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Tag: heritage

  • Watson’s Celebrates 185 Years with Exclusive Heritage Concept Store in Hong Kong, Offering Unique Merchandise and Experiential Retail

    Watson’s Celebrates 185 Years with Exclusive Heritage Concept Store in Hong Kong, Offering Unique Merchandise and Experiential Retail

    In celebration of its 185th anniversary, Watsons Hong Kong has unveiled a heritage concept store in Yau Ma Tei. This innovative store seeks to blend the brand’s long-standing pharmacy heritage with the excitement of experiential retail and exclusive anniversary merchandise.

    Situated on Nathan Road, the store pays homage to AS Watson’s pharmacy origins with interiors that take design cues from yesteryears, interactive spaces for customers to engage with, and exclusive merchandise created especially for the anniversary. This experiential retail space features three themed photo zones which are inspired by the rich culture of Hong Kong’s pharmacies: a vintage medicine cabinet, a retro vanity corner, and a bathroom-themed display.

    To commemorate its opening, Watsons has launched a series of anniversary-exclusive products. Among these are a vintage-themed ‘Watjai’ mascot plush collection and a unique ‘Love Your Organs’ blind box series. In addition, a collaboration with popular brands Bioré, Colgate, and Darlie has resulted in the introduction of retro-inspired packaging for select products.

    In conjunction with the 185th anniversary campaign, other retail brands under the AS Watson Group umbrella, such as ParknShop, Fortress, and Watsons Water, are also participating. Exclusive merchandise from these brands will make their debut at the heritage concept store. Customers can look forward to items like lightbox-style magnets that pay tribute to ParknShop’s signage, a retro film camera from Fortress, and a vintage-style bottle opener courtesy of Watsons Water.

    This heritage concept store forms an integral part of Watsons’ overarching 185th-anniversary campaign, encapsulating the brand’s commitment to honoring its history while incorporating more experiential elements into its physical store network.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the heritage concept store?
    The heritage concept store is a new retail space by Watsons Hong Kong that combines the brand’s pharmacy history with experiential retail and exclusive anniversary merchandise.

    What can customers expect at the new heritage concept store?
    Customers can engage with vintage-inspired interiors and interactive experiences at the store. They can also purchase exclusive anniversary merchandise, including a ‘Watjai’ mascot plush collection and a ‘Love Your Organs’ blind box series.

    Which other brands are participating in Watsons’ 185th-anniversary campaign?
    Other retail brands under the AS Watson Group, such as ParknShop, Fortress, and Watsons Water, are also taking part in the anniversary campaign with exclusive merchandise debuting at the heritage concept store.

  • Polene Infuses Local Heritage into Design of First Flagship Store in China: Sustainable Luxury in Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun

    Polene Infuses Local Heritage into Design of First Flagship Store in China: Sustainable Luxury in Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun

    Polene, a luxury brand hailing from Spain, has inaugurated its first-ever flagship store in China. The new establishment is situated in Taikoo Li Sanlitun, located in Beijing.

    Store Design and Features

    Visitors to the store are initially greeted by a large magnolia installation at the entrance, serving as an attraction for anyone entering the location. The store’s interior design showcases a harmony of modern aesthetics with elements of traditional Chinese craftsmanship.

    The store displays a blend of walnut wood, leather, and Xuan paper, which is a traditional Chinese paper made from Blue Sandalwood tree fibres and rice straw. This incorporation of local elements is a nod to the Chinese culture and heritage.

    Polene has also demonstrated its commitment to sustainability through its innovative use of materials. The brand has upcycled 12 tonnes of leather scraps, transforming them into compressed leather bricks that are extensively used in the store’s interior. This usage of recycled leather offers a distinctive, mineral-like texture, while simultaneously promoting sustainable practices.

    A Three-Level Journey

    The flagship store also houses a unique, three-storey experiential area named “Craft at Work – A Theatre of Artisanship”.

    The journey begins with a representation of a Paris workshop, complete with patacabras, small hammers used for leather crafting. The journey continues with a scene that pays homage to Ubrique, the Spanish town known for Polene’s leather production. The final stage of this experiential journey is a unique setting that transforms a leather atelier into a theatrical environment. Here, miniature bags traverse overhead conveyors, providing a fascinating spectacle alongside larger sculptural pieces.

    New Brand Ambassador

    In tandem with the flagship store’s launch, Polene has announced the appointment of actress and singer Zhu Zhu as its new brand ambassador. The brand praises Zhu Zhu for her confidence and effortless poise, which beautifully encapsulate Polene’s refined, minimalist aesthetic.

    Questions & Answers

    What is unique about the design of Polene’s flagship store in Beijing?
    Polene’s flagship store incorporates traditional Chinese elements such as walnut wood and Xuan paper into its contemporary design, alongside recycled leather bricks made from upcycled leather offcuts.

    What is the “Craft at Work – A Theatre of Artisanship” at Polene’s flagship store?
    This is a three-storey experiential area that guides visitors through a journey of craftsmanship, from a depiction of a Paris workshop to a tableau that transforms a leather atelier into a theatrical setting.

    Who is the new brand ambassador for Polene?
    The new brand ambassador for Polene is actress and singer Zhu Zhu, chosen for her confidence and poise that embody Polene’s refined, minimalist aesthetic.

  • Champion Unveils Culture-Infused Flagship Redesign in Chengdu: A Fusion of Sportswear Heritage and Local Crafting Traditions

    Champion Unveils Culture-Infused Flagship Redesign in Chengdu: A Fusion of Sportswear Heritage and Local Crafting Traditions

    Renowned sportswear brand, Champion, recently revealed the reimagined design of its flagship store located in Chengdu’s Yingjia Plaza, China. The refurbished two-story establishment beautifully integrates Champion’s established American roots with the traditional bamboo-weaving artistry inherent to Chengdu.

    Infusing Traditional Elements into Modern Retail

    The ground floor of the store is effused with textures inspired by bamboo, complementing the brand’s trademark collegiate and sporty themes. This strategic integration of bamboo textures illustrates Champion’s commitment to incorporating Chengdu’s cultural essence into its retail spaces.

    The upper level of the store incorporates an interactive model, highlighting a two-story sweatshirt exhibit and a DIY zone. The latter allows customers to partake in bamboo-weaving activities, such as making coasters, exemplifying the city’s rich artisanal history.

    Embracing Local Culture in a Global Brand

    Champion’s store redesign embodies the brand’s endeavour to adjust its retail spaces to reflect local culture whilst preserving its trademark Reverse Weave sweatshirt technique, a crucial component of the brand’s legacy. The Chengdu location serves as one of the first instances of this innovative approach.

    Established in 1919, Champion has been steadily revising its retail tactic in China to offer more interactive, culturally-embedded experiences. The Chengdu flagship is anticipated to serve as an archetype for future store revamps as the brand progressively aligns its global identity with local relevance.

    In the previous year, Champion was acquired by Authentic Brands Group from HanesBrands for a staggering US$1.2 billion, indicating the company’s persistent emphasis on broadening its influence in prime markets, including China.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the unique aspect of Champion’s renovated flagship store in Chengdu?
    The store’s redesign blends Champion’s American heritage with traditional elements of Chengdu, particularly bamboo-weaving.

    What interactive features does the store offer to customers?
    The store contains a DIY area where visitors can engage in bamboo-weaving activities, such as making coasters, reflecting Chengdu’s artisanal heritage.

    What strategy is Champion adopting for its retail spaces in China?
    Champion is focusing on providing more interactive experiences that are grounded in local culture, while maintaining its global identity.

  • Dolce & Gabbana opens first DG Beauty boutique in Southeast Asia

    Dolce & Gabbana opens first DG Beauty boutique in Southeast Asia

    Italian luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana has opened its first DG Beauty boutique in Southeast Asia at Ion Orchard, in Singapore.

    The 92sqm store will host a selection of fragrances, and for the first time will exclusively sell its makeup line in-store.

    Each corner of the boutique is adorned with details reflecting the brand’s “La Casa” DNA,  allowing customers to immerse themselves in Dolce & Gabbana’s aesthetic.

    According to the brand, its makeup collection will be luxurious, high-impact, and sensorial, inspired by its Italian heritage. Fragrances such as Light Blue, The One, and K by Dolce & Gabbana, will also appear alongside the brand’s latest novelties like the Fruit Collection, Dolce Rose, and Deva Cassel as the face of the fragrance collection.

    The DG Beauty boutique in Singapore will also offer the exclusive Velvet fragrance line, a collection of perfumes inspired by its designers’ vision of Sicily and the Mediterranean.

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  • Starbucks Singapore opens in heritage building at Katong Square

    Starbucks Singapore opens in heritage building at Katong Square

    Starbucks fans will have a new outlet to traipse to this coming weekend. Located at the Conservation Building of Katong Square, the airy shop is a pleasing palette of muted green and white, complemented by the wood furniture.

    Artworks by local artist Danielle Tay adorn the wall, paying homage to the “rich Peranakan heritage,” according to Starbucks.

    The coffee chain gave customers a peek of the outlet in a Facebook album on Sep. 23.

    While many have expressed their delight at the store’s design, they are also calling for Starbucks to prevent customers from hogging the seat in the post’s comments section.

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  • Porsche 911 Heritage Design Packages Coming

    Porsche 911 Heritage Design Packages Coming

    Porsche has a glorious history of making dazzling and gorgeous performance cars. It has given the world some iconic models in the past and the Stuttgart based carmaker is now planning to revisit its heritage. Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and Style Porsche design departments are working on a new Heritage Design Package which will be introduced in the next year, i.e. 2020. The 911 is one of the most iconic Porsches of all times and has led the charge several times for new developments. Once again, Porsche will start introducing the Heritage Design Package in the 911 range and is likely to follow with other models.

    The Porsche 911 Speedster concept which was showcased at the New York Auto Show was adorned with the Heritage Design Package and gave us an initial outlook of the design. The Heritage design models will get special colours and materials along with special paintwork and liveries to characterize the classic appearance of special models. Porsche designers have taken inspiration from old models and have used old colours, equipment cards and retro design elements. A hint of the same was the circular, chrome finished wing mirror on the 911 Speedster. The same treatment and finish will also accentuate inside the cabin of the car. Retro elements such as corduroy, the Pepita pattern, the Pasha pattern or tartans will be redesigned and comprehensively tested and will have sumptuous material characteristics for the special models.

    Porsche design is also developing matching timepieces, exclusively for the owners of Heritage Design vehicles. The company is trying to bring back the spirit of Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, the designer of the 911 and founder of Porsche Design.

  • Xtep Takes Over Footwear brands Palladium, K-Swiss and Supra

    Xtep Takes Over Footwear brands Palladium, K-Swiss and Supra

    Palladium, K-Swiss and Supra brands sold by South Korean’owned E-Land Footwear USA.

    Hong Kong-listed sportswear giant Xtep International has bought three US footwear brands from South Korea’s E-Land USA.

    The Chinese company will pay US$260 million for all the outstanding shares in E-Land Footwear USA Holdings, which owns the K-Swiss, Palladium and Supra brands. Settlement is due by the end of July.

    Xtep chairman and CEO Ding Shui Po said the purchase marked the company’s move into “a new era of business” following a three-year strategic transformation.

    He said the brands would complement Xtep’s product portfolio “and elevate us as one of the leading global multi-brand sportswear companies”.

    “Not only will it strengthen Xtep’s foothold in the expanding Chinese sportswear market, but will also provide us with growth opportunities in untapped overseas markets such as Southeast Asia. In other words, Xtep has what it takes to speed up business growth both domestically and overseas in the years to come.”

    All three brands have global name recognition and are target the high end of the market.

    K-Swiss, a heritage athletic shoe brand which was founded in California in 1966, offers performance tennis footwear, lifestyle and fitness footwear targeting athletes and trendsetters. Palladium is one of the best-known global pampa boot brands established in France in 1947. Between them, the brands have a global presence covering more than 80 countries and territories.

    Ding Shui Po said the brands’ distinctive positioning and different target customer groups are highly complementary to Xtep’s brand portfolio.

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  • Mountain Designs relaunches witch New E-commerce Platform

    Mountain Designs relaunches witch New E-commerce Platform

    Australian adventure brand Mountain Designs has officially relaunched, with a new e-commerce website sporting the brand’s full range.

    Spotlight Group chief executive of leisure brands Chris Lude said the business was committed to maintaining its 45 year heritage.

    “We are dedicated to ensuring the iconic Mountain Designs brand remains Australian owned, operated and designed,” Lude said.

    The relaunched brand also offers a renewed range, with the business having redeveloped 14 of its best sellers, as well as newly designed apparel and gear.

    “Adventure is in the Mountain Designs DNA, and the new range will continue to provide quality, technical, multi-functional gear that people know and love,” Lude said.

    Acquired in early 2018 by Spotlight Retail Group for an undisclosed sum, Mountain Designs confirmed it would offer a selection of goods, including thermals, apparel and equipment, within the Spotlight-owned Anaconda chain.

    Prior to being acquired by Spotlight Retail Group, Mountain Designs had been shuttering its bricks-and-mortar locations to focus on a purely online model to create a more sustainable platform for the business moving forward.

    During this period, the brand’s website was also closed to facilitate this shift, remaining offline until earlier this week.

    Spotlight Retail Group has recently indicated a larger push into the New Zealand market amid a larger revamp of its brands, with craft retail chain Spotlight to open a Christchurch flagship later in the year.

    It remains to be seen if this initiative extends to Anaconda or Mountain Designs – both of which operate solely in Australia.

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  • AirAsia to Launch Flights Between Bangkok and Ahmedabad

    AirAsia to Launch Flights Between Bangkok and Ahmedabad

    AirAsia is to launch flights between Bangkok and Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat state and India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City. The airline will operate the route four times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, from 31 May 2019.

    AirAsia Thailand CEO, Santisuk Klongchaiya, said, “India is a strategic market that is fast becoming an important contributor of inbound tourists for AirAsia Thailand. To fully leverage on this, we plan to regularly introduce routes connecting the two countries, focusing particularly on India’s burgeoning metros. Thailand’s own worldwide fame for hospitality should attract travellers from Ahmedabad, which is the capital of Gujarat state and India’s fifth most populous city.”

    According to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thailand welcomed 1.5 million Indian visitors in 2018, up 12% on the previous year.

    Thai AirAsia has recorded a load factor of up to 87% on its India routes, with passengers travelling between Bangkok and existing destinations in India increasing 7% year-on-year. Indian nationals made up 85% of passengers on those routes.

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  • Starbucks launches a New $100 million equity fund

    Starbucks launches a New $100 million equity fund

    Starbucks has launched an investment fund to boost food and retail startup technology companies.

    The new entity, Valor Siren Ventures, will be managed by Valor Equity Partners, a growth-focused private equity investment firm that was among the first investors in food technology. Starbucks has contributed an initial US$100 million into the fund, which will identify and invest in companies developing technologies, products, and solutions relating to food or retail.

    “These verticals are increasingly relevant to Starbucks as it seeks to support its world-class talent with an innovation agenda accelerated by external relationships,” the company said in a statement.

    Valor Siren Ventures will seek to raise an additional $300 million in the coming months from other strategic partners and key institutional investors.

    Separately, Starbucks will also explore direct commercial arrangements with these start-ups. Starbucks president and CEO Kevin Johnson says the company is embracing new ideas and innovations that are relevant to its customers, inspiring to its partners, and meaningful to its business.

    “We believe that innovative ideas are fuel for the future, and we continue to build on this heritage inside our company across beverage, experiential retail, and our digital flywheel,” he said.

    “At the same time, and with an eye toward accelerating our innovation agenda, we are inspired by, and want to support the creative, entrepreneurial businesses of tomorrow with whom we may explore commercial relationships down the road. This new partnership with Valor presents exciting opportunities, not only for these startups, but also for Starbucks, as we build an enduring company for decades to come.”

    Over 20 years, Valor’s team has worked with companies, principally in the consumer, engineered products, and services sectors. Its investments in food and retail technology include GoPuff, Fooda and Sizzling Platter.