One of the most important features that differentiate luxury brands from others is the lifestyle they offer aside from high prices. In addition to storytelling, collaborations, limited-edition capsule collections, brands also invest in different industries and expand their areas of contact points with their customers. Lately, more and more brands are combining fashion with food through opening cafes and restaurants. From collaborating with world-renowned chefs to architectural details and interiors, these are the perfect places that complement brands’ identity. So that you can have breakfast at Tiffany’s, a coffee at Ralph Lauren, and dinner at Louis Vuitton.
Le Café V
Louis Vuitton opened Maison Osaka Midosuji store designed by Jun Aoki & Associates in Osaka last February. The futuristic shop is unique not only for its aesthetics but also for being the brand’s first venture into culinary waters. Its café called Le Café V is housed on the top floor inside the four storey building. The entrance to the restaurant, named Sugalabo V is through the trap door inside the cafe. Both hotspots will feature dishes from famed Japanese chef Yosuke Suga.
Le Café V is open all day while the doors to Sugalabo V will only open at dinnertime for small groups. The most striking feature of the restaurant is the open kitchen. The interiors have nautical detailing in a nod to the building’s architecture as a whole. Further design details are distinctly LV, such as the sleek table settings. Michael Burke, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, states that they can introduce other restaurant and hotel projects in the near future.
Bar Luce
Designed by American film director Wes Anderson in 2015, Bar Luce is located on the ground floor of the arts foundation Fondazione Prada, co-chaired by Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli. The space take references from Milanese landmarks and cafes dating back to the 1950s and 60s. The influences are visible in many details and materials from Formica furniture to veneered wooden panellings that lines the walls. The pastel-heavy color palette will make you feel like you are in a Wes Anderson movie. Anderson stated that he tried to make it a bar where he would want to spend his non-fictional afternoons in, adding "While I do think it would make a pretty good movie set, I think it would be an even better place to write a movie."
Ralph’s Coffee & Bar
Ralph Lauren opened his latest restaurant in London following his Polo Bar in New York, the RL Restaurant in Chicago and Ralph’s in Paris. Unveiling the restaurant during 2017 London Fashion Week, Ralph’s Coffee & Bar is located in a corner of the Polo Ralph Lauren flagship store on Regent Street. The café shares plenty of hallmarks, in terms of menu and décor with its brothers such as the equestrian theme that the designer is renowned for. The all-American menu offers comfort staples and Ralph's Coffee roasted specifically for Ralph Lauren. The cocktail list includes classics like Old Fashioned as well as London-inspired recipes.
Gucci Osteria
Alessandro Michele decided to open the attraction called Gucci Garden consisting of a museum, restaurant and gift shop in 2018. Gucci Osteria located inside Gucci Garden traveled to LA, to open an intimate restaurant on the roof of the Gucci Rodeo Drive flagship. Gucci partnered with three-Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura, who has created a “deeply Italian” menu with Californian influences. Mario Bizzari, CEO of Gucci, said that they will make some adjustments in the menu to include more vegetarian and seafood dishes.
The Blue Box Cafe
Following the success in New York, Tiffany opened its first Blue Box Café in Europe on the lower ground floor of London’s iconic department store Harrods. The menu offers simple selections for breakfast, afternoon tea and dinnerserv. The design of the cafe is inspired by Tiffany's little blue box. The café in New York will re-open in 2021 once the reinvention of Tiffany New York flagship is completed.
Café Citron & Oursin
Fashion designer Simon Porte Jacquemus draws attention with his venues in Paris as well as his collections. After launching Café Citron earlier in 2019, Jacquemus opened its second dining space named Oursin towards the end of the same year. Both spaces located inside Galeries Lafayette in Champs-Élysées contain different elements from Jacquemus' design aesthetics.
Citron’s simple design is enhanced with its lemon trees, hence the name, and wooden chairs. Meanwhile Oursin resembles an optical white house shimmering along the Mediterranean coast. Jacquemus joined forces with famous pastry chef Cédric Grolet at Café Citron. The menu in Oursin is created by Erica Archambault focusing on regional specialties includes a variety of seafood and pasta dishes.