Jimmy Choo just announced the opening of a pink-themed café in Harrods this week, which will no doubt be the ultimate place for content creators and shoe addicts. An initiative that echoes the rise in gastronomic diversification of luxury houses. It seems many luxury brands are taking steps such as these to produce viral moments, Louis Vuitton restaurant for example, which raises a question: is the future of fashion to create unique experiences through lifestyle environments?
Open until 30 September, Jimmy Choo’s new table is located on the fifth floor of the department stores’, just a few strategic steps from the shoe area.
For this gastronomic incursion, the house is giving pride of place to an Instagrammable atmosphere, a vector for capturing a connected clientele and increasing visibility on social networks. Logotype tableware, fleece decor, golden mirror… The brand has opted for a full-fuchsia design, a colour that Jimmy Choo has highlighted in several of its collections in recent years.
As for the menu, it has been imagined by Harrods’ chefs, with pastries, snacks, and drinks. On the menu: raspberry croissant, summer berry jelly, pink champagne, crostini puffs, mini-sandwiches, or a variation of typically British teas and infusions.
But really, the “Choo Café” is not so much about the food. The fabulous fuchsia interiors and pink JC branded decoration have been designed as a nod to the brand’s latest handbag line. Through this initiative, the house intends to boost the launch of its “Varenne Avenue” handbag collection, which should be unveiled this autumn.
This pop-up operation also embodies the gastronomic diversification carried out by luxury players. In Miami, Fendi opened a café inspired by its 2022 summer line, while Veuve Clicquot installed its Sunny Side Up Café in London as part of its anniversary campaign. Recently, Louis Vuitton inaugurated its first restaurant in France, a few months after the opening of a Dior table and a Gucci cocktail bar.
From permanent spaces to ephemeral initiatives, fashion brands now rhyme with culinary tasting.
Words by Melodie Bitala-Samba
Header image: @harrods
