How luxury retail is utilising F&B

Luxury fashion and jewellery brands are launching into the hospitality and leisure realms with upscale eateries both within their existing retail spaces as well as dedicated F&B venues. They serve as accessible and alluring entry points for consumers wanting a slice of brand magic. 

Extending into the realm of accessible hospitality offers a multi-faceted advantage for brands. By diversifying the offering to accommodate a wider range of consumers, luxury brands can cultivate a sense of inclusivity and democratisation, dispelling the notion that opulence is confined to an exclusive few.

This strategic move by luxury brands to offer accessible hospitality and leisure experiences holds transformative potential by reaching out to a market that aspires to partake in their exclusivity but may currently lack the means. 

This enables luxury brands to bridge the gap between aspiration and reality, cultivating a sense of aspiration fulfilment. By providing a taste of their refined world through accessible offerings, these brands add an entry point for a new wave of consumers who might eventually evolve into full-fledged patrons as their finances grow. 

Tiffany & Co’s Blue Box Café, New York

American jeweller Tiffany & Co’s NYC flagship features a café with a sumptuous menu by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud. Awash with the brand signature pastel blue, the café evokes the timeless glamour of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, with light, seasonal cuisine that takes a French-accented approach to New York classics. If you’re UK based, you’ll also find a Blue Box Café in London department store, Harrods. 

Prada Caffé, London

The Prada Caffe which can also be found in the Harrods department store, is inspired by one of Milan’s oldest cafes, Pasticceria Marchesi. Clad in a mint green hue, the eatery presents branded pastries behind the counters as if these were opulent jewels.

Maison Margiela Café, Chengdu

French luxury fashion house Maison Margiela opened its first café in Chengdu, China in 2022, followed by pop-ups in Shanghai and Shenzhen. The café boasts giant coffee-cup installations as well as cakes in the shape of the brand’s famous Tabi boot.

Louis Vuitton, Qatar

Meanwhile, French luxury label Louis Vuitton’s F&B offering keeps things exclusive but brings their brand to a new space and time when a touch of luxury would be much appreciated. Louis Vuitton’s plush new lounge and dining space at Hamad International Airport in Qatar is accessible to Qatar Airways Gold and Platinum Privilege Club members and Louis Vuitton VIPs. Decked out in designer furniture and finishes, the elegant spot serves everything from Parisian viennoiseries to smoked fish platters, prepared by Michelin-starred chefs. 

And there are plenty of other examples, including Dior Café and Restaurant, Ralph’s Coffee from Ralph Lauren, Thomas’s Café from Burberry and Beige by Chanel. A sure sign of how popular hospitality extensions are for luxury brands right now.

Through these hospitality experiences, luxury brands can forge stronger emotional connections with their customers, fostering brand loyalty and advocacy. Such initiatives enable brands enable brands to showcase their dedication to unparalleled service and attention to detail, translating their core values seamlessly into new avenues.

By blending luxury with accessibility, these brands not only secure their relevance in an evolving landscape but also amplify their appeal to a broader spectrum of modern consumers seeking authentic and memorable experiences.

Why do we know so much about this subject? Well, it’s because we’re currently helping one or two international luxury brands develop F&B concepts of their own, and don’t worry, as soon as we’re allowed to talk about them, you’ll be first to hear about it!