MCM's Munich flagship debuts pet zoo

MCM has opened its latest flagship boutique in the German luxury brand’s hometown of Munich – introducing a zoo, complete with rabbits, dogs and lions. All the animals are crafted from the brand’s signature Cognac Visetos monogram material.

Above and below: Welcome to the MCM Zoo

The MCM Zoo features a theatrical collection of the brand's latest pet figurines, in both the Cognac Visetos material and other colours. Seeking to evoke paradise, the new space was designed “a secret garden of style”, according to the brand.

Located on the neoclassic Brienner Straße, the 150sq m flagship is MCM’s the third major launch in Germany. It has a classic-meets-contemporary ambience, fusing German heritage with contemporary European culture, and gives a firm nod to the brand’s birthplace in the heart of Bavaria. 

The new boutique features a golden facade boasting a “decadent aesthetic”, according to the brand, with contemporary, clean lines, subtle, neutral tones and touches of tradition, inspired by MCM’s signature brass plate designs.

The gold-themed interior design

The interior design allows for sweeping views throughout the exhibition panels, offering a variety of spatial experiences which aims to give a unique character to each of the different product ranges on display.

Munich's neoclassical Brienner Straße is one of four royal avenues and was constructed from 1812 onwards. The avenue is named after the Battle of Brienne, fought in 1814.

More pictures of the new MCM flagship in Munich below:

A social experiment at Copenhagen airport

A new pop-up restaurant, HALLO HELLO, has opened at Copenhagen airport, focusing on innovative gourmet food and social interaction. Helmed by the original chef duo from I’m a KOMBO, entrepreneurs Lasse Askov and Bo Lindegaard, the eaterie specialise in flavours, innovation and dialogue. From August 19 to September 14, travellers can share a unique three-course menu with a stranger.

Strangers dining together at HALLO HELLO

Karen Bender, e-commerce and marketing director at Copenhagen airport, said: "Copenhagen airport is at the front of the queue, ready to share good dining experiences with our visitors and give them something to write home about. In fact, we know that more than one in two passengers travels alone, which gives us a unique opportunity to give these people an experience they can share with a person they don't know and take happy memories with them.”

Friendly signage outside the restaurant

Mobile dessert

Explaining the concept, Lasse Askov and Bo Lindegaard of I’m a KOMBO said: "The objective is to establish a dialogue between two travellers who would otherwise never have talked with each other. We do so by offering them a dining experience where travellers who do not know each other meet and share a meal. Hopefully, they will take this mood along to their flight and when they travel into the world."

HALLO HELLO offers a three-course menu focusing on seasonal ingredients. There is a choice of a meat menu or a fish menu. The restaurant is designed so that guests share a table. The tray presented by the waiter serves both as a tray and a tabletop with space for the things the guests will share. The last course of the menu is served in a goodie bag which the guest can take along and share on his or her flight, train ride or the like.

Factfile: HALLO HELLO by I’m a KOMBO

- Danish chefs Lasse Askov and Bo Lindegaard are in their fourth year of running the social dining concept I’m a KOMBO. They focus on food and how it is eaten. 

-  The pop-up restaurant HALLO HELLO is open for social dining experiences from August 19 to September 14. It is open every day from 11.30am to 8.30pm.

-  The menu consists of three servings: a starter, a main course and a dessert. The dessert is a goodie bag to take away.

-  The menu is priced at DKr250, and all beverages are DKr50, no matter what you choose.

-  HALLO HELLO is located airside after security.

-  Reservations can be made by e-mail to cb@primetime.dk

Follow on Facebook and Instagram at #HalloHello.

Enjoy your meal!

The Best of British, airport style

Passengers travelling through London Gatwick airport can embark on a gin journey with Pernod Ricard-owned Beefeater Gin, which has designed a branded airport takeover in its hometown. The campaign celebrates the launch of this year’s Beefeater Gin limited-edition #SpiritofLondon bottle, coinciding with travel retailer World Duty Free Group’s Best of British Summer promotional campaign.

The gin journey begins in World Duty Free’s store in the departure lounge, where a Mini car is on display in a vibrant and dynamic space. 

The Beefeater gin-filled Mini on display at World Duty Free's store

Travellers are also encouraged to take their Beefeater Gin experience online, uploading their photos to Instagram using #spiritoflondon. In addition, passengers can use their Instagram profiles and #spiritoflondon to upload and share a picture of the Beefeater space which is then posted onto an interactive Instagram wall in the World Duty Free store. Their photo can be printed as a Polaroid to go in their #spiritoflondon souvenir alongside a gin cocktail book and guide to the brand's London distillery.

Images posted on the Instagram wall

The high-impact store space has London-inspired branded display units, echoing the design of the limited-edition bottle and depicting the contrast between the rich history and contemporary touches of the UK capital. Immersive elements of the experience include complimentary cocktail samples and a specially selected Beefeater Gin Best of British playlist which provides the soundtrack for passengers in-store and throughout the airport.

Beefeater gin's limited-edition #SpiritofLondon bottle

Sue Gosling, head of global experiential marketing and creative solutions at World Duty Free Group, said: “This is one of the first, holistic brand experiences that fully utilises the suite of digital opportunities that come with our ‘Contentainment’ collaborations. Innovative, experiential activities like this bring such energy to the retail space and this creative interaction and passenger engagement (both online and offline) really helps drive footfall.”

Nigel Sandals, liquor category manager UK at World Duty Free Group, added: “This limited-edition, Spirit of London bottle has already been well received in-store with passengers. With an exciting design that perfectly epitomises the Best of British, it is a real collectors’ piece and we look forward to seeing some great sales results.”

Adriana Perez, assistant brand manager for Beefeater, said: “As the UK and Spain are the two of the largest Beefeater markets globally, we decided to inject the heart of the Beefeater brand to Gatwick airport, the primary hub for travellers of both nationalities. We’re excited to launch this year’s limited edition Spirit of London not only with our bold in-airport offering, but also through our engaging social media activity. It means passengers can savour the gin they love in an entertaining space but also get to know the brand more and keep interacting with us even after they’ve left the airport.”

The Beefeater takeover runs until September 2. Follow @Beefeaterginexperience on Instagram and @BeefeaterLondon on Twitter to see the experience come to life.

Davidoff flagship opens in Kuala Lumpur

Davidoff’s flagship store at Kuala Lumpur’s Pavilion KL shopping reopened in June, featuring an 8.5sq m walk-in humidor.

Davidoff's new flagship in Kuala Lumpur

"We are proud to unveil the new Davidoff flagship store with its unique humidor in Kuala Lumpur,” said Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, CEO and a board member of Oettinger Davidoff AG. “We would like to offer our aficionados new, innovative opportunities for relaxation and enjoyment and provide top quality in combination with top service and the best conditions possible, following our vision to be the indispensable business partner for our clients.”

Located at the heart of the city centre, the Davidoff flagship promises visitors “a real oasis of quiet and relaxation”, said Hoejsgaard. The 42.5sq m store was designed in accordance with the international design concept "Davidoff of Geneva – since 1911" and aims to embody the brand’s combination of “innovative savoir-faire and savoir-vivre”.

The exclusive interior design with fine timbers and natural materials in earthy tones, which are reminiscent of the colour of cigars, creates a contemporary, warm environment imbued with copper tones. Under the management of Bluebell Asia, the store features accessories, including art humidors, and high-level service. Besides a wide variety of all Davidoff lines, aficionados can also find AVO, Camacho, Griffin’s and Zino Platinum cigars, as well as a selection from other origins.

“Aficionados are welcome here at any time, in order to take time out from the hustle and bustle of the city,” said Hoejsgaard.

“This avant-garde place is a cosmopolitan and cultural stronghold, whose diversity always surprises, time after time,” enthused Nelly Ngadiman, general manager of Bluebell Malaysia.

MCM debuts largest European boutique at Harrods

MCM has opened a new shop-in-shop concept in London department store Harrods – the German luxury brand’s largest department store shop-in-shop in Europe.

The Harrods space spans 105sq m and is located on the lower ground floor. The interior design concept is natural polished wood combined with gold highlights, designed to be the perfect canvas for the bags, reflecting both the brand's luxurious heritage and traditional craftsmanship.

Above and below: MCM is showcased in the Harrods store windows

     

Inside the store is a designated lounge area - a feature shared by many MCM boutiques - and the brand new Autumn/Winter 14 collection. 

To celebrate Harrods’ “Made With Love” campaign, which centres on exclusive product and bespoke services, MCM teamed up with London-based art collective Graffiti Life to create personalised notebooks for customers. On purchasing an MCM product, customers were gifted with an exclusive notebook which they could have painted and customised with their name by professional graffiti artists widely known on the street-art scene. Customers visiting the boutique wearing their MCM product were also gifted with a personalised notebook during the two-day event, which took place in August.

Personalised notebooks for Harrods customers

Take a look at MCM's new Harrods space here:

Visit www.mcmworldwide.com