Tag: flagship

  • Canon opens New Delhi flagship Store

    Canon opens New Delhi flagship Store

    Canon India has launched a flagship Canon Image Square (CIS) store in New Delhi. The flagship CIS store aims to “enrich the consumer experience for all Canon products” across segments ranging from entry-level cameras to high-end professional cameras. In addition to this, the store is also exhibiting Cinema cameras, a few leading Canon printers and a wide range of lenses.

    “Commitment towards the country and dedication of Canon, together has translated into growth over the years,” said Canon India president and CEO Kazutada Kobayashi. “With the launch of first of its kind Canon Image Square flagship store, Canon India marks another milestone to ensure an interactive and informative buying experience for our existing and potential customers.

    “CIS stores have been successful in contributing to Canon’s significant customer outreach and positioning it as a market leader. Having established its presence with more than 250 stores in 100+ cities, we take pride in being total solution providers in the imaging arena. The launch of this flagship CIS stores will certainly raise the benchmark for customer service,” he said.

    “The new flagship store is fashioned in such a way that it creates a sweeping experience for the customers with the gamut of cameras including cinema cameras, lenses and complete imaging solution in order to make the right choice of the products,” said Canon India VP consumer imaging & information centre Eddie Udagawa. “The store also features some of the leading printers that have been delighting the consumers.

    “New Delhi is one of the key markets for us, not just in terms of the customer base but also for being abreast with the technology trends that influence other markets. We look forward to receiving great feedback from our customers and add value to their imaging experience.”

  • Second Apple Taiwan store about to Open

    Second Apple Taiwan store about to Open

    Apple Taiwan is to open its second store, in Taipei’s Xinyi District.

    The firm is in the early stages of planning, although has released an image of the intended look of the new store that resembles its Chicago flagship.

    Apple’s first official store in Taiwan opened in the Taipei 101 mall, although the majority of its products are sold via its online channel and through local authorized resellers.

    Comments online following the announcement suggested significant hopes that Apple will next open an official store outside Taipei.

    Apple Taiwan issued a teaser image of the new store (above), a rare move for the company, which rarely reveals details of store developments to the press.

  • India’s Nappa Dori Opening Store in UK

    India’s Nappa Dori Opening Store in UK

    Indian luxury handcrafted-bags and luggage retailer Nappa Dori has launched in London.

    The firm’s 1400sqft location in Seven Dials on Monmouth Street is its first in Europe, adding to its seven-store network in India and an outlet in the Maldives. It features an in-store cafe serving traditional beverages such as chai tea.

    “The high volume of tourists and locals who frequent the stylish streets of Seven Dials made it the obvious choice for our first UK and European venture,” said Nappa Dori founder Gautam Sinha.

    “This opening reflects the increase in brands selecting this unique West End destination for debut UK and European stores,” said Shaftesbury senior retail portfolio manager Addy Williams, “following in the footsteps of leading brands such as Away and Beast.”

    Nappa Dori has previously engaged in collaborations with Kiehl’s and Qatar Airways, among other partnering businesses.

  • Sephora confirms Auckland Flagship Opening This Year

    Sephora confirms Auckland Flagship Opening This Year

    Beauty retailer Sephora has confirmed long-standing rumors of an Auckland flagship set to open on Queen Street in 2019. While the retailer launched a local online offering in 2015, the bricks-and-mortar location will be Sephora’s first in New Zealand and is part of a larger push into Asia that will see Hong Kong and Korea added to the brand’s retail locations.

    “We believe that New Zealand will be a key market in building Sephora as the most loved beauty community in Asia, and the world,” said the president of Sephora Asia Benjamin Vuchot.

    “This expansion to a new market will allow Sephora to continue to amplify global beauty trends locally, elevate what our clients expect of the in-store experience and bring fresh, digital touch points to the retail environment to create a virtual, client-centric cycle.”

    Prior to its official announcement earlier this week, Sephora posted a series of job ads on Seek in April, looking for assistant store managers, category coordinators, stockroom managers and supervisors to fill out the Auckland flagship.

    The positions all indicated that prospective employees would need to be available for a recruitment event between May 7 and 8, pointing to an opening in the near future.

    Sephora interim general manager of Australia and New Zealand Pedro Coutinho said the store would be a beauty destination “like no other.”

    “We are so excited to introduce our renowned service offering, a suite of the most sought after beauty brands from around the world and a fun place for our clients to experience and explore their own beauty journey,” Coutinho said.

    “The Sephora client is the future – our customers are ahead of the trends, up to date with the latest brands and they want new products, now. We’ve listened to what our online clients want from Sephora, and this new Auckland location will help us deliver it.”

  • Apple India shortlists first flagship store Presence

    Apple India shortlists first flagship store Presence

    Tech retailer Apple may be close to opening its first retail outlet in India. People familiar with the plans said Apple India will decide within weeks on a premium location in Mumbai from a shortlist it is examining now. The hardware manufacturer has previously been unable to open in the territory due to regulations governing local sourcing, which prompted Apple to shift some manufacturing to India. The move will also result in the removal of the 20 percent tariff currently placed on iPhones because they are imported.

    While local preferences are for cheaper Chinese handsets, India still represents a vast potential market for Apple as it loses ground in China.

    “India is a very important market in the long term,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “It’s a challenging market in the short term, but we’re learning a lot. We plan on going in there with sort of all of our might.”

    With India currently being the fastest-growing smartphone market in the world, Apple has placed greater emphasis on gaining market traction there in recent years. A new country chief was named last November after previous efforts yielded disappointing results. The firm now commands an estimated 1 percent of the country’s smartphone market.

    “Its own retail store might be just what Apple requires to reinforce its premium image,” said Rushabh Doshi, an analyst at global research firm Canalys. “A store just before the next launch will be the perfect timing for Apple to restart its Indian growth story.”

  • Apple looks to open its first store in India

    Apple looks to open its first store in India

    India is a great place for certain phone manufacturers to sell their products, and for others, it is a contradiction that is hard to figure out. With approximately 1.4 billion people in the country, it is the second largest smartphone market in the world after China. But with a per capita income in the country of $1,670 as of 2016, the consumers in the country usually favor lower priced handsets. That explains the success that Xiaomi, with its value for money policy, has had in the country.

    Apple’s business in India has been driven by demand for lower-priced models like the discontinued iPhone SE. To avoid a 20% tariff on imported phones, Apple had manufactured the iPhone SE in India and still produces older devices such as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 in the country.  Starting this year, it will also manufacture some of its high-end handsets in the region. Contract manufacturer Foxconn is said to be running quality tests of the iPhone XR in India with mass production of the device expected to start soon.

    More than ever, Apple is looking toward India to generate sales in light of the troubles the company has had over the last year selling iPhones in China. But business now is not booming. Research firm Canalys recently reported that during the first quarter of 2019, iPhone shipments in India declined by 75% year-over-year leaving the firm with just 1% of the country’s smartphone market. But Apple CEO Tim Cook is optimistic. He said during last week’s earnings call that “We have made some adjustments in India and we’ve seen preliminarily some better results there.”

    To help generate sales in India, Apple is planning to open its very first retail store in the market. Expanding the local production of iPhone models in the country is expected to help pave the way for government approval of India’s first Apple Store. The green light could come at the end of this month or early next month when a new government takes over in the country. Canalys analyst Rushabh Doshi says that opening a store before the launch of the 2019 iPhone models later this year will help Apple “restart its Indian growth story.” Doshi says that Apple is caught in a bind in India. On one hand, it wants to lower its prices in order to compete with the likes of Xiaomi and Vivo, but it also wants to maintain its “premium” image.

    “India is a very important market in the long term. It’s a challenging market in the short term, but we’re learning a lot. We plan on going in there with sort of all of our might.”-Tim Cook, CEO, Apple

    Still, last month Apple cut the price of the “more affordable” iPhone XR in the country by 17,000 rupees (equivalent to $244 USD). That phone is now priced in India for 59,000 rupees ($846 at current exchange rates).

    Apple is apparently planning to open its first Apple Store in India at one of several upscale locations in Mumbai, according to anonymous sources cited in the report. Apple will decide on the exact location in the next few weeks. No matter which location it selects, the Indian Apple Store will be in a prestigious area of the country comparable with Apple’s Fifth Avenue store in New York City, the Regent Street location in London and the store on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. This might be part of the game plan designed to keep promoting the iPhone as a premium device in India. But again, for Apple to succeed in the country, it will have to be mindful of its pricing.

  • Ashley Furniture HomeStore Opens Largest Flagship Store in Kuala Lumpur

    Ashley Furniture HomeStore Opens Largest Flagship Store in Kuala Lumpur

    World No.1 selling furniture store brand, Ashley Furniture HomeStore, celebrated the grand opening of its largest flagship HomeStore in Quill City Mall today.

    Owned and operated by HAUSLIFE Furniture Sdn Bhd (HAUSLIFE), the sole licensee and operator of Ashley Furniture in Peninsular Malaysia, Ashley Furniture HomeStore at Quill City Mall marks the company’s fourth store in Malaysia.

    The 1300 square meter HomeStore’s interior architectural design include Ashley Lifestyle collections – ‘Family Spaces’. ‘Vintage Casual’, ‘Urbanology’, ‘New Traditions’ and ‘Contemporary Living’; meandering walkway through the showroom as well as unique and inspiring wall finishes. Product categories include upholstery set, bedroom set, dining room, home office, recliners, mattresses and accessories.

    Yu Kong Ching, Founder and CEO of HAUSLIFE, said, “Clearly, Ashley’s brand of furniture products have struck a chord amongst Malaysian consumers and this is reflected in the tangible growth of the brand’s presence here in Malaysia.”

    “The opening of this flagship store is also a testament to HAUSLIFE’s commitment, dedication and know-how in strengthening Ashley Furniture’s continued success in Malaysia in terms of market share and brand recognition.”

    According to Yu, HAUSLIFE aims to open eight (8) Ashley Furniture HomeStores by 2022. “There is still a lot of room for us to grow in the Malaysian market, more so as we see an ever-growing demand for quality, value, style and excellent service by discerning consumers in the retail furniture market,” Yu added.

    Speaking at the launch of Ashley Furniture HomeStore Quill City Mall today, Mr Robin Lim, VP sales of Asia for Ashley Furniture HomeStore, said, We are excited to see the Ashley brand expanding aggressively in Malaysia. The ASEAN region, including Malaysia, is essential to Ashley Furniture’s global growth plans.”

    Comprehensive E-commerce platform

    In tandem with the global trend towards embracing the digital lifestyle, Ashley Furniture HomeStore recently launched its e-commerce platform only for the Malaysian market. Developed to be user-friendly yet feature-packed with great deals, this online platform allows Ashley’s customers from all over Peninsular Malaysia to purchase Ashley products from authorized retailer online.

    Exclusive Affiliate Program for Interior Designers

    HAUSLIFE Interior Designer Affiliate (HIDA), an incentive program custom-built by HAUSLIFE for interior designers, was launched in 2015 With over 215 affiliates, HIDA aims to empower interior designers today to have the mean to realise their creative vision and make life better. The program brings lots of benefits including exclusive deals on Ashley and HAUSLIFE products as well as access to new and selected products.

  • Parkson Vietnam Restyles Its Ho Chi Minh City flagship

    Parkson Vietnam Restyles Its Ho Chi Minh City flagship

    Parkson Vietnam has kicked off the renovation of its six-story Saigon Tourist Plaza flagship in downtown Ho Chi Minh City.

    Located on Le Thanh Ton, refurbishment of the first Parkson Vietnam store will be implemented progressively, floor by floor.

    During the project, the Parkson store will remain partially open for business.

    The company says the renovation will deliver a new look, new shopping experience featuring modern facilities, and a higher standard of service for shoppers.

    It says the new store design concept will turn the store into an all-in-one destination that offers a combination of shopping, food & beverage, and entertainment.

    New brands in fashion, beauty and lifestyle will be added.

    Ready to welcome Uniqlo?

    The first flagship store of Uniqlo Vietnam will be located in the revamped store.

    The Japanese fast-fashion retailer is reportedly set to occupy three levels of the building, facing the H&M store at Vincom on Dong Khoi Street.

    Uniqlo Vietnam will open doors sometime between September and November this year.

    The renovation of the Parkson Saigon Tourist store is understandable as the building is old and has been poorly managed for a long time.

    If the Japanese fast-fashion brand is really opening its first store there, it should rapidly increase traffic to the building.

    After 14 years of operation, Parkson Vietnam has closed five stores, including the last one in Hanoi.

    It now manages five stores, with three in Ho Chi Minh City, and one each in Hai Phong and Danang.

  • Apple’s Melbourne flagship Delay Due to Cultural Reasons

    Apple’s Melbourne flagship Delay Due to Cultural Reasons

    The Andrews Labor Government has said it will launch a review of Melbourne’s Federation Square after Heritage Victoria blocked the construction of an Apple flagship on the site, citing adverse effects on the square’s cultural heritage.

    The plan, which would have seen the three-storey Yarra building demolished to make room for the tech flagship, was denied on Friday when the Heritage Victoria deemed the construction would cause “an unacceptable and irreversible detrimental impact on the cultural heritage significance of Federation Square.”

    Apple said it was disappointed by the decision, but would remain committed to customers in Melbourne and Australia.

    The tech retailer currently runs five stores across Melbourne, in Chadstone Shopping Centre, Highpoint Shopping Centre, Westfield Southland, Westfield Doncaster, and Westfield Fountain Gate.

    Victorian minister for tourism, sport and major events Martin Pakula said the of Federation Square will examine how it looks, how it is funded and how it operates in an effort to ensure it continues to stand out as an attraction to Melbourne.

    “Since its opening in 2002, Federation Square has hosted creative events and world leading attractions,” Pakula said.

    “The review will ensure this much-loved space can thrive as a civic, cultural and commercial hub for years to come.”

    After the 2017 plan for an Apple flagship was put through without public consultation, Victorians will be given the opportunity to have their say in the review, which is set to be completed by the end of 2019.

    Victorian shadow minister for planning and heritage Tim Smith said the decision was a “humiliation” for the state government on Twitter.

    “After years of secret negotiations, with one of the world’s iconic brands, Apple, Daniel Andrews has been forced into a cringe worthy climb-down because his ministers didn’t do their due diligence,” Smith said.

    Smith also called on Heritage Victoria for having fast-tracked such a nomination when it is “often missing in action when it comes to protecting heritage homes.”

  • Tan Mujiang opens a new flagship store in Toronto

    Tan Mujiang opens a new flagship store in Toronto

    Mainland Chinese retailer Tan Mujiang has opened its first flagship store in Canada.

    Tan Mujiang is the only listed company in the world making wooden combs. It has created more than 40 processes to improve its products, which are made from natural materials of traditional Chinese handicrafts, integrating traditional culture with modern fashion.

    The company opened at Toronto’s Scarborough shopping centre earlier this month, taking space right next to jeweller Pandora.

    Dubbed H002, the Canadian store is Tan Mujiang’s second overseas, following one opened at Hong Kong’s Telford Plaza. Twelve more overseas stores are planned this year.

    Zhang Chuanjin, Tan Mujiang’s offline market director, said the company’s goal is to popularise the brand by operating its own franchise shops all over the world.

    Since December 2013, Tan Mujiang has acquired more than 80 patents and supplies more than 1200 shops all over Mainland China, four in Hong Kong, one in Singapore, and some online stores, such as Amazon and eBay.

    Chuanjin said that on the Toronto store’s opening day, Tan Mujiang attracted many customers with its eye-catching Chinese logo and a lute performance.

    “Many Chinese were surprised to see traditional Chinese wooden combs abroad, and many locals were impressed by the oriental charm and exquisite craftsmanship of the combs. They found that besides just combing their hair, the exquisite combs could also be a great gift for family and friends.”

    Tan Mujiang has set up a national general franchising model and hopes to find franchisees interested in their brand.

    Tan Mujiang says it plans to increase its investment in overseas market promotion. In addition to participating in grand international exhibitions, the company will release its brand and product information on popular social media platforms and organise promotional activities for overseas stores.

  • Samsung Galaxy flagship store to open in Tokyo

    Samsung Galaxy flagship store to open in Tokyo

    Smartphone brand Samsung has opened a new Galaxy flagship in Tokyo.

    The six-level location is the largest Galaxy showcase store worldwide, and features a front facade decorated with more than 1000 smartphones, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the product line.

    The store will offer a range of phones and wearable devices, as well as offer repair services.

    The opening coincides with Japan’s 500-day countdown to the 2020 Olympic Games. Samsung is an Olympic Partner in wireless communications equipment. The firm is seeking a stronger market share in anticipation of impending 5G network rollout across the country.

  • Chloe’s brand new flagship opens in Seoul

    Chloe’s brand new flagship opens in Seoul

    French fashion house Chloe has opened a new flagship in Seoul.

    The new 386sqm two-story boutique in the luxury shopping district of Cheongdam features an eye-catching facade consisting of beige marble stones and the maison’s logo in brass.

    Chloe flagship - Seoul 1

    The first floor entrance ushers clients into the accessories and small leather goods section, while on the second floor the full collection is hung up on brass rails, sitting alongside footwear.

    Chloe flagship - Seoul 2

    Furnishings and decor are used to express the brand’s vocabulary, mirroring the maison’s flagship boutique on avenue Montaigne which contrasts a light femininity with robust architectural details and raw mineral materials.

    Chloe flagship - Seoul 3

     

    Chloe flagship - Seoul 4

    Tender curvilinear forms on the ceiling, floor and furniture echo the roundness of the letters in the Chloe logo, while a palette of white and powdery beige rose warmed by mustard and polished natural brass illuminate the space.

    Vintage designer furniture is found on the second floor, which includes a private VIP space.

  • YJY Maike Opens New Centre Flagship

    YJY Maike Opens New Centre Flagship

    The city of Xi’an was once known as Chang’an the seat of several important dynasties in ancient China; today, it is home to the Xi’an Hi-tech Industries Development Zone, a leading center of technological development. This project involved the design of the YJY Maike Centre Flagship (Store), a bookstore and commercial complex occupying 4,500 m2 on the first and second floors of an elegant building in the Development Zone. The goal of the design was to create a place for encounters between people, cultures, and books from around the world by building on three remarkable features of the site: its location in an ancient city that boasts the extraordinary World Heritage Terracotta Army as well as the origin of the Silk Road; its luxurious surroundings, including a Grand Hyatt on the upper floors; and the elegant lines of the twin building.

    The overall concept for the project was “Library & Gallery.” Libraries are spaces for learning and valuing independent time, while galleries serve as intellectual spaces for displaying culture. The design blends elements of both and also incorporates features of palace architecture in order to encourage visitors and the store to collaboratively exchange and develop creative ideas. The layout resembles a Japanese or Chinese palace in its human scale and arrangement of interlinked rooms, while also evoking the universal concept of a house through its expression of the intimate connections between people, books, and the space itself.

    Books play an integral role in the design of the first floor, with a 10-meter-high bookshelf just inside the entryway viscerally conveying the store’s identity the instant visitors step inside. The area around the open spiral staircase functions like a courtyard, with a bright floor and mirrors on the ceiling to distinguish it from other areas. The void above the staircase is illuminated by lights that resemble fluttering sheets of paper, while the stage at its base features an inlaid stone map of Xi’an and its surroundings, offering a gorgeous space for events.

    The second floor does double duty as a hotel lounge, with a counter bar where office workers can socialize. On the 50-meter-long “Book Street,” a low ceiling, dark colors for the floor and ceiling, and display boxes set in bookshelves come together to create a subdued gallery-like atmosphere. The distinctive artwork incorporated throughout the store is all original, commissioned to reflect themes appropriate to the location. The overall effect is a tasteful, classic environment that reflects China’s long and proud history, where visitors can relax, unwind, learn, think, enjoy life, and embark on a creative journey that transcends space and time.

     

     

     

  • Manifesto opens first Mandarin Gallery flagship

    Manifesto opens first Mandarin Gallery flagship

    Multi-brand concept store Manifesto has opened a new flagship store on Singapore’s Orchard Road. Manifesto’s new space in Mandarin Gallery envelopes guests in “the stark and abstract beauty of the Saharan landscape”, featuring sand colours and organic rock-like contours.

    Inspired by North African architecture, the store uses natural desert hues to reflect the warmth and hospitality. The entrance recalls a nomadic tent, highlighted by LED lights.

    “The design direction reflects our philosophy. We want to welcome customers, wanderers, the same way Bedouins welcome strangers under their tent,” said Manifesto founder Walid Zaazaa.

    The new store offers more than 30 brands encompassing fashion, streetwear and lifestyle accessories, including a curation of hard-to-find brands in Southeast Asia: APC, Lemaire, and Axel Arigato.

    “The most important selling point of our product is scarcity. We have brands of different aesthetic, origin and prices. The common thread between them is how they express their identity through products that are easily wearable, made with outstanding quality, and have interesting stories,” Zaazaa added. The multi-use concrete cashier counter was cast on site and infused with red pigment.

  • FitFlop flagship opens in Philippines

    FitFlop flagship opens in Philippines

    London footwear brand FitFlop has opened a new flagship store in SM Mall of Asia, Philippines. The new FitFlop Galleon store is the largest FitFlop store in the world to date and now serves as the brand’s global flagship. It is operated by The Primer Group of Companies, the brand’s exclusive distributor in the Philippines. According to a press release, “FitFlop is confident that it will be able to reach and inspire more superwomen to seize life’s opportunities and take on whatever comes their way.”

    The brand’s product line is designed to combine precision ergonomics with functional design, specialising in comfortable footwear for women.

    FitFlop Galleon is currently offering its Spring/Summer 2019 line, inspired by exotic destinations and bustling bazaars, as well as athleisure fashion that features its proprietary Anatomicush sole.