Retail News CRM

Tag: milan

  • Iconic Fashion Designer Giorgio Armani Dies At 91: World Mourns A Maestro Of Elegance

    Iconic Fashion Designer Giorgio Armani Dies At 91: World Mourns A Maestro Of Elegance

    Giorgio Armani, widely regarded as the embodiment of contemporary Italian style and elegance, has passed away at the age of 91. He was often referred to as “King Giorgio”, according to a statement released by his company.

    Tributes for an Icon

    Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, expressed her respect and admiration for the late designer, acknowledging his significant contributions to Italian fashion and his global influence. She praised Armani as an icon and a tireless worker, thanking him for his legacy.

    Filmmaker Martin Scorsese recognized Armani as more than a fashion designer, but as a true artist whose timeless designs were crafted to enhance individual elegance.

    Fashion designer Valentino Garavani mourned Armani, whom he always considered a friend rather than a competitor. He expressed deep respect for Armani’s immense talent, innovative contributions to the fashion industry, and unwavering loyalty to his unique style.

    Donatella Versace echoed this sentiment, stating that the fashion world has lost a giant and Armani will be remembered for his significant contributions to the industry.

    Unwavering Legacy

    French luxury group LVMH, its chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, and Kering chairman and CEO Francois-Henri Pinault all paid tribute to Armani. They acknowledged his unique style, successful entrepreneurial journey, and significant contributions to Italian elegance on a global scale.

    Fashion industry leaders including Miuccia Prada, Patrizio Bertelli, and Raf Simons all lauded Armani’s enduring contribution to fashion history. They recognized him as a maestro of elegance and creativity, a protagonist of Italian and international fashion, and an inspiration to present and future generations.

    Supermodel Cindy Crawford and actors Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts, and Michelle Pfeiffer expressed their heartfelt sorrow and acknowledged the huge impact Armani had on the fashion and entertainment industries, going beyond just garments to influence lives and culture worldwide.

    Further Tributes

    Armani’s influence extended beyond the world of fashion. Ferrari and Stellantis chairman John Elkann, along with Moncler CEO Remo Ruffini, praised Armani as a great entrepreneur and a symbol of Italian elegance. They recognized his refined cultural sensitivity and his mentorship.

    The National Chamber of Italian Fashion president Carlo Capasa lauded Armani’s role in shaping contemporary fashion and establishing ‘Made in Italy’ as a synonym for excellence.

    On a personal note, Armani’s employees and his family said that they are committed to preserving and advancing his legacy with respect, responsibility, and love.

    Questions & Answers

    What was Giorgio Armani’s impact on the world of fashion?

    Armani was an influential figure who redefined the boundaries of contemporary fashion. He introduced a lifestyle concept that was recognised and admired worldwide.

    What was the reaction of the fashion industry to Armani’s passing?

    The fashion industry has mourned the loss of Armani, with numerous designers, CEOs, and models expressing their respect and admiration for his contributions to the industry and his influence on their own work.

    How has Armani’s legacy been remembered by his company and family?

    Armani’s employees and family have committed to preserving and advancing his legacy. They have pledged to honor his vision, passion, and dedication by continuing to nurture the fashion house he built.

  • Vietnam Airlines Set to Launch Inaugural Direct Route to Italy Next Month!

    Vietnam Airlines Set to Launch Inaugural Direct Route to Italy Next Month!

    Vietnam Airlines is set to make waves in the skies with the launch of its inaugural direct flight between Hanoi and Milan, Italy, on July 1. This move is a crucial step in expanding the airline’s European network and marks a historic first for a Vietnamese carrier, which has previously required passengers to transit through Germany or France for Italian destinations.

    New Route to Milan

    The airline will kick off this service with three weekly flights, utilizing its state-of-the-art Boeing 787 aircraft. A spokesperson for Vietnam Airlines revealed that plans are already in motion for a future direct service from Ho Chi Minh City to Milan post-2025, further enhancing connectivity between Vietnam and Italy.

    Why Milan?

    Milan, the bustling metropolis in northern Italy, is renowned as the country’s fashion capital and boasts a rich tapestry of historic architecture. It attracts millions of tourists, particularly from June to August, making it an appealing destination for both leisure and business travel. The allure of Italy is strong for Vietnamese travelers, with the country ranking among the top 10 fastest-growing sources of visitors to Vietnam. In 2024 alone, arrivals from Italy surged by a remarkable 155%, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

    A Boost for Tourism

    The launch of this direct route is anticipated to significantly boost tourism flows between the two nations. In a promising development, discussions are underway for a visa waiver targeted at tour groups from Vietnam, which could further facilitate travel.

    Vietnam Airlines currently operates an expansive network with 106 routes, including 36 international destinations, supported by its diverse fleet of Boeing 787s and Airbus aircraft. The airline has ambitious plans for this year, aiming to launch or revive 15 international services.

    Curiously, with Milan’s fashion weeks turning heads globally, will we soon see a Vietnamese flair added to the runway?

    Questions & Answers

    What is the significance of the new flight from Hanoi to Milan?
    This direct flight is a historic first for Vietnam Airlines, enhancing travel options between Vietnam and Italy and positioning the airline as a key player in European travel.

    How many flights per week will Vietnam Airlines operate to Milan?
    Initially, Vietnam Airlines will operate three flights per week between Hanoi and Milan.

    What are the future plans for Vietnam Airlines regarding Italy?
    Vietnam Airlines intends to launch a direct service to Milan from Ho Chi Minh City after 2025, further expanding its European routes.

  • Prada Chongqing store has Italian Design Elements

    Prada Chongqing store has Italian Design Elements

    Fashion label Prada has opened a new outlet in Chinese Chongqing at the popular MixC department store.

    The 600sqm Prada Chongqing space stocks a selection of both women’s and men’s collections spanning ready to wear, leather items, shoes and accessories.

    The store’s design features spiral metal blades in gold and silver set against black marble and large windows to maximise natural light. The interior, inspired by Prada’s historic Galleria store in Milan, prominently features green Aver marble and chequered black and white marble flooring.

    The Prada Chongqing store’s velvet seating is a tribute to classic Milanese design of the 1950s and attempts an elegant and refined environment.

    Lees ook:

  • Starbucks Arrives in Milan : The best store in the world

    Starbucks Arrives in Milan : The best store in the world

    Starbucks describes its newly opened Milan Roastery as its “most beautiful store in the world”.

    “During my first trip to Milan in 1983, I was captivated by the sense of community I found in the city’s espresso bars – the moments of human connection that passed so freely and genuinely between baristas and their customers,” said Howard Schultz, chairman emeritus of Starbucks.

    “The opening of the Milan Roastery is the story of Starbucks coming full circle.”

    The “crown jewel of Starbucks global retail footprint” opened in a restored building on Milan’s Palazzo della Poste on the Piazza Cordusio, just a few streets away from iconic landmarks such as the Duomo di Milano, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Teatro alla Scala.

    Standing at 2300sqm (25,000sqft), the Milan Roastery marks the first time the coffee giant has made its debut in a new country with the Roastery format. Just two others exist in the world: in Seattle, which opened in 2014, and in Shanghai, which debuted last year.

    Customers entering the Milan Roastery are greeted by a stunning view that spans every aspect of the Roastery experience. Vibrant colours were chosen to reflect the Italian fashion and design community and over the course of the day, the space transforms from the light filtering through the glass ceiling.

    At the heart of the building is a Scolari coffee roaster, manufactured just miles from the centre of Milan. To the right, customers will find the main bar, where classic espresso beverages mingle with innovative new flavours. The wood-fronted bar features fluting, which echoes a motif found in Italian architecture throughout history, and is topped with marble sourced from the world-famous quarries of Tuscany. Upstairs on the mezzanine floor, customers can discover Arriviamo Bar – where mixologists are on hand to create specialty cocktails behind a 10m-long marble bar carved from a single block of Calacatta Macchia Vecchia. To the left, customers will see a Princi Bakery, complete with a wood-fired oven.

    Liz Muller, chief design officer at Starbucks, says her team spent a whole year living and breathing the city of Milan, working closely with dozens of local artisans to bring the store to life. She says the company wanted to engage “each one of our customers’ senses – sight, sound, touch, smell, and of course, taste”.

    “From the palladiana flooring that was chiselled by hand to the bright green clackerboard made by Italian craftsman Solari, everything you see in the Roastery is intentional, offering moments of discovery and transparency.”

    The historic setting and detailed design is complemented by an interactive augmented reality (AR) experience, encouraging customers to use their mobile device to learn more about Starbucks Reserve coffees, the roasting process and the company. The centerpiece of the AR experience is a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall visual representation of Starbucks history and its coffee – engraved in brass by local craftsmen, burnished to an ombre finish and backlit to bring warmth to the story.

    Outside on a terrace, customers can enjoy the full range of Roastery coffees, cocktails and cuisine in a distinctly European environment – that of a street-side cafe. Also adorning the Roastery’s portico is a striking statue of a siren – the symbol of Starbucks steeped in classical lore – completely hand-carved in Carrara marble by Tuscan sculptor Giovanni Balderi.

    The Milan Roastery offers customers a 360-degree walk-around view of the entire roasting process, which starts with green coffee being poured out of burlap sacks, continues through the roaster and sweeping cooling trays, and finishes in a 6.5m-tall bronze cask, with a glimpse offered inside the degassing chamber. From there, coffee beans flow overhead through copper pipes directly to silos at the coffee bars, where customers can enjoy a fresh cup of Reserve coffee, or to the in-house packaging line to be wrapped for distribution in Starbucks stores across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

    Following the opening of the Milan Roastery, Starbucks will bring additional cafes to Milan with licensed partner Percassi beginning late this year. Starbucks says these stores will reflect the unique coffee culture of the Italian market, while also offering Starbucks mainstream food and beverage offer.

    Italy marks Starbucks’ 78th international market and comes 20 years after it opened its first European store in London.

    View the gallery below for more picture :

    Lees ook:

  • Apple Piazza Liberty now open in Milan

    Apple Piazza Liberty now open in Milan

    Apple Piazza Liberty has opened in Milan, the latest significant global flagship for the tech retailer.

    The store is an ensemble of two fundamental elements: a stepped plaza and a fountain. Located just off the Corso Vittorio Emanuele – one of the most popular pedestrian streets in Milan – visitors are drawn towards the piazza by the sight of the dramatic new fountain.

    Designed by London-based Foster + Partners, which has an ongoing relationship with Apple to design flagships globally, the store is described as “a celebration of the joys of city life” and embodying Milan’s dynamic nature with a signature water feature which is an “interactive, multisensory experience”.

    Visitors enter the fountain through a glass-covered entrance enveloped by the sights and sounds of vertical jets of water that splash against the 26-foot (8-metre) high glass walls.

    A Foster + Partners spokesperson likens the experience as “an immersive recreation of the childhood game of running through fountains” with an experience which changes throughout the day as sunlight filters through the water. At night, the glass ceiling creates a kaleidoscopic effect, with the water falling down the walls, its reflections travelling infinitely up into the sky.

    The fountain flows down into the base of the amphitheatre, a new social hub and an outdoor extension of ‘Today at Apple’. The amphitheatre is defined by broad and sun-soaked stone steps descending below street level and opening up to a stage, backed by a second fountain’s wall of water. The entire plaza is newly created and paved with Beola Grigia – a typical local stone from Lombardy, and surrounded by 21 new Gleditsia Sunburst trees.

    “The interior is a bright, monolithic space, metaphorically carved out of the same stone as the plaza above,” says Foster + Partners. “The ceiling follows the stepped profile of the amphitheatre, with skylights and backlit ceiling panels that innovatively combine artificial and natural light. Through the roof and stairs, warm shafts of sun penetrate deep into the sunken store, connecting the interior with the light and rhythm of Milan and giving it a feel of a spacious daylight-filled art gallery.”

    The stairs leading into the store consist of polished stainless-steel clad cantilevering treads that also become a sculptural light installation, the designers say creates a theatrical and exciting experience.

    View the full gallery below (7 images) :

    Lees ook:

  • Suning Holdings to open its first office in Milan

    Suning Holdings to open its first office in Milan

    China’s Suning Holdings will open an office in Milan within the next two months, to be followed by offices in the UK, France and Germany by the end of the year.

    In its latest sourcing plan, the firm has set aside RMB10 billion (US$1.5 billion) to source products on the Continent over the next three years.

    Suning announced the move during Milan Design Week, where it has been exploring deals with overseas designers to help it create products for its new Suning Jiwu (“ultimate creation”) stores. It aims to introduce stylish, high-quality home and fashion products from Europe into China.

    The new format features popular brands, original designs, life essentials and creative interactions. The first store, covering 400sqm, opened in Nanjing last month, with more than 300 set to open throughout China within the next three years, including at least 50 large-scale flagship stores.

    Suning International VP Steven Zhang says Jiwu caters for a “personalised consumption culture”.

    Already the company has partnerships with Italian brands across different industries including Furla, San Benedetto, TechnoGym and Versace Home. Its new sourcing plan in Europe highlights luxury fashion, health, household and FMCG products. Representatives of Chateau D’Ax, Cova, Kartell, Kiko, Versace and YNAP were among the guests at its opening event at Milan Design Week.

    Suning already has an established network covering Hong Kong, Japan and the US. The group expects 30 per cent of its revenue will come from international business by 2020.

    Lees ook:

  • Jollibee Milan Is Finally Open And the Response Is Intense

    Jollibee Milan Is Finally Open And the Response Is Intense

    There were queues when Filipino fast-food giant Jollibee Europe opened its first-ever branch, in Milan.

    An estimated 170,000 Filipinos live in the Italian city.

    In the early hours of the outlet’s opening day, families, young people, members of the Filipino community, and even locals were lining up in front of the Jollibee store.

    Slide to view the gallery below :

    “Gaining a foothold in Milan is a fundamental step for Jollibee, as well as a launch pad for the expansion of the brand to Europe,” says Jollibee Foods Corporation CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong.

    Milan’s opening follows the signing of a JV between Jollibee Foods Corporation and Singapore Blackbird Holdings to take the fast-food chain into Europe.

    “We want to bring Filipinos a taste of home, and at the same time share with Italians, who are famous for their gastronomic heritage, says Tanmantiong.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: