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Tag: New York

  • Saks Fifth Avenue Unveils New Beauty Floor In New York Flagship

    Saks Fifth Avenue Unveils New Beauty Floor In New York Flagship

    A new beauty hall has opened inside the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship in New York, 40 per cent larger than the space it replaces.

    Perhaps the most surprising feature is that it moves from the ground floor – the typical bastion of beauty halls in department stores all over the world – up one level.

    Taking up 32,000sqft it is home to more than 120 cosmetics, skincare, fragrance and wellness brands, 58 of them new to the venue.

    There are 15 new spa rooms offering services such as facials, massages, manicures, brow services – and even a florist.

    Saks Fifth Avenue says moving the beauty department to the second floor, represents an evolution in the way customers shop and experience beauty.

    “As part of Saks’ overall growth strategy, we continue to look for ways to innovate, create and disrupt,” says Marc Metrick, president, Saks Fifth Avenue. “The bold decision to move beauty to the second floor … enabled us to create the epitome of an experiential beauty floor. We continue to apply the principles of what we call The New Luxury to everything we do. What we’ve done with beauty gives the customer a warmer environment, differentiated from what they can get anywhere else and creates a reason to come to Saks and experience our brand.”

    Tracy Margolies, chief merchant at Saks Fifth Avenue, says the retailer curated the floor to represent the best innovations in beauty and wellness in a truly specialised space. “By offering beauty and wellness workshops and panels, Saks is taking a holistic approach to make our clients feel great both inside and out.”

    Grand Renovation

    The relocation and expansion of the beauty hall represents the latest chapter in what the company is calling the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship’s “Grand Renovation”.

    The space was opened up to create broad sightlines across the floor and modernise traditional finishes that complement the brand’s heritage. Custom agglomerate white stone flooring was imported from Italy and the building’s original windows facing Fifth Avenue, 49th Street, and 50th Street, were restored, allowing natural light to flood into the floor as well as offering north- and south-facing views of the city.

    Highlights of the new beauty hall include:

    • FaceGym, an original non-invasive facial workout, exclusive to Saks and the first shop in the US.
    FaceGym at Saks Fifth Avenue New York, Beauty on 2 (Courtesy of Justin Bridges for Saks Fifth Avenue) (PRNewsfoto/Saks Fifth Avenue)
    • Dedicated spa rooms for Chanel, Cle de Peau Beaute, Dior, Kiehl’s Since 1851, La Mer, La Prairie, Martine de Richeville, Skinney MedSpa and Sisley Paris.
    • Brow and lash styling by Blink Brow Bar London.
    • CoolSculpting and laser hair removal by Skinney MedSpa and manicures and meditation by Sundays.
    • Martine de Richeville’s slimming, deep-tissue massage, Remodelage, – a Saks exclusive and the brand’s first space in the US.
    • Hand-tied floral arrangements by EB Florals, revolving around the composition of the fragrances and their seasonal availability.
    EB Florals at Saks Fifth Avenue New York, Beauty on 2 (Courtesy of Justin Bridges for Saks Fifth Avenue) (PRNewsfoto/Saks Fifth Avenue)

    There are anchor shops from Aesop, Chanel, Christian Louboutin Beaute, Dior, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Gucci, Kiehl’s Since 1851, La Mer, La Prairie, Sisley Paris, and Tom Ford.

    Gucci at Saks Fifth Avenue New York, Beauty on 2 (Courtesy of Justin Bridges for Saks Fifth Avenue) (PRNewsfoto/Saks Fifth Avenue)

    Saks New York will host beauty and wellness events in a 850sqft flexible event space, which will also host master classes, public appearances, small private gatherings and visual installations.

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  • Meilishuo on the search for IPO in New York

    Meilishuo on the search for IPO in New York

    Online fashion retailer Meilishuo, backed by Tencent Holdings, is seeking an IPO in the US that could value the start-up at about US$4 billion.

    Many tech corporations in China opt for New York for their debut listings as it offers a wide investor base and higher international profile.

    Meilishuo is reported to be talking with investment banks about the move.

    Founded in 2009, the company sells clothes, shoes and handbags. In 2016 it had about 15,000 merchants on its website and a mobile app that had been downloaded 100 million times. That year it merged with rival Mogujie, which was founded in 2011 and had about 130 million registered users. The re-formed company was valued at $3 billion.

  • PAL readies nonstop flights to New York, India

    PAL readies nonstop flights to New York, India

     Philippine Airlines (PAL) will mount nonstop flights to New York and India as well as boost its operations in Davao, Cebu, and Clark in Pampanga, as the flag carrier expects the arrival of 21 new planes by 2019.

    PAL, the country’s only 4-star airline, will have 15 new aircraft within the year, and another 6 planes in 2019, to mount more long-haul flights.

    “We are no longer just a Manila-centric airline,” PAL president and chief operating office Jaime Bautista said in a statement.

    New routes and increased flight frequencies will be introduced, as the flag carrier is set to receive 5 additional Next-Generation Bombardier Q400s and 6 new Airbus A321neos starting in May, along with 4 Airbus A350-900 trans-oceanic aircraft starting in June. 

    “Our new aircraft and our new hubs are a winning combination that will help expand our market reach both domestically and worldwide. This is imperative for a global airline, and we must sustain and build on our hard-won 4-star rating,” Bautista said.

    He added that introducing new routes to India is the airline’s response to the call of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo for a direct link to the country – a potentially rich source of future tourists for the Philippines.

    PAL’s expansion in 2018 also includes the following new routes:

    • Manila to New York (John F. Kennedy Airport), nonstop flights beginning October 28
    • Manila to New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay) in India, nonstop flights by last quarter of 2018
    • Manila to Sapporo (Chitose) in Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, by last quarter of 2018
    • Davao to Siargao, 4 flights per week since March 25

    Bautista said PAL also plans to add more flights between Cebu and Siargao, Davao and Tagbilaran, Davao and Clark, Cebu and Bangkok, Cagayan de Oro and Clark, Cebu and Busuanga, Clark and Busuanga, as well as Cebu and Clark.

    The airline will also add frequencies from Manila going to Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Cebu, Puerto Princesa, and Bacolod, starting in April or May. 

    100 planes by 2020

    PAL is also planning to launch international routes directly from the Davao International Airport to Bangkok or a point in Japan.

    The flag carrier flies to 16 domestic and 7 international destinations from Cebu, 14 domestic and one international from Clark, 6 domestic from Davao, as well as one international from Tagbilaran.

    “Comprehensive marketing and sales studies are ongoing for the introduction of new destinations in Europe and the US mainland, including Chicago and Seattle,” PAL said.

    Aircraft expected to join the PAL fleet in 2019 include two more Next-Generation Q400s, two A350s, and two more A321neos.

    “Our current fleet of 85 aircraft is already the largest in the Philippines,” Bautista said.

    “We are aiming for 100 aircraft by 2020, which places us in the category of a major carrier. But we are not merely adding more planes, we are constantly upgrading the cabins, seats, amenities, inflight entertainment, and technology,” he added.

    The airline’s fleet upgrade will continue until 2024, as it aims to become a 5-star airline. PAL is the country’s first and only 4-star airline, joining the ranks of 42 other carriers, like British Airways, Emirates, KLM, and Japan Airlines. 

  • Chinese Luxury Travelers Look For These 4 Things in New York City

    Chinese Luxury Travelers Look For These 4 Things in New York City

    What is the quintessential New York experience in the eyes of Chinese luxury travelers? How does it differ between men and women, and for millennials?

    To answer these questions, we spoke with independent tour operators who organize tours of the city for HNWI (high-net-worth individuals) from mainland China. These are the four things they’re looking for.

    1. Fodder for their WeChat 

    Even affluent Chinese travelers like to get a bargain. But in New York City, shopping is often less of a priority because only American brands such as Kate Spade and Tory Burch are cheaper than they can find them elsewhere. Instead, what attracts them most is the experience of shopping in an exclusively NYC style that will impress their friends on WeChat. To accomplish this, they prefer to interact with local people as much as possible.

    “VIP luxury shoppers are regularly invited to stores’ grand openings in China, [so] when they travel abroad, they expect a similar ‘rolling out the red carpet’ kind of experience,” said Serena Huang, founder of YOLO luxury travel, a New York-based boutique travel agency.

    High-end retail stores such as Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman are considered must-visits.

    2. Personal Shopping Assistants

    In order to maximize their time in New York, they expect to shop with the help of a personal assistant and a mandarin-speaking translator.

    A good personal shopper can intuit a client’s style immediately, and knows the equivalent sizing across different brands, making the experience seamlessly efficient. They are also knowledgeable about local fashion trends, and  can offer an expert eye on some more sophisticated luxury goods that travelers won’t come across in China.

    3. Chances for Career and Social Advancement

    According to Huang, Chinese women usually shop for themselves and family, whereas men like to buy business gifts. This different shopping preference reflects the type of events they wish to attend in store.

    In partnership with a third party, usually a financial institution like Morgan Stanley or Wells Fargo, tour operators often collaborate with luxury retailers to host networking events. They bring high-net-worth clients from China, mostly men interested in making career connections with New York-based professionals. In such settings, the store and the goods displayed function as an ice-breaker, and an opportunity to display their purchasing power. It’s a chance to shop their way to the top.

    In contrast, a lot of female travelers’ main ambition is to arrange a meaningful and educational tour for their kids. They want luxury stores to create tailor-made programs to entertain the kids while they shop, such as etiquette classes for mingling with Western elites.

    4. Secret Spots

    For younger affluent Chinese travelers, itineraries are influenced by media and KOLs. They like to visit independent stores around Soho and art galleries in Chelsea during the day, and sip cocktails in a speakeasy in the East Village at night. Local, hidden gems excite them.

    One tour operator told us, for example, that they will take clients to a secret lingerie museum inside the Victoria’s Secret’s store on Fifth Avenue, which opened in May this year. Its latest exhibit features a $3 million angels’ bra, Gigi Hadid’s bodysuit, and Stella Maxwell’s crystal-encrusted one-piece from last year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Paris. A lingerie expert will also introduce the fashion show’s history and host a pajama party, where she offers tips on wearing bras the correct way.

    Other experiences on young travelers’ bucket list include Tiffany‘s newly opened Blue Box Cafe, which offers them a chance to channel their inner Audrey Hepburn.

  • Stores push deals in bid to lure holiday shoppers

    Stores push deals in bid to lure holiday shoppers

    Nearly 156 million people — or 66 percent of Americans — plan to or are considering taking advantage of Saturday sales to complete their holiday gift lists, according to a survey released Friday by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The survey found that more people said they planned to shop on Saturday than those who aimed to shop over Thanksgiving weekend in an earlier survey.

    Still, given the quirk in the calendar that makes this weekend the last full weekend before Christmas, retailers including Best Buy, Gap and J.C. Penney, have set an earlier deadline to order holiday gifts this year, according to StellaService, which tracks online services at retailers. Wal-Mart, along with others, is encouraging online shoppers to pick up their merchandise at the store.

    Target will be offering last-minute shoppers deals that are good only for a day on certain in-demand products like children’s sleepwear and fragrance sets.

    Still, plenty of shoppers plan to take their time.

    Christine Bunker Tobia of Queens says she mostly shops at Macy’s but likes to wait to get the best deals. She’s been stopping by Macy’s New York Herald Square store often to check the prices.

    “I’m looking for a special sale,” she said last weekend. “I may wait another week.”

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  • Korean label Blanc & Eclare opening in NYC

    Korean label Blanc & Eclare opening in NYC

    At only two years old, Korean-based label Blanc & Eclare has decided on New York City for its first North American venture.

    Launched by Korean pop superstar Jessica Jung, the label will open in a brick-façade store along SoHo’s Spring Street Jung left the chart-topping Korean group Girls’ Generation in 2014 after seven years to create her own fashion brand. It started as sunglasses (the inaugural line sold out in four hours), with denim, coats, ready-to-wear and skincare products being added along the way.

    blanc-eclare-opening-in-nyc

    Jung has opened 40 Blanc & Eclare stores around Asia, including China, Macau, Singapore and Thailand.
    Prices for the collection range from US$145 for a turtleneck sweater to US$505 for a double-breasted blazer. Cosmetics start at $16 for lip balm, $22 for a face mask and $60 for a night cream.

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  • New York milestones for Japanese jeweller Tasaki

    New York milestones for Japanese jeweller Tasaki

    Japanese luxury jewellery Tasaki plans to open its first US standalone store in New York City next year.

    It will also be the retailer’s first directly run store in the US.

    tasaki

    Tasaki also has a directly run store in London, plus an outlet at Hong Kong’s Lee Garden. The brand is already available at Barneys New York and Dover Street Market in New York City, Ikram in Chicago, The Webster in Miami and Capitol in North Carolina.

    Founded in 1954, Tasaki began producing and selling pearls domestically before opening a design office in 1962 to create other jewellery designs. In 2009, the company hired New York City-based designer Thakoon Panichgul as creative director.

    Tasaki jewellery is available in nine countries including China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan.

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  • Grand Opening of the Second “Lukfook Jewellery” Shop in New York

    Grand Opening of the Second “Lukfook Jewellery” Shop in New York

    Luk Fook Holdings is pleased to announce that the Group opens its new retail shop in New York City. Located on first floor, New World Mall in Flushing, this new shop is the Group’s second retail shop in New York City after opening its first shop in Manhattan. To mark this occasion, the Group hosted a grand ribbon-cutting ceremony on 29 October. Officiating guests including Ms. Toby Ann Stavisky, the New York State Senator, Ms. Grace Meng, U.S. Congresswoman and Ms. Pauline Yeung, co-founder of the Group and winner of Miss Hong Kong Pageant, witnessed this significant moment together with many other guests.

    Mr. Wong Wai Sheung, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Group said, “Adhering to our corporate vision of “Brand of Hong Kong, Sparkling the World”, we have been actively expanding our retail network globally. Currently, the Group has over 1,460 shops in eight countries and regions. With the opening of the second shop in New York, the Group anticipates to further penetrate into the Chinese communities in the overseas market. We will continue to pursue high quality and innovation to enhance our brand competitiveness, and endeavour to provide quality jewellery products and professional services to customers all over the world, in order to build Lukfook as a premier jewellery brand for customers.”

    The Group has tapped into the North American market since 2003 and opened shops in Canada and the United States, laying the foundation for further overseas expansion. The new shop is located in New World Mall, which is one of the largest indoor Asian malls in the northeastern region of the United States. The mall features over 100 shops, offering jewellery, clothing, cosmetics, electronics, world cuisine and many more. With convenient location and easy accessibility, New World Mall is a popular shopping and entertainment hotspot for the Chinese in Flushing and Queens.

    Address: Space Nos. 112 – 116, First Floor, New World Mall, 136-20 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing, New York, NY 11354, USA

  • Manhattan Trumps Hong Kong as World’s Most Expensive Retail Market`

    Manhattan Trumps Hong Kong as World’s Most Expensive Retail Market`

    CBRE’s semiannual Global Prime Retail Rents Report found that prime retail rents grew 3.7 percent globally in the second quarter of 2016 from a year earlier, buoyed by consumer confidence in the U.S. and limited supply in Europe’s top retail markets. Regionally, prime rents grew the most in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (up 6.2 percent), followed by the Americas (up 3.9 percent) and Asia (2.1 percent). The report covers more than 90 markets across the globe.

    Prime rents are the highest achievable rents for a retail storefront in a market’s best location with the best quality and specifications of space.

    The perennial top markets for global retail showed substantial divergence in the past year. Prime retail rents on New York’s Fifth Avenue between 56th and 58th streets increased by 14.3 percent in the past year to $4,000 per square foot per year as of this year’s second quarter. Meanwhile, prime rents on Hong Kong’s Russell Street declined by 33 percent to $1,856 per square foot per year amid a slowdown in tourist arrivals from the Chinese mainland and more prudent spending by locals.

    “The cooling off of China’s economy has manifest itself in sharply lower rents in Hong Kong, which has allowed a new crop of retailers to enter the coveted city,” said Anthony Buono, Chairman of CBRE’s Global Retail Executive Committee. “At the same time, prime retail rents in New York can remain stable, but in the near term we will see more landlord concessions to accomplish rate stability. London, however has such scant supply of available prime space that its strong rent growth is likely to continue.”

    In Manhattan, many international and domestic retailers alike are willing to make substantial investments to establish a presence for their brand on the world stage of Fifth Avenue’s priciest blocks. Others are content to gravitate to nearby submarkets that are less expensive but still highly coveted as retail showcases, such as Times Square, Downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn.

    “New York’s high streets have gone through a dramatic evolution in recent years, with rates rising strongly amid a rather ebullient market running from 2013 to late 2015,” said Andrew S. Goldberg, a Vice Chairman of Retail Services in CBRE’s New York City office. “Over the past year, the market has cooled a bit, with increasing availability and more concessions, but it remains resilient. Manhattan, and Fifth Avenue, in particular, is a global showcase where the world’s top brands want to be.”

    Top-10-Global-High-Streets-By-Prime-Retail-Rent-Level.png

    In terms of growth or prime retail rents in the past year, Europe is the story. Half of the 10 fastest growing prime retail rents in the past year came in European markets, led by London with a 53.8 percent increase. The few spaces that come available on London’s high streets are pursued by numerous aspiring lessees, resulting in steep rents.

    Other European markets among the top 10 for prime rent growth are Rome (28.9 percent increase); Milan, Italy (20 percent); Sofia, Bulgaria (12.5 percent); and Warsaw, Poland (11.1 percent). Asia Pacific landed two markets in the top 10: Auckland, New Zealand (23.7 percent) and Sydney, Australia (14 percent). The Middle East had one: Dubai (12.5 percent). And the Americas had two: New York (14.3 percent) and Seattle (11.1 percent).

    Other notable U.S. markets reflected as gainers in the report include Chicago (9.4 percent increase); Washington, D.C. (8.7 percent); Denver (7.7 percent); and San Francisco (3.8 percent). The only major U.S. market to register a decline in its prime retail rent was Miami, which posted a 7.1 percent loss on tempered tourism from Latin America due to challenged economies there.

  • High street rents go, well, sky-high

    High street rents go, well, sky-high

    Current retail thinking that the high and the low ends are driving the industry has gotten a boost from CBRE Group.

    High street rents are off the charts worldwide, according to company’s just-released Global Retail Rents report. Rents in prime shopping locations during the second quarter were up 30% in Rome, 24%, 20% in Milan, and 14% in Sydney and New York.

    New York’s Fifth Avenue remained the prime of “The Prime,” with an average per-sq.-ft. rent of $4,000. Next in CBRE’s tally came Hong Kong’s Russell Street at $1,856, London’s New Bond Street at $1,684, and Paris’s Avenue des Champs-Elysees at $1,366.

    Interestingly, rents on Russell Street posted the biggest decline from second quarter 2015, plummeting 33%. The reason, according to CBRE: Fewer tourists from Mainland China and economizing locals.

    “The cooling-off of China’s economy has manifested itself in sharply lower rents in Hong Kong, which has allowed a new crop of retailers to enter the coveted city,” said Anthony Buono, chairman of CBRE’s Global Retail Executive Committee. “At the same time, prime retail rents in New York can remain stable, but in the near term we will see more landlord concessions to accomplish rate stability.”

    Rents on New Bond Street are like to keep rising, Buono added, due to a scant supply of prime retail space in London.

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  • Plukka Debuts a Pop-Up in New York City

    Plukka Debuts a Pop-Up in New York City

    Plukka, which launched as a flash-sale website for made-to-order fine jewelry, is getting increasingly serious about bricks-and-mortar retailing. The Hong Kong–based company, which opened freestanding stores in Hong Kong and London in 2014 and 2015, respectively, has debuted a pop-up store at the Jack Vartanian store on Madison Avenue.

    And the roughly 600-square-foot space is, according to Plukka founder Joanne Ooi, “a preliminary step to opening a permanent NYC boutique in the future.”

    She adds, “It’s Plukka’s objective to be the first truly global multi-brand designer and fine jewelry retailer, so having a presence in the U.S., and specifically New York City, is a fundamental part of our mission. New York contains a hugely disproportionate share of both clients and influencers, so we consider the city a crucial beachhead location.”

    Plukka made news last year for launching a program that delivers up to $15,000 of merchandise to existing clients in New York City and Hong Kong—so they can shop in their homes.

    Plukka’s New York pop-up, which will run for two months, will feature ”designers not available in New York City,” says Ooi, whose picks for the temporary shop include pieces from L’Dezen by Payal Shah, Ashu Malpani, Sidney Chung, Baer Jewels, and Tana Chung. “We represent and work with many designers who are already in this market,” including Suzanne Kalan, Hoorsenbuhs, Yeprem, and Wendy Yue.

    “But the whole point of our very large stable of incredibly talented designers is that we can show different designers in different markets, depending on tastes, interests, demographics, and buying patterns,” she explains. ”We are using this pop-up to make the point that we are truly the premier discovery machine for the world’s most creative fine jewelry.”

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  • India’s Specialty Restaurants plans 24 new ‘fun’ eateries

    India’s Specialty Restaurants plans 24 new ‘fun’ eateries

    Fine dining operator Speciality Restaurants says it will focus on its ‘fun dining’ brands as it rolls out 24 new eateries over the next two years.

    The group currently operates 123 restaurants, a mix of fine dining destinations branded Mainland China and Oh! Calcutta, and what it terms ‘fun’ brands – Mainland China Asia Kitchen, Cafe Mezzuna and Hoppipola.

    Executive Anjan Chatterjee says from now on the company will more or less equally split its capital investment evenly between the two channels – fun and fine dining.

    “At least 50 per cent of restaurants we open in 2016 and 2017 will be fun dining. The vertical will help us maintain leadership in the fine and casual dining restaurants and confectioneries market. Over the years, we have developed a dedicated client base that is sophisticated and appreciates fine dining. But there is another group that is as important who want an informal atmosphere and a fun dining experience,” he said in an interview with the Times of India at the opening of a new Asia Kitchen restaurants at the Acropolis Mall.

    “They are young customers with disposable incomes. We have developed brands for them and will now expand this vertical.”

    The company is also pursuing opportunities to expand overseas.

    With two restaurants in Bangladesh and two in Tanzania, it is about to open its first outlet in Doha. Chatterjee is seeking locations for new restaurants in London and New York.

    Specialty Restaurants also has a small collection of quick service restaurants – one each trading under the brands Zoodles, Shack, Kibbeh and Kix.

    Chatterjee believes consumer dining preferences are changing.

    “Traditionally, people went to a restaurant and had their fill. But the trend has changed. They have become small eaters for health and economic reasons. Food is expensive and people don’t want large portions that will lead to wastage or a doggy bag. For instance, if a portion of mocha chop contained eight pieces, we have now introduced a regular portion that has four pieces. The regular size is good for two. If there are three or more, customers have the option of ordering one more. It is good on the pocket too and will encourage customers to come back more often. We don’t want price to be a barrier,” he said.

    Specialty Restaurants has already introduced regular portions at Mainland China and Oh! Calcutta.