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Tag: sweden

  • Marimekko Unveils Flagship Store In Causeway Bay: A Revitalized Shopping Experience

    Marimekko Unveils Flagship Store In Causeway Bay: A Revitalized Shopping Experience

    Marimekko, the iconic Finnish design company, is globally renowned for its fashion and home decor products featuring vivid, abstract prints designed to spread an ethos of joy and positivity. This lifestyle brand is an embodiment of timeless elegance and a summery sense of joy. If you are drawn to the brand’s vibrant ‘flower power’ aesthetic, make a note of October 16 in your diary. That’s when Marimekko is set to unveil a new flagship store in Causeway Bay. This eagerly awaited launch is significant, as it symbolizes not only a new beginning for Marimekko in Hong Kong but also the company’s dedication to crafting an immersive in-store retail experience that strikes a chord with customers.

    Marimekko’s Return to Causeway Bay

    Marimekko first broke into the Hong Kong market in 2012, opening a store on Leighton Road in Causeway Bay. The forthcoming flagship store, remaining on the same street, represents a sort of homecoming for the brand. However, this is not just a return, but a stunning transformation; a fresh design and expanded offerings promise a completely reimagined Marimekko experience for its Hong Kong-based fans. Moreover, the store’s façade, centered around Marimekko’s well-known ‘Unikko’ print, will be unmissable, serving to highlight the brand’s printmaking legacy. Upon entering the shop, customers will feel as though they’ve been transported to Marimekko’s textile printing factory in Helsinki, with the striking interior design inspired by the Finnish workshop.

    What to Expect from the New Flagship

    Marimekko fans can anticipate a carefully curated collection of products, including clothing, accessories, home furnishings, and even printed fabrics — all emblazoned with the brand’s signature prints. Items featuring the ‘Unikko’ design are sure to be a hit, but the bold ‘Kivet’ and sleek ‘Tiiliskivi’ prints are expected to be crowd pleasers as well.

    At present, Marimekko has six retail sites in Hong Kong, including an outlet shop at Citygate Outlets in Tung Chung, so the new Leighton Road flagship will find itself in good company. Furthermore, according to a Marimekko Instagram post, eligible purchases will be accompanied by a complimentary Marimekko tote bag — an incentive that is sure to entice shoppers!

    Questions & Answers

    When did Marimekko first enter the Hong Kong market?
    Marimekko first entered the Hong Kong market in 2012, with a store on Leighton Road in Causeway Bay.

    What’s special about the new flagship store in Causeway Bay?
    The new flagship store represents a homecoming for Marimekko. It features a completely new design and an expanded range of offerings, promising a unique Marimekko experience for fans in Hong Kong.

    What can customers expect from the new Marimekko store?
    Customers can look forward to a carefully curated selection of products, including clothing, accessories, home goods, and printed fabrics, all featuring the brand’s signature prints.

  • Acne Studios Unveils Pink Granite-adorned Flagship Store In Tokyo’s Aoyama District

    Acne Studios Unveils Pink Granite-adorned Flagship Store In Tokyo’s Aoyama District

    Acne Studios, a renowned fashion brand from Sweden, has unveiled its flagship store in the Aoyama district of Tokyo.

    Designing the Flagship Store

    The store occupies three levels and was crafted in association with Hallerod, an architecture firm based in Stockholm and a long-term collaborator of the brand. The store’s interior is predominantly adorned by pink granite, a signature material in Acne’s retail settings, employed throughout the store’s floors, walls, and fixtures.

    Max Lamb, a London-based designer, contributed matching pink sofas made of leather and fabric, adding to the store’s distinctive aesthetic. The lighting was designed by Parisian Benoit Lalloz, further enhancing the store’s unique ambiance.

    Collaborations & Collections

    The basement of the store features ceramic works by Takuro Kuwata, a renowned Japanese artist. These pieces were curated as part of a collaboration spearheaded by Acne’s creative director, Jonny Johansson. This partnership also resulted in a capsule collection that reimagines traditional Acne pieces. The collection includes denim, bags, and small leather goods.

    Store Offerings

    The flagship store houses the complete range of Acne Studios products. Shoppers can find men’s and women’s clothing, footwear, accessories, jewelry, and eyewear, offering a comprehensive Acne Studios shopping experience.

    Questions & Answers

    Who designed the interior for Acne Studios’ flagship store in Tokyo?
    The space was designed in collaboration with Stockholm-based architecture firm Hallerod. The interior is characterized by pink granite, used throughout the store’s floors, walls, and fixtures.

    What is unique about the basement of the store?
    The basement displays ceramic works by Japanese artist Takuro Kuwata. These were curated as part of a project led by Acne’s creative director, Jonny Johansson.

    What types of items does the store sell?
    The store carries the full Acne Studios range, including men’s and women’s apparel, footwear, accessories, jewelry, and eyewear.

  • Cos launches its first store in Taiwan

    Cos launches its first store in Taiwan

    Swedish fashion brand Cos has expanded its store network into Taiwan, opening its first brick-and-mortar store at the Taipei 101 Shopping Center.The 700sqm flagship also marks Cos’ first concept store in the world. While Cos Taipei 101’s exterior features forest green, the interior is dominated by a warm neutral tone, delivering a cool and tranquil atmosphere.  Minimal design with organic textures and recycled elements was put in place, including bamboo furnishings, slate-shaped cashier cou

    Minimal design with organic textures and recycled elements was implemented, including bamboo furnishings, slate-shaped cashier counters, stone magnetic floors and aluminum display shelves. Meanwhile, the table surface is made from Richlite material, which is manufactured from recycled paper and phenolic resin.

    “Opening a store in Taipei is an exciting step,” said Petra Lerch, MD of Cos Asia Pacific. “We have been planning to enter this market for some time, and launching this new brick-and-mortar store is like the first place to connect with local customers.”

    Founded in 2007, H&M Group-owned fashion label entered Asia in 2012 in Hong Kong. Since then, Cos has gradually expanded its presence in the continent, launching in markets including China, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia. The brand opened its first store in the Philippines last year. Cos currently operates more than 280 physical stores around the world.

  • Revolut Expands as a Bank

    Revolut Expands as a Bank

    Europe’s most valuable fintech has already amassed 18 million app users worldwide. Some of those are about to become bank customers.

    The London-headquartered neobank is launching as a bank in ten additional European markets, lifting the number of countries it operates in to 28, it said in a statement. The challenger bank can now protect client deposits up to 100,000 euros in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden, using its European specialized banking license.

    In a few clicks clients from these countries will be able to upgrade to Revolut Bank from within the app, it said.

    Deposits will be secured by the Lithuanian State company deposit and investment insurance, it added.

    Over the past few years, Revolut’s rapid level of growth has added pressure on Swiss banks to boost their digital services. Since its inception in 2015 the company has attracted more than 18 million customers globally, it says on its website.

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  • Ikea Sweden to sell sustainable energy to locals

    Ikea Sweden to sell sustainable energy to locals

    As of September this year, furniture giant Ikea will offer sustainably generated energy to Swedish households in a move to diversify its business and offer a green approach to power supply.

    The STRÖMMA offer will be made in partnership with local energy supplier Svea Solar, and will eventually brand out into other markets.

    “At Ikea, we want to become fully circular and climate positive by 2030, built on renewable energy and resources,” Ingka Group new retail business manager Jan Gardberg said in a statement.

    “We believe the future of energy is renewable and we want to make electricity from sustainable sources more accessible and affordable to all.”

    Through the STRÖMMA offer, customers that have already purchased solar panels from Ikea can connect the panels to an app to track their own generation, and sell back electricity they don’t use themselves, while customers without such panels can still use the app to track their energy usage.

    “We’re a home furnishing company, and we want to make it easier for people to live a more sustainable life at home,” Ikea Sweden sales manager Bojan Stupar said.

    “Today we offer smart and energy-efficient products and services that contribute to prolonging the life of products, reducing waste, saving water, and eating more healthily, as well as reducing electricity usage, [and] providing solar and wind power at a low price to more people feels like the natural next step on our sustainability journey.”

    Ikea started selling solar panels in Australia, and introduced over 30 global initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint and help customers lead more eco-friendly lives, in the past year.

  • DHL Express To Deploy 89 EVs Produced By Lighting eMotors

    DHL Express To Deploy 89 EVs Produced By Lighting eMotors

    DHL has announced that it is expanding its green fleet in the US with the help of EV maker Lightning eMotors. It will acquire 89 more Lighting eMotors this year after a successful pilot run of nine EV vans. The DHL Green Fleet expansion is part of a larger sustainability roadmap launched by the DHL Group. It aims for the group to have zero emissions by 2050 in its logistics.

    “These new electric vans are designed to better serve DHL customers and help couriers to more efficiently and effectively deliver packages. At the same time, they are helping DHL to meet its commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve urban air quality, as well as reduce noise on the streets,” said DHL in a statement.

    Even outside the US, in Sweden, DHL Freight has teamed up with Volvo trucks. This comes back of the heels of the nine electric Ford Transit 350HD vans electrified by Lightning eMotors.

    Lightning eMotors is a Colorado-based EV maker that specializes in zero-emissions solutions for commercial fleets by designing, engineering, customizing, and manufacturing EVs to support a wide assortment of fleet customer needs. This even includes electric versions of class 3 cargo vans to class 8 motorhomes.

    These electric transit cargo vans can do 61 miles per gallon as opposed to 13 miles per gallon on a similar internal combustion engine vehicle. These vehicles also come with proprietary telematics and analytics software. This will also help DHL in route optimization, driver training and efficiencies.

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  • Volvo Cars To Produce Electric Motors In Skovde, Sweden

    Volvo Cars To Produce Electric Motors In Skovde, Sweden

    Volvo Cars will assemble electric motors at its powertrain plant in Skovde, Sweden, and plans to establish complete in-house e-motor production by 2025. It will invest 700 million SEK to this end in the coming years. The company is committed to becoming a premium electric car company and aims for its global sales to consist of 50 percent fully electric cars by 2025, with the rest being hybrids.

    Volvo Cars announced earlier this year that it is investing significantly in the in-house design and development of e-motors for the next generation of Volvo cars. With the planned investments in Skovde, it now takes the first steps towards in-house e-motor assembly and manufacturing. In the first stage, the Skovdefacility will assemble e-motors. At a later stage, the company intends to bring the full manufacturing process for e-motors in-house into a facility in Skovde.

    Bringing the development and production of e-motors in-house will allow Volvo Cars engineers to further optimize electric motors and the entire electric driveline in new Volvos. This approach will allow engineers to make further gains in terms of energy efficiency and overall performance.

    Design and development of the company’s electric motors take place in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Shanghai, China. Earlier this year Volvo Cars opened a new electric motor lab in Shanghai, in addition to ongoing e-motor development in Gothenburg, Sweden, and state-of-the-art battery labs in China and Sweden.

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  • Byredo opening Singapore flagship store

    Byredo opening Singapore flagship store

    Swedish luxury brand Byredo has opened its first flagship store in Singapore.

    Located in Ngee Ann City shopping center, the store offers a wide range of fragrances, leather goods, and accessories.

    The store facade features a gray concrete wall with the brand logo highlighted by white lights. The interior design creates a modern and futuristic vibe by using elements such as metal shelves and metal-framed mirrors. The storehouses three displays in orange, standing out from the plain gray background and carpet.

    Besides launching its first boutique in Singapore, the brand is to launch its first beauty line with makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench next month. The line will include eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, lip balm, and lipstick.

    Founded in 2006 by Ben Gorham, Byredo is known for its fragrances, leather goods, and accessories.

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  • Google is fined $8 million in Sweden over data protection laws

    Google is fined $8 million in Sweden over data protection laws

    Since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect in the European Union back in 2016, companies and organizations have had larger responsibilities in order to protect the privacy rights of individuals. Sweden has evidently determined that Google has not fully complied with these regulations, leading to a hefty fine.

    Under the GDPR, an individual has the right to privacy of personal data, including the right to request that their personal search results, such as their name, be delisted from search engines. Since 2017, the Swedish Data Protection Authority (DPA) has identified search listings that Google is required to delete.

    Based on two audits administered over four years, the Swedish DPA has concluded that Google has not complied to these regulations. Currently, Google informs websites before delisting, allowing them time to move their sites to different URLs to bypass the delisting. The Swedish DPA argues that this practice negates the point of delisting and the overall principles of the GDPR.

    Based on these conclusions, the Swedish DPA has issued a fine of 75 million Swedish kronor, or about 8 million dollars. Based on local laws, Google has three weeks to take action before it becomes final. The internet giant is expected to appeal the decision.

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  • Swedish retailer Sneakersnstuff making debut in Tokyo

    Swedish retailer Sneakersnstuff making debut in Tokyo

    Stockholm-based retailer Sneakersnstuff is about to open a flagship store in Tokyo, its first Asia location.

    The retailer, known for its sneakers, said the Tokyo store will open on December 14 on Log Road in Daikanyama, which is home to high-end boutiques and restaurants.

    Designed by Stockholm-based design studio Bofink, the store will combine the best of both Scandinavian and Japanese design. And more than just a retail space, it will be a multifunctional lifestyle store with an inclusion of a cafe.

    “It features handcrafted and handmade furniture by Swedish and European artists and furniture makers, beautiful and unique colorways, traditional Japanese heritage materials, 3D-printed pieces and more,” Sneakersnstuff said in a statement.

    Tokyo will be Sneakersnstuff’s seventh location worldwide, joining Stockholm, London, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles and Paris.

    The retailer first announced a plan to expand into Asia in October last year.

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  • Fjällräven launches in Singapore with Outside

    Fjällräven launches in Singapore with Outside

    Swedish outdoor apparel brand Fjällräven has launched in Singapore and Malaysia.

    The 59-year-old brand, whose name translates into ‘the arctic fox’ is known for its collections of high-end clothing and equipment which focus on timeless design and long-lifespan.

    Fjällräven collections are now available at the Outside store located at Jumpa@SungeiWang Plaza Kuala Lumpur and at the retailer’s two stores on Singapore’s Orchard Road.

    One of Fjällräven’s most popular products is a backpack called Kånken, which is popular among hipsters and backpackers across the world.

    Outside is an outdoor-lifestyle multi-brand retail store that was launched in July 2017 “to link the gap between people and nature”. Brands it stocks include Patagonia, Keen Footwear, Freitag, Chums, Primus, United By Blue, NatureHike, Ellesse, Diadora, Baggu, Eno, Uttara, Dedicated, Camp Collection and Wildo.

  • H&M disclosing to customers where their clothes were made

    H&M disclosing to customers where their clothes were made

    Swedish fast fashion retailer H&M announced it will add more information to its products on its website later this month as part of a move to create greater product transparency.

    The new information will allow H&M customers to find out which factory produced a given garment, the material composition and solutions for re-using and recycling products that are worn-out, the company stated on its latest sustainability report.

    According to H&M, the company is making strong progress toward its goal to use 100 per cent recycled or other sustainably-sourced materials by 2030.

    H&M said it saw a 35 per cent increase in its goal to use recycled and other sustainably sourced materials for products, with 57 per cent of all materials classified as “sustainable” in 2018.

    The equivalent figure for cotton was 95 per cent, close to the company’s goal to reach 100 per cent next year.

    “Recycled materials are truly a win-win: they stop waste material from going to landfill and reduce the use of virgin raw materials,” said Cecilia Brännsten, H&M’s environmental sustainability manager.

    “However, for many types of textiles, viable recycling solutions either do not exist or are not commercially available on a large scale.”

    Brännsten said the company has been collaborating with scientists and innovators to increase alternative sustainably sourced materials as quickly as possible.

    H&M has also reported it has reduced its CO2 emissions from operations by a further 11 per cent and has set additional green goals, such as reducing the absolute greenhouse gas emissions in the company’s operations by another 40 per cent by 2030.

    The new goals, which are part of H&M’s vision to become climate positive by 2040, were approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative.

    The company said it also wanted all packaging used to be made of 100 per cent recycled or sustainably sourced materials by 2030, a goal which is part of a newly developed packaging strategy.

  • Wayne’s Coffee debuts in China

    Wayne’s Coffee debuts in China

    Swedish cafe chain Wayne’s Coffee has opened its first outlet in China. The new store on Shanghai’s Nanjing Xi Lu serves coffee, sandwiches and Swedish pastries to consumers. The move represents a courageous first step in a market dominated by international and local competitors. China is Wayne’s second market in Asia after the brand launched in Vietnam in June last year. It currently operates seven locations in Ho Chi Minh City.

    While the brand has been criticised for lacking a distinctive look and presumed by some observers to be a local Starbucks clone, the brand has in fact been running in Sweden since 1994, where it was the first venue in the country to serve cafe latte. It was also the first to serve the latte in Saudi Arabia when it opened there in 2010.

    Wayne’s more aggressive expansion phase was recognised when the brand won “Franchise chain of the year 2017” in Stockholm. It currently operates more than 140 locations internationally.

  • Nome Sweden revealed massive expansion plan in China

    Nome Sweden revealed massive expansion plan in China

    Swedish designer brand Nome has launched a new store at Guangzhou Baiyun Wanda. The brand plans to open more than 300 stores in China’s most central shopping centres within a year, with a projected total turnover of more than RMB2 billion (US$290.6 million).

    In the next three to five years, Nome plans more than 2000 stores in China and in excess of 1000 stores overseas. The global business scale is planned to reach RMB50 billion ($7.265 billion), creating a global brand of home furnishing.

    To mark the Guangzhou launch, the brand installed a modernised version of a traditional Guangzhou postal kiosk outside the store. The reimagined newsstand featured a translucent shell emanating blue and white lights to evoke a Nordic style, perceived by the brand as having become more popular amongst Chinese consumers in recent years.

    Swedish designer brand Nome covers 10 categories and more than 3000 SKUs in store, including lifestyle, home, furniture, clothing, digital, beauty, food, shoes, luggage and travel items.

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  • Uniqlo to expand to Sweden

    Uniqlo to expand to Sweden

    Japan’s Fast Retailing plans to launch its Uniqlo clothing brand in Sweden with an initial store in Stockholm this year.

    Taking on its rival H&M in its home market, it marks the cut-price brand’s debut in the Nordic region.

    Uniqlo has fewer than 70 stores in all of Europe, and Fast Retailing CEO Tadashi Yanai says he wants to overtake H&M and Zara parent Inditex of Spain as the world’s top apparel retailer.

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