CONTENTS

Impressum       

Vol.09  Issue 10/05, 15.10.2009

Esprit "Back to the Future"
Hong Kong Flagship Store Grand Opening

The new Esprit flagship store on Hong Kong's Peking Road sets distinctive architectural standards. To celebrate its launch, Esprit will host a grand VIP pre-opening event on 15 October 2009. The store will present an entirely new, unique concept based on the legendary Memphis design, which has been given a contemporary, modern and cosmopolitan interpretation inspired by the products' brand identity, consistent philosophy and diversity. The official opening will follow on 17 October.

On the outside
The store's over 1,000 sq m façade covers the sides of the building complex with three horizontal banners. Designed by the Cologne, German architectural firm Corneille Uedingslohman, it creates a never-before-seen surface effect:
the façade banners consist of dark metal perforated in regular intervals with embedded glass lenses. Each of the over 24,000 glass lenses is backlit with individually-controlled LEDs. The resulting overall pixel façade offers the potential for interactive display - an effect that reveals its full radiance at night, while the reflection of the surroundings mean dramatic effects during the day.

On the inside
Fascinating structures and interaction define the Esprit flagship store's setting. The interior architects rendered the Memphis design, deeply rooted in Esprit's brand language, as a new graphic concept. "Back to the Future" describes a look that brings the values of the international lifestyle brand - freshness, youth, spontaneity and sportiness - to life inside the store.

Together with the Esprit architecture department, Schwitzke & Partner from Düsseldorf, Germany developed a holistic interior concept.
The pattern designs adapted from the Memphis design in earlier Esprit stores such as zoom room, double dots, mosaic or round quad mean extensive variety and are designed using a continuous colour codex.

Even the colours are reminding of the early Esprit design language, but are more pastel, calm and refined for 2009. Several visual merchandising accessories were developed to achieve a dense staging effect.
The optical experience is complemented with tactical effects: an artisan character is visible throughout. The oak is coarse. Robust black paint makes decorative plates on platforms appear suspended in midair.

With this innovative store concept, Esprit has created a direct link between the city, pedestrians on the street and the store. Although everything's new, it all evokes that good feeling of the familiarity of a close friend.

Esprit in figures
In the 2008/2009 business year, Esprit Holdings Limited generated a worldwide group turnover of around EUR 3.1 billion (as of 30.06.2009). The net profits increased to around EUR 428 million. The share of Esprit Holdings Limited is listed on the Hong Kong stock market and is included in both the Hang Seng Index, in the MCSI Index Hong Kong, as well as in the FTSE All World Index for Hong Kong., S&P/HKEx LargeCap Index and S&P Asia 50 Index.

The Group operates more than 800 directly managed retail stores worldwide and distributes its products via more than 14,000 wholesale locations around the globe. The company has more than 1.1 million square metres of sales area in more than 40 countries (as per 6/2009).

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