sora offers both booth and tatami seating, and tables are fitted with charging points for mobile devices. There is also an interactive Kids’ Corner complete with a playground and television screen.

  • JD.com surprises with first profitable quarter

    JD.com surprises with first profitable quarter

    JD.com profit soared 50 per cent after a 39 per cent increase in sales during the Chinese online retailer’s latest quarter.

    Its unaudited results for the three months to the end of September show revenue of RMB83.7 billion (US$12.6 billion), with a record 50.3 per cent surge in gross profit to RMB13 billion. Non-GAAP gross profit was RMB12.8 billion, up 51.9 per cent.

    Active customer accounts increased by 34 per cent to 266.3 million in the 12 months to September 30.

    Chairman/CEO Richard Lio says the company is building robust product content and enhancing user engagement with innovative tools that enable brands to launch highly targeted online marketing programs.

    “The scale economies of our model are becoming clearer with every quarter,” says CFO Sidney Huang. “Looking ahead, we will continue to prioritise investments in technology and leading R&D talent as we execute on our vision to revolutionise China’s retail industry.”

    While releasing its third-quarter figures, JD.com also listed its latest business developments…

    In October, JD and Tencent expanded their partnership with the launch of a marketing initiative that integrates insights on consumer behaviour from Tencent’s social-media platforms with online and offline shopping data from JD and its brand partners. As well as enabling more precise target marketing, the move benefits consumers by offering them wider access to sales promotions and preferred discounts.

    Strategic partnerships

    During the past three months, JD.com also formed strategic partnerships with Baidu, iQIYI, NetEase, Sogou and Qihoo 360 with their big-data resources, massive user bases and AI algorithm technologies.

    JD also continued to strengthen its position among top-tier international brands, expanding its partnership with high-fashion brand Armani with the opening of official online stores for Armani Exchange and Emporio Armani.

    JD Worldwide also launched flagship stores for such companies as Reckitt Benckiser, Spectrum Brands and Tiger, while its new Toplife platform attracted marquee brands like Dyson, La Perla, Rimowa (LVMH) and Trussardi.

    During the quarter, JD Logistics test-launched an unmanned sorting centre, the first of its kind in the logistics industry. JD also signed agreements to lay the groundwork for the rollout of China’s largest drone network.

    In September, JD Logistics expanded its environmentally friendly logistics and packaging campaign, working with brands including  Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, Lego, L’Oreal, P&G, Nestle, Unilever, Watsons and Wrigley. The aim is to minimise environmental impact by cutting back on packaging materials.

    Customer demand

    JD also enhanced its fresh product offerings during the quarter to meet customer demand. In July, it launched the Canadian Fresh Food Pavilion, the first country pavilion for fresh products on the JD.com platform. Live lobsters from Canada can now be delivered to customers’ doorsteps in China in as little as 48 hours. During JD’s Super Canadian Day, 140,000 lobsters were sold within 24 hours.

    In September, JD.com, JD Finance, Central Group and Provident Capital announced agreements to establish two JVs in Thailand covering e-commerce and fintech services, with an aggregate investment of $500 million. JD.com is providing its expertise in technology, e-commerce and logistics while Central Group is drawing on its retail store network, brand and merchant relationships, and retail behaviour insights from its loyalty program.

    In October, JD and Sam’s Club launched a promotion offering customers discounted bundled memberships for Sam’s Club and the JD Plus paid-for membership service.

    By the end of October, JD.com JV New Dada had partnered with 146 Walmart stores and 301 Yonghui stores, as well as many other supermarkets and grocery stores, to provide online fresh grocery shopping with one-hour home delivery.

    At the end of September, JD.com had 405 warehouses and provided scheduled delivery services in 250 Chinese cities. It had about 160,000 merchants on its online marketplace, and 137,975 full-time employees.

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  • Dairy Farm sales stagnate

    Dairy Farm sales stagnate

    Dairy Farm sales were described as “flat” in the third quarter to September 30.

    The Hong Kong-headquartered company said improved performances in health and beauty, Ikea, restaurants and Yonghui were offset by lower sales in the food and grocery division.

    “The lower food division sales, together with new store pre-opening costs in home furnishings, (Ikea) led to underlying profits being marginally below the same period in the prior year,” the company said in a statement issued in London, where it has a secondary listing. “Similar trading conditions are expected to continue for the remainder of the year.”

    Dairy Farm said the weakness seen in food and grocery sales was principally driven by difficult trading for the hypermarket and supermarket operations in Southeast Asia, where it operates Giant hypermarkets and Cold Storage supermarkets. It says reviews of “a number of the businesses” are being undertaken.

    The results from greater China (including its Hong Kong Wellcome supermarkets) showed improvement over the same period last year. Convenience store operations (including 7-Eleven stores in Hong Kong and Singapore) produced improved sales and profitability.

    Yonghui reported a strong 20 per cent  growth in revenue and 131 per cent increase in profit in the quarter.

    Improved sales in the health and beauty division (Manning’s, Guardian and Rose Pharmacy) were driven principally by a strong performance in Hong Kong and Macau. Home Furnishings (Dairy Farm has the Ikea franchises in Hong Kong and Taiwan) traded well, although profitability was reduced due to pre-opening expenses for the new store in Hong Kong.

    Maxim’s (which also includes Starbucks operations in Hong Kong, Vietnam and Cambodia) had a seasonally strong quarter in both sales and profit, benefiting from record mooncake sales during the Mid-Autumn Festival period. In September, Maxim’s acquired the existing business and exclusive rights to operate and develop Starbucks franchise stores in Singapore.

    In August, the group completed the acquisition of the remaining 34 per cent interest in Rustan’s in the Philippines from its joint venture partner.

  • Robinsons Retail grows in net profit

    Robinsons Retail grows in net profit

    With its expanding store network, Robinsons Retail Holdings (RRHI) has grown its net profit for the first nine months by 5.8 per cent year-on-year to PHP3.49 billion (US$68.2 million).

    Excluding one-off items and earnings from its 40 per cent stake in Robinsons Bank, RRHI’s core retailing net profit increased by 12.9 per cent to PHP3.12 billion.

    Consolidated net sales reached PHP81.18 billion, up by 10 per cent on steady same-store sales and the contribution of the new stores. Excluding the new stores, same-store sales growth was 2.8 per cent. In various segments the growth was: supermarkets, 2.1 per cent; convenience stores, 2.6 per cent; DIY hardware, 7.2 per cent; drugstores, 2 per cent; and specialty stores, 8.4 per cent.

    Blended gross margins expanded by 80 points to 22.4 per cent for the period, attributed to increasing scale and improvement in category mix.

    Operating income rose by 16 per cent to PHP4.22 billion, and EBITDA went up by 13.2 per cent to PHP5.74 billion, the margin expanding by 20 points 7.1 per cent.

    Supermarkets continued to account for the largest share of the group’s consolidated net sales, contributing 46 per cent to total business in the nine months.

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  • Sidney Toledano to Step Aside at Dior as LVMH Shakes Up Senior Ranks

    Sidney Toledano to Step Aside at Dior as LVMH Shakes Up Senior Ranks

    Sidney Toledano plans to step aside after 20 years as chief executive of Christian Dior Couture as corporate parent LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton seeks to inject new blood into its senior ranks.

    Wednesday’s announcement marks the end of an era at Dior, during which Mr. Toledano, 66 years old, turned the elite brand into a global fashion powerhouse with annual sales of more than EUR2 billion ($2.3 billion).

    Pietro Beccari, the current chief executive of Fendi, also part of LVMH, was named to replace Mr. Toledano. Mr. Beccari is highly regarded within LVMH for having engineered a turnaround at Fendi. Under his tenure, sales grew from an estimated EUR600 million to EUR1 billion.

    “Pietro has an excellent track record,” said Bernard Arnault, the French billionaire who is chief executive and controlling shareholder of LVMH.

    Mr. Arnault gave Mr. Toledano a new job as head of LVMH Fashion Group, which manages some of the brand’s smaller fashion labels including Celine, Givenchy and Marc Jacobs. Mr. Arnault suggested the move to Mr. Toledano, and he agreed, Mr. Toledano said. He will start the new role early next year.

    “He never imposed something on me,” Mr. Toledano said in an interview. “I said I want a new challenge.”

    Wednesday’s move is the first major shake-up at Dior since Mr. Arnault earlier this year spent EUR12 billion to unite the fashion house with LVMH. Previously, the Arnault family owned part of Dior through a holding company that also owned part of LVMH. But Dior the brand was independent from LVMH, even though the companies cooperated extensively under Mr. Arnault’s control.

    When Mr. Toledano took over at the brand in 1998, annual sales were around EUR200 million. He embarked on a store-building spree and expanded the business dramatically in Asia. He also anchored the company as designers came and went. He clashed with Hedi Slimane and fired John Galliano after the designer was recorded shouting anti-Semitic insults at a bar in Paris. Mr. Galliano apologized and said he was seeking help.

    The move elevates Mr. Beccari to one of the top spots in the fashion world and Mr. Arnault’s luxury empire. Dior’s sales have surged in recent years, propelled by strong demand in Asia. The brand, however, is significantly smaller than French rival Chanel and should have room to grow, says Luca Solca, analyst at Exane BNP Paribas.

    “The benchmark for Dior is Chanel,” Mr. Solca said. “It has a similar allure and sophistication and it’s coming from the same background, which is couture.”

    The move leaves a leadership hole at Fendi, which has become LVMH’s third-largest fashion brand after Louis Vuitton and Dior. Mr. Beccari helped turn around Fendi by boosting its digital-marketing efforts and introducing a line of new bags that could be accessorized with pompoms and shoulder straps.

    “The big thing will be how they’re going to replace Beccari,” Mr. Solca said. “Fendi needs to maintain its momentum.”

    Mr. Toledano will now devote his attention to smaller brands that collectively comprise a significant chunk of revenue for LVMH and are seen as growth opportunities for the company. The division also houses Marc Jacobs, which has been underperforming in recent years.

    “I will have to meet the team, talk with Marc, talk with the CEO,” Mr. Toledano said.

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  • AEON Celebrate its 25th Anniversary with 250 Prize Giveaway

    AEON Celebrate its 25th Anniversary with 250 Prize Giveaway

    Mr. Kiyoyasu Asanuma (2nd from left), Managing Director of AEON Thana Sinsap (Thailand) Public Company Limited, together with Mr. Nuntawat Chotvijit (2nd from right), Director of Marketing, AEON Thana Sinsap (Thailand) Public Company Limited, has announced a special campaign for its 25th Anniversary by giving away 25 Cars as prizes. To celebrate and thank to AEON cardholders for their support over 25 years, special prizes includes 25 Toyota Yaris ATIV 1.2 S, 25 iPhones X 256 GB, and 200 Fifty-Satang gold necklaces. There are a total of 250 prizes worth over 19 million baht.

    No register required, so customer eligible to join this campaign when AEON member card or credit cardholder spending, installment or cash withdrawal every 10,000 baht get 1 chance, new customer approved and active during promotion period or activate Your Cash function and withdraw cash as well as download and registration “AEON THAI MOBILE” application, will get X5 to win a prize. The special campaign will runs today until February 10th, 2018

     

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  • Asian expansion plan for Brotzeit

    Asian expansion plan for Brotzeit

    Franchised German casual-dining restaurant concept Brotzeit is aiming to expand its Asian network to 50 outlets by 2020.

    The Singapore-headquartered company currently has 18 restaurants in seven markets – Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, the Philippines and Australia.

    Now the company has partnered with VF Franchise Consulting to secure qualified area franchisees throughout Asia to reach its target.

    Brotzeit was founded in 2006 to introduce authentic German cuisine accompanied by authentic German beer in a chic and contemporary setting. The Singapore outlets are company owned, but since 2010 it has been franchising offshore.

    The next country market in Brotzeit’s sights is Cambodia and Sean T Ngo, CEO of VF Franchise Consulting, will be in Phnom Penh, on Thursday and Friday this week to meet with potential franchisees and investors in the brand.

    “The successful growth of Brotzeit is based on forging strong franchise partnerships,” said Ngo.

    “Asia is prime for a strong, German-inspired brand that focuses on traditional German foods, beers, and ambiance. German cuisine is well-liked by locals and expats throughout Asia, and Brotzeit is the leading restaurant chain in this segment with restaurants in seven countries in just a little over 10 years.”

    Founded in 2006, Brotzeit believes dining at its establishments should be a “unique, credible and memorable” experience.

    “At Brotzeit we believe in creating a warm, friendly and welcoming environment. Our passion as professionals drives us to provide high quality and innovative food and beverage offerings inspired by our German roots.”

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  • Hundreds of new shops for China’s Auchan Minute

    Hundreds of new shops for China’s Auchan Minute

    “Several hundred” Auchan Minute shops without checkout counters are planned for China by year’s end.

    Customers enter by scanning a code via the WeChat app. After products are scanned, they are added to a virtual cart. The customer then pays via AliPay or WeChat Pay.

    Every Auchan Minute will offer 500 products 24 hours a day.

    Founded in 1961, Auchan is France’s second-largest retail group after Carrefour.

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  • Barbie To Release Its First Doll Wearing a Hijab

    Barbie To Release Its First Doll Wearing a Hijab

    Mattel is about to release its first Barbie doll wearing a hijab.

    This follows a partnership with fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, who made history last year as the first member of the US Olympic team to compete while wearing a hijab. The special-edition Barbie has been designed after Muhammad, who visited the Mattel factory to take part in the process.

    She saw her doll for the first time at this year’s Glamour Women of the Year Summit, introduced by model Ashley Graham who debuted her own Barbie at last year’s summit.

    Barbie hijab 1

    Muhammad’s face lit up when she saw her Barbie replica, that includes her fencing uniform and white hijab. She recalled her childhood experiences playing with Barbie and wishing she had one that looked like her. To compensate, she would sew a hijab for her Barbie and for her sisters’ dolls.

    “Ibtihaj is an inspiration to countless girls who never saw themselves represented, and by honouring her story, we hope this doll reminds them they can be and do anything,” says Barbie VP of global marketing Sejal Shah Miller.

    Muhammad’s Barbie will be released next year as part of Mattel’s “Shero” line, which includes Barbies inspired by role models such as Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas and director Ava DuVernay.

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  • Richemont acquires Italian leather brand Serapian

    Richemont acquires Italian leather brand Serapian

    Swiss luxury goods holding company Richemont Group has bought out Italian leather supplier Serapian, with the purchase price not disclosed.

    A managing director is to be appointed, with the founding Serapian family no longer a stakeholder. However, it will continue to fill key roles in the company.

    Richemont’s relationship with Serapian dates back to the 1970s when the Milanese firm supplied leather to Richemont brands Cartier and Dunhill, along with Azzedine Alaia, Chloe, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lancel and Piaget.

    Richemont plans to develop Serapian and use it across its portfolio as well as supplying leather to outside luxury brands. Other areas of development include bespoke items.

    Serapian’s collections are all made in Italy, in a Milanese atelier that includes a laboratory, and in a factory on the outskirts of Milan.

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  • Temasek Holdings to enter online fashion

    Temasek Holdings to enter online fashion

    Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings has led a new round of equity funding for US second-hand fashion marketplace Poshmark.

    Poshmark plans to use the cash to expand its footprint across Asia, broaden its product categories and develop data-driven shopping experiences. It will also introduce its voice-enabled Stylist Match service. Accessed via Amazon Alexa, this aims to offer shoppers a personalised experience through engaging with seller stylists on its platform.

    Founded in 2011, Poshmark hosts about 5000 brands and sells up to 7 million items daily.

    The latest funding round raised US$87.5 million, led by Temasek, with support from GGV Capital, Inventus Capital, Mayfield, Menlo Ventures, Uncork Capital and Union Grove Venture.

    That takes the aggregate equity investment in the business to date to $160 million.

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  • More ‘Everyday Objects’ From Tiffany

    More ‘Everyday Objects’ From Tiffany

    Tiffany & Co has unveiled a collection of “everyday objects,” including a US$8970 ball of yarn made of handspun silver – all on sale at the brand’s new Blue Box Cafe.

    Located on the refurbished fourth floor of the New York City Tiffany & Co flagship, the cafe is described by the luxury jewellery brand as its first ever “retail dining concept”.

    The floor also features a tongue-in-cheek collection of everyday items along with a baby boutique, sterling silver hollowware, a selection of vintage books curated by Assouline and a Tiffany fragrance laboratory.

    Blue Box Cafe - Tiffany 3

    “Both the cafe and redesign of the Home & Accessories floor reflect a modern luxury experience,” said Reed Krakoff, chief artistic officer with Tiffany & Co. “The space is experimental and experiential – a window into the new Tiffany.”

    The everyday objects collection was born from the notion that beautiful things should not be limited to special occasions, explains Krakoff. “It’s Tiffany’s take on modern life where creativity and wit collide with the finest materials. I think what makes the collection unique is that it incorporates the best quality, craftsmanship and design with a level of functionality that allows you to use these things every day,” said Krakoff.

    Blue Box Cafe - Tiffany 4

    For example, Tiffany & Co “upgraded” an 11.5-centimetre-tall can by adding a sterling silver exterior and a gold vermeil interior lining, along with an enamel stripe in Tiffany’s famous blue.

    A “crazy straw” comes in silver ($330) and gold or rose gold ($430) with a blue enamel band.

    There’s an $850 pair of table tennis bats made from reclaimed American walnut and black and blue leather – which comes complete with a Tiffany-branded ping-pong ball.

    Other items include a protractor, ruler, first aid box, ornamental building blocks and paper cup – all “ordinary objects made extraordinary,” as the brand proclaims. An empty paint can has been reimagined as a crystal ice bucket with a sterling silver trim.

    “These covetable accessories possess a whimsical wink that is quintessentially Tiffany,” commented online design authority Dezeen.com. “The luxury house is known for its tongue-in-cheek approach to design, and the Tiffany Archives serve as a wellspring of inspiration for a series of objects in this collection, many of which can be engraved to make them uniquely personal.”

    Blue Box cafe Tiffany 7

    Striking interior

    The Tiffany & Co flagship’s new fourth floor incorporates industrial details the company believes evoke its craftsmanship and heritage. “Playful and unexpected touches sit harmoniously alongside elegant finishes like herringbone marble and amazonite stone, reflecting the new Home & Accessories collection’s emphasis on everyday luxury,” explained the company in an overview of the finished project.

    The staircase leading to the fourth floor features a modern trio of nearly 15-foot-high light chains, created by the Paris-based design duo Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. It is surrounded by hand-drawn ampersands, a design motif from the latest Home & Accessories collection.

    Blue Box Cafe - Tiffany 2

    And a portrait of Charles Lewis Tiffany was commissioned, rendered with 8000 painted screws, offering a contemporary take on the luxury house’s founder.

    American classics on the menu

    Blue Box Cafe - Tiffany 5

    Meanwhile, the cafe features Tiffany’s famous blue colour throughout the floor. The Blue Box Cafe serves American classic dishes made with the high quality, regionally sourced ingredients. The simple menu – which will change and evolve through the seasons – is a refined take on signature New York dishes.

    “The setting is as inviting as the food is inspiring, serving customers who have always dreamed of having Breakfast at Tiffany,” the company said.

  • Aesop store pays tribute to Oscar Niemeyer

    Aesop store pays tribute to Oscar Niemeyer

    The new Aesop Duke of York Square store in west London was designed as a tribute to Brazilian modernist Oscar Niemeyer.

    While founded in Australia, skincare brand Aesop was recently bought by Brazilian retail group Natura and the new owner has been quick to add a touch of its own influence in store designs. Aesop is renowned for each of its shops being designed differently, eschewing the cookie-cutter approach of most global retail brands.

    Twelve rose-tinged clay arches fan out over a huge stainless-steel sink in the Snohetta-designed Aesop Chelsea store, reports architecture and design online publication Dezeen. It is located inside a luxury shopping area beside the Saatchi gallery in Duke of York Square off King’s Road.

    Dezeen reports a large column set in the centre of the 108sqm shop dictated the starting point of the design for Snohetta’s Oslo office.

    “The team placed 12 arching sections of wall – intentionally reminiscent of the concrete forms used by Oscar Niemeyer – around its edges. The arches splay out across the ceiling and touch the walls, to incorporate the column into the design.”

    Aesop West London 1

    A large disk-shaped sink with a polished stainless-steel top and fibre-glass base wraps around the centre of the column, cementing it as the centre point of the store.

    “There is this column, very odd, very strange, and we decided we would surround this column to accentuate it even more,” senior architect Peter Girgis told Dezeen.

    “Central to the space is this large disk sink, about four and a half metres in diameter, and from that we wanted this column of both light and emulating structure to come and loom,” added Girgis, who led the project with architect Gaute Simonsen.

    Aesop Duke of York Square is Snohetta’s first permanent project in the UK, but its seventh store for the skincare brand. It designed a store for Aesop in Singapore, likened to “an upside-down forest”.