MCM celebrates first experience store in Berlin

MCM has opened its first experiential store in Berlin, Germany’s capital of cool, which unites the forces of contemporary art, culture and fashion.

Opened in February, the 1976 BERLIN store name refers to the year of the brand’s creation and aims to present a conceptual retail experience for creative engagement. The German luxury brand seeks to provide a space to elevate and celebrate the diversity of modern Berlin.

MCM’s Global Creative Officer Dirk Schoenberger collaborated with David Mallon, c/o Souvenir Service, to create MCM’s first 1976 store in Berlin’s Mitte district. Located on Torstrasse, in a former garage, the store references an art gallery space while keeping hints of the former working environment. Think shattered car windscreens, laid on their side.

MCM's Global Creative Officer Dirk Schoenberger with DJ Dixon and David Mallon

“I want this store to be very different from a regular retail store,” the super-talented Schoenberger tells MJ Rabbit. “I want the space to change all the time. We’ve started with MCM’s Cognac Visetos heritage collection, and over the next few weeks, we’ll change it to black, then colours, then nylon.“

Through the use of raw materials and a minimalistic, industrial store design, the focus is on product luxury and details. Large stones on plinths are paired with stainless steel product displays. Mirrors conjure an industrial look, while coloured carpet details and lush greenery bring touches of natural texture. Playful hints of signal red, mustard yellow and tech orange enliven the space with custom furniture and a bespoke light installation by Bocci, the iconic lighting brand.

Iconic Bocci lighting illuminates MCM's 1976 BERLIN store

“We wanted to design a space which invites creatives into the world of MCM. 1976 BERLIN goes along with my idea to evolve the brand with its strong heritage. Customers today are looking for deeper authenticity in the brands they seek, and I believe this culture approach to a retail concept will convey the energy and attitude of MCM to the next generation of consumers,” says Schoenberger.

The product selection presents a range from MCM’s heritage line, classics and latest releases to special product designs from former and current collaborations. It includes larger leather goods such as backpacks, accessories, ready-to-wear as well as shoes.

Further experiential spaces are planned for MCM’s key cities, including in Tokyo’s Ginza district, which will open in Spring of this year.

The opening night of 1976 BERLIN was musically engineered by the Berlin-based label Innvervisions under art direction by Ana Ofak. After a sound installation by Dixon & Âme, the visual artist Nina Kurtela performed her award-winning piece, 365 routines. Centred on the body on the move, Kurtela’s work mirrors the speed and mobility of today’s nomadic generation. Chloe Caillet played her signature DJ set, inviting the guests to remain “mobile and curious”.

Martell’s artful Chinese New Year strategy

Martell is inviting travellers to celebrate Chinese New Year 2019 by taking part in an exclusive travel retail virtual reality experience designed to let imaginations run free. Marking the launch of Martell Cordon Bleu Limited Edition, the Be The Artist campaign allows those taking part to create personalised art and messages on digital greetings cards.

Martell's travel retail virtual reality experience

The bottle and box design for Martell Cordon Bleu Limited Edition was specially created in collaboration with French artist Mathilde de l'Ecotais, whose design aims to reflect the spirit of Martell. Bringing the gift-giving experience to life, exciting virtual reality activations across various airports allow consumers to draw inspiration from the limited-edition bottle to design their own personalised digital gift cards and share these with loved ones for the gifting season.

Those passing through Sydney, Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai and Paris can access the full virtual reality showcase. Transported to the artist’s unique studio in France, the immersive experience sees participants use a digital paintbrush and palette to create personalised patterns and messages around the life-size limited-edition bottle. 

Taking inspiration from the artist’s own cyanotype bottle design, the VR touch controllers present participants with a variety of colours to express themselves with. While the player is immersed in virtual reality, their experience is also broadcast to other passing travellers via large screens. Upon completion, each work of art is automatically be emailed to their creators. Alternatively, the digital greeting card can be published on social media channels or shared with friends and family to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Those purchasing the limited-edition bottle in domestic markets can also get involved by scanning the on-pack QR code. This transports them to the Be The Artist app, allowing them to create their own masterpieces.

The Martell Cordon Bleu Limited Edition virtual reality and digital experiences will run until the end of February. Martell Cordon Bleu Limited Edition (1 litre) is available in global travel retail, Asia, US and the Pacific now. In parity with Martell Cordon Bleu standard, the retail price is $229.