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Tag: New York

  • Tiffany Cafe in Tokyo marks first for New York jeweller

    Tiffany Cafe in Tokyo marks first for New York jeweller

    Jeweller Tiffany & Co is launching its first Tiffany Cafe in Tokyo.

    The new Tiffany @ Cat Street concept store is located on the top floor of the Tadao Ando-designed Bank Gallery, in the Harajuku district. It follows the launch of the brand’s Blue Box Cafe in New York in November 2017.

    The lower five levels house a more futuristic-looking Tiffany fitout than the brand uses elsewhere, including a variety of areas for jewellery customisation designed to appeal to the young creative market who frequent the district.

    The Tiffany Cafe in Tokyo also includes a jewellery vending machine and photo booth, expected to be a popular background for social media images.

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  • Is Asia the Art Market’s New Frontier?

    Is Asia the Art Market’s New Frontier?

    Despite pre-opening jitters over the state of the Chinese economy, Art Basel Hong Kong has already reported brisk sales at its seventh edition, which opened to the public today.

    With the region’s growing wealth and appetite for art, art fairs like Art Basel Hong Kong, which opened to the public today, are big business, drawing collectors from China and across Asia, as well as farther afield. Of the 80,000 visitors expected at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 40,000 are coming from abroad, Art Basel said.

    The Art Market, a report jointly published by Art Basel and UBS earlier in March noted that art fairs are highly important in Asia, with between 92–97 percent of HNWI collectors from Hong Kong and Singapore having purchased from an art fair in the past.

    It’s not just China—it’s Singapore, it’s Malaysia, it’s Taipei. It’s not one market, Artnet quoted New York-based dealer Sean Kelly as saying about the fair, which has 242 galleries from 35 countries participating through the weekend.

    Increasingly, the market’s center of gravity does feel as if it is being pulled eastward,» Artnet reported from the exhibition floor, while Artnews reported «high energy» at the fair and quoted a dealer as saying, The quality of this fair is now on par with the great European fairs. It is highly sophisticated.

    Swift Sales

    The Art Newspaper also reported swift sales among the 107 galleries – 75 percent of which are Asian – at the Art Central fair concurrently taking place just around the corner from Art Basel. Here at we’re meeting a lot of Australian and Chinese collectors. Hong Kong is a very good market, a dealer exhibiting from the Philippines was quoted as saying.

    Art Basel reported that sales already concluded include a significant work by Andy Warhol at White Cube for $2.85 million, a work by Alice Neel for $1.7 million at David Zwirner, and a painting by George Condo at Almine Rech Gallery for between $1.2 million to $1.4 million. David Zwirner sold its entire booth, including four new sculptures by Carol Bove for $400,000 to $500,000 each, on Wednesday, the first VIP day.

    China Dominates

    We previously reported that the global art market grew by 6 percent in 2018, reaching total sales of $67.4 billion – its second-highest level in 10 years.

    Asia’s has recorded a growing share of world imports of art and antiques in the past decade, which mirrors the growing regional wealth. In particular, sales in China reached $12.9 billion in 2018. China accounted for 45 percent of all art imports into Asia (compared to 17 percent in 2000), with 95 percent of these imports going into Hong Kong, according to «The Art Market» report.

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  • Dunhill New York Finally opens Hudson Yards store

    Dunhill New York Finally opens Hudson Yards store

    Dunhill New York has opened a store in the city’s new Hudson Yards development.

    The 2600sqft outlet showcases the brand’s British luxury menswear against a backdrop of modern retail design – a contemporary space combining bronzed brass and walnut, together with leather and metal details, all recognisable codes of the house.

    dunhill Hudson Yards 2

    dunhill Hudson Yards 3

    “Dunhill has traded in New York City for decades, from Rockefeller Centre to Madison Avenue,” said CEO Andrew Maag. “Hudson Yards is the next wave of retail and we are thrilled to be there from the start. We are part of the fabric of the city and we keep moving with it.”

    dunhill Hudson Yards 5

    The grey marble storefront takes inspiration from the facade of the brand’s 1950s South Rodeo Drive store. White wood panelling frames collections by creative director Mark Weston. Walnut burl cabinets, housing men’s accessories, are inspired by the original furniture from London’s Duke Street and Paris’ Rue de la Paix stores. Fluted metal details recall the textures and finishes of the Rollagas lighters.

    dunhill Hudson Yards 6

    The new Dunhill New York City store will retail a curated selection of luxury pieces, as well as ready-to-wear, leather goods and fine accessories.

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  • Nest Fragrances opens flagship store in New York City

    Nest Fragrances opens flagship store in New York City

    Luxury-lifestyle brand Nest Fragrances has opened its first retail store in the NoLita neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. For the first time anywhere, the new Nest Fragrances flagship store unites the brand’s entire product portfolio in one retail location, which company founder Laura Slatkin describes as “an enchanted, fragranced garden”.

    “The theme of our first retail store reflects – and was inspired by – our desire to showcase the Nest Fragrances brand in a harmonious and holistic fashion in an environment that, like our fragrances, is artful, sophisticated, and approachable,” said Slatkin. “For the very first time, our new flagship store brings together under one roof our Home and Fine Fragrance collections and our newly launched Lifestyle Bodycare collection.”

    Nest Fragrances partnered with New York-based interior design firm R. Douglas Gellenbeck Studio to conceptualise and build its first retail store. MJ Atelier, an art studio based in Los Angeles, was commissioned to create a hand-painted, sculpted wall covering for the store inspired by early 20th-Century French interior designer Armand-Albert Rateau’s bath design, which he created for the Duchess of Alba.

    “Our brand’s mission is to create exceptional fragrances that shape moods, transport people, and transform spaces,” continued Slatkin. “Since 2008, when I founded Nest Fragrances, I have drawn inspiration from art, fashion, destinations, and literary works combined with the beauty of nature and its natural elements to create fragrances and products to achieve that mission. Now, 10 years later, I am thrilled that we have come full circle by successfully applying that same approach and fragrance-forward philosophy to achieve our mission in our very first retail store. Consumers will see a lot more of it as we continue to expand our footprint at retail in the coming years.”

    The 1140sqft store sells more than 215 SKUs across the brand’s three core product categories. It will also offer limited-edition products and specialty gift sets across its three core product categories – as well as year-round specialty gift sets, the option to create custom-made gift sets, candle accessories, and a concierge delivery service in New York.

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  • Ermenegildo Zegna Opens its Global Flagship Store in New York City

    Ermenegildo Zegna Opens its Global Flagship Store in New York City

    Italian luxury firm Ermenegildo Zegna has launched a new global store in New York. The new three-level 660sqm boutique, designed by prominent architect Peter Marino, is a luxury retail space with a facade composed of metallic threads. The store features a personalisation room on the third floor, offering high-end bespoke clothing fitted by a master tailor.

    A selection of fine leather footwear and other goods, couture collections and sneakers, and luxury leisurewear are also among product lines on sale in store.

    Exclusive to the New York global store is the newly released Taccuino capsule collection, featuring leatherwear goods inspired by Ermenegildo Zegna’s personal notebook and fine calligraphy.

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  • Tissot basketball concept store New York opens door

    Tissot basketball concept store New York opens door

    Swiss watch brand Tissot has opened a sports-themed store in New York City. The Tissot basketball concept store is the brand’s fourth boutique in the city, located at 112 W. 34th Street, a prime location in the Midtown neighbourhood. With a 2800sqft area, the boutique has a wall of multi-coloured basketballs, along with action-styled mannequins wearing uniforms of some of the brand’s nine NBA team partners.

    Hung on the walls are photos of the brand’s sponsored athletes, including three-time NBA Champion and five-time NBA All-Star Klay Thompson, four-time NBA Champion and six-time NBA All-Star Tony Parker and top rookie Trae Young.

    Besides shopping, fans can spend their time playing NBA 2K19, watch an NBA game on the large TV screens or try to beat the clock in a mixed-reality Tissot Buzzer Beater game set to debut at NBA All-Star 2019. A custom art installation debuting at NBA All-Star will then find its permanent home in the store.

    “This is a departure from our traditional merchandising strategy, but with our continued partnership growth and passion around the NBA, we wanted to harness that power to showcase our brand in a different light,” said Francois Thiebaud, president of Tissot.

    “We have seen a tremendous response so far from fans and we are excited to see what is to come.”

  • The We Company Debuts Made by We

    The We Company Debuts Made by We

    Co-working firm The We Company (previously WeWork) has opened a retail venture and public workspace in New York. The Made by We retail space, cafe and workplace can be used by anyone without the need for a membership, with workstations and meeting rooms available for rent by the minute. The work space features products made by current WeWork member companies available for sale, from apparel to snacks to audiotech gear. It also houses a Bluestone Lane cafe.

    While headquartered in New York City, The We Company has WeWork shared office spaces in major cities across Mainland China, Japan and India, as well as in Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Busan, Seoul and Bangkok.

    “Made by We was launched with a vision to connect the We community with the rest of the world, and provide people with the best on-demand workspace, services and products, no membership required”, said company partner Julie Rice.

    “Everything we do at The We Company, from the spaces we curate to the service offerings we provide, is intended to create meaningful human connections.”

    View the gallery below for pictures (7 images) :

     

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  • Starbucks opens immersive coffee destination in New York

    Starbucks opens immersive coffee destination in New York

    “We designed the Roastery as the pinnacle experience around all-things-coffee, and there is nothing else like it in the world. With premium coffees, teas, mixology and the iconic Milanese Princi Bakery, it serves as a Starbucks brand amplifier and a platform for future innovation,” said Kevin Johnson, CEO, Starbucks. “Beverages such as Draft Nitro, Cold Foam and the recent launch of Juniper Latte all began at the Roastery and have since been introduced to Starbucks locations around the world. It is the ultimate Starbucks Experience and an unforgettable way to connect with our customers.”

    Starbucks has a long history in New York. In 1994, Starbucks chairman emeritus, Howard Schultz, who was born and raised in Canarsie, Brooklyn, opened the first Starbucks store in the city on Broadway and 87th Street on the Upper West Side. Nearly 25 years later, there are 350 Starbucks stores across the five boroughs in the city where Starbucks employs approximately 5,000 partners (employees). The Roastery employs nearly 300 people, including roasters, baristas, commessas and mixologists.

    “Like most people I first experienced Starbucks as a customer, where I would go to my store at 195 Broadway in the Financial District in New York City and order a tall latte which was the perfect way to start my day,” said Raul Adorno, Managing Director Reserve Roastery New York. “I look forward to welcoming my fellow New Yorkers and visitors from all around the world when we open the Roastery on Friday. You will be amazed.”

    At its core, Starbucks Reserve Roastery New York is a working coffee roastery, where every day Starbucks Master Roasters, who have trained for years in the craft of coffee roasting, will be small-batch roasting Starbucks rarest single-origin coffees and blends called Starbucks Reserve. Those coffees then get served fresh at the Roastery or shipped to select Starbucks stores around the world. That functional purpose, as well as the history of industry and manufacturing in the meatpacking district, is reflected in the design of the space.

    “New York is a hub to the world,” said Liz Muller, Chief Design Officer of Starbucks. “It’s an unbelievable place with such history. The meatpacking district has a fantastic history of industry, and the neighborhood has an electric energy; it is alive. We’ve designed a space where the excitement and dynamic activity of the neighborhood is mirrored in the Roastery. We want our customers to come in and feel very inspired.”

    Unique Food and Beverages

    Coffee Bars – There are two coffee bars at the Roastery, which in total offer seven brewing methods, including pour over, Chemex, coffee press, siphon, espresso, Clover and cold brewing.

    Upon entering the Roastery, visitors can visit the coffee bar on the main level, where baristas, called coffee masters, are crafting classic espresso beverages such as cappuccino, latte, cortado and specialty drinks such as whiskey barrel-aged cold brew, sparkling citrus espresso, nitro hopped apricot cold brew and rotating specials like the cardamom latte.

    Arriviamo Bar – For the first time in the U.S., Starbucks will debut the Arriviamo Bar inspired by the Italian tradition of aperitivo. This craft cocktail bar is located inside the Roastery where expert mixologists will serve cocktails and spiritfrees curated by award-winning mixologist Julia Momose featuring coffee and tea. Specialty cocktails include the Nocino Notte, made with cold brew coffee, barrel-aged gin and black truffle salt, and the Triomphe, made with Teavana/MC Darjeeling de Triomphe Tea, gin, dry Riesling, aquavit, passionfruit sparkling water and orange saffron bitters. The Arriviamo Bar will also serve a selection of beer, wine and classic cocktails

    Princi – Inside the Roastery is the Milanese boutique bakery Princi from founder Rocco Princi, with on-site baking of fresh breads, Pizzas, cornetti, focaccias, desserts and more.

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  • Nutella Cafe Opens in Union Square, NY

    Nutella Cafe Opens in Union Square, NY

    Confectionery giant Ferrero opened a permanent Nutella Cafe in the heart of New York City this week. The cafe, the brand’s second in the US after its debut in Chicago last year, is designed to create “an authentic Nutella experience all year-round” with a menu of Nutella-centric foods and specialty espresso beverages.

    “We are thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of Nutella Cafe New York in one of the greatest culinary cities in the world,” said Rick Fossali, VP of operations at Nutella Cafe. “The response to our first Nutella Cafe in Chicago has been outstanding, and we cannot wait to treat New Yorkers and tourists alike to a wonderfully delicious Nutella experience showcasing the uniqueness and versatility of this beloved product.”

    The menu at the Nutella Cafe New York will include all-day dishes such as freshly baked breads, pastries, breakfast specials, desserts and gelato – all featuring Nutella hazelnut spread.

    Highlights include Chicago favourites like the Pound Cake Panzanella and Grilled Baguette, along with several items which are exclusive to the New York location: Hazelnut Blondies with Nutella hazelnut spread; multi-grain Piccolino (“little one” in Italian) freshly baked croissants; Grilled Banana Bread with Nutella, warmed and topped with fresh banana slices and toasted hazelnuts; Chia and Hemp seed pudding, topped with Nutella and fresh banana slices; Frozen Nutella Pops and a “Create Your Own” station that allows customers to pick their favourite base with Nutella and customise it with their own choice of fillings and toppings.

    Nutella Cafe New York is located at 116 University Place, a stone’s-throw from Union Square.

    Nutella was created in 1964 by Michele Ferrero, based on the recipe for Giandujot developed in 1946 by his father, Pietro Ferrero – a confectioner and the founder of Ferrero – in Italy’s Piedmont area. These days it is sold in more than 170 countries.

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  • L’Occitane opens New York flagship

    L’Occitane opens New York flagship

    Beauty products retailer L’Occitane has opened a New York flagship on Fifth Avenue which it describes as “a unique immersive destination”.

    The 1870sqft store at 555 Fifth Avenue was designed by L’Occitane’s Daniel Contorni, international artistic director, and Paul Blackburn, VP concept design, construction & merchandising with the Hong Kong-listed, French-styled retailer.

    “To adapt to differing consumer preferences across the world, L’Occitane has adopted a ‘glocal’ approach, developing creative experiences especially adapted for local clientele,” the company said in a statement.

    Recent examples of this strategy include new flagships in Brazil, China, London and Toronto, each with exclusive styles and services mix; a concept store in Paris (86Champs) in partnership with French pastry chef Pierre Herme; a pop-up cafe in Singapore with Asian pastry chef Janice Wong (a protege of Herme); and L’OcciTruck, the brand’s first travelling shop experience encapsulated on wheels, currently touring North America.

    The L’Occitane Fifth Avenue store features a range of interactive customer touchpoints. Whilst the existing L’Occitane experiential boutique in the city’s Flatiron district continues to offer a more traditional L’Occitane retail experience, the Fifth Avenue store will be more disruptive, geared to attracting new customers, encourage engagement and produce user-generated content for social media, the company said.

    The store includes a “rain-shower” sink, an interactive skincare consultation area, a curved communal bench beneath a Mediterranean olive tree, and an enhanced fulfilment services “comptoir”.

    L’Occitane says it is pursuing “a robust customer-first retail strategy, seeking to surprise consumers and surpass their expectations by providing an unforgettable in-store experience”.

    “In today’s digital world, customers rarely enter a L’Occitane store purely out of need; they expect to be pampered and entertained and want to indulge in the experience.”

    The L’Occitane Fifth Avenue store features several environment-first initiatives, including a recycling program in partnership with TerraCycle that incentivises customers to drop off all brands of empty personal care and cosmetics packaging at participating L’Occitane retail locations.

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  • Athleisure brand Bandier to open NoHo store with fitness studio

    Athleisure brand Bandier to open NoHo store with fitness studio

    One of the boldest real estate deals in the Big Apple was recently inked by an athleisure shop that made a name for itself selling $300 leggings in tony Southampton, LI.

    In August, 5-year-old Bandier is opening a massive 27,500-square-foot flagship in NoHo — about the size of a fitness center — that will not only sell its pricey duds from $68 crop tops to $98 sweatshirts and $108 yoga pants — but will also feature a fitness studio, a health-focused cafe and sneaker shop.

    A second flagship will open simultaneously in Los Angeles, bringing the number of Bandier boutiques to seven.

    “We think we have an opportunity,” said co-founder Neil Boyarsky, who owns the business with his wife, Jennifer Bandier, a former music executive like her father, Martin. “You have to roll the dice and take some chances.”

    After raising $10 million last fall led by Hong Kong-based investor Adrian Cheng — whose family owns real estate and retail in China — Bandier is already eyeing other markets, like Chicago and Boston, for flagships.

    As the athleisure trend continues its march, with fashion sneakers and body-hugging spandex gear becoming ubiquitous, Bandier is riding the wave led by 500-pound gorilla Lululemon, whose shares spiked 15 percent on Friday after reporting that comparable sales in its 400 stores rose 20 percent in the most recent quarter.

    Bandier’s growth was fueled in part by its celebrity clientele, including the Kardashian sisters, Liv Tyler, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Stone and Bella Hadid, who have all been spotted either wearing its apparel or taking a fitness class in its studios.

    But celebrities are only part of the story.

    Bandier’s existing stores, including in The Americana in Manhasset, Long Island, and in Dallas, are generating comparable sales growth of more than 20 percent, according to Boyarsky.

    “There will always be some market for this kind of apparel, but whether this growth is sustainable over time remains to be seen,” said retail analyst Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners.

    There has already been a slight dip in the performance wear sector’s growth from the high teens to about 12 percent — not including sneakers — according to Johnson.

    In the meantime, Bandier is betting that its mix of food, exercise and apparel will draw a steady stream of customers through its doors.

    Its list of customer amenities ranges from moisturizing face masks to showers in its fitness studios to a treadmill in the sneaker department for test runs.

    Bandier recently launched four private-label brands that will occupy up to 20 percent of the sales floor this year.

    “Our revenues have exceeded our expectations by a long shot,” Boyarsky said, declining to disclose Bandier’s sales.

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  • 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.