Montblanc, international designer, retailer, and manufacturer of fine writing instruments, leather goods, watches, jewelry, eyewear and fragrance, plans to open a 2,500-sq.ft. flagship boutique at the corner of New York’s 57th Street and Madison Ave. This new store, the largest in the world for Montblanc, is scheduled to open in late October.
Success in product diversification and significant increases in watch and leather sales, prompted the brand to seek out a large space to showcase the company’s growing product collections, the company said in a statement.
In addition, Montblanc said is has enjoyed further success with their Bohéme writing instrument and leather collections due to the brand’s visible presence in New York through its association with Baz Luhrmann and his production of Puccini’s La Bohéme on Broadway.
“This deal exemplifies the vitality of the brand,” said Karsten Martens, president and CEO, Montblanc North America. “We will continue our aggressive, highly successful business strategy of diversification while maintaining the core brand values that have made Montblanc a preferred luxury brand for decades. This new flagship will serve to remind customers that Montblanc is an icon of enduring, timeless style.”
The new store will be Montblanc’s 49th North American boutique. It will replace the company’s current Madison Avenue location.
For the opening, the company plans an outdoor art exhibit at Rockefeller Center called The Art of Shopping in New York –an exhibit of giant shopping bags, commissioned by Montblanc and designed by well-known contemporary artists.
Billed as a “gift to all New Yorkers,” the company said the exhibit will celebrate not only the opening of the new Montblanc global flagship boutique but also New Yorkers’ highest art form: shopping. The exhibit will be held Oct. 30 through Nov. 13.
The six shopping bag sculptures are designed by world-renowned artists, including New York’s David LaChapelle, Jean-Marc Bustamante (France), Sylvie Fleury (Switzerland), Anne & Patrick Poirier (France), and Gary Hume and Sam Taylor-Wood (both of the United Kingdom). Each shopping bag stands approximately 10 feet high, seven feet wide, and three feet deep; and weighs approximately 882 pounds.
The interior design of the new boutique will reveal a contemporary look for Montblanc, expressing the new spirit of the brand, and similar to the boutique design recently unveiled at Montblanc’s Paris boutique on the Champs-Elysées, the company said. Sleek, modern displays and cool hues will accentuate the collection of contemporary lifestyle products.
French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte will design the space, the company said. Montblanc’s writing instruments, watches, leather goods, and fragrances will be presented in an open, loft-like environment. Blue tones accented by a classic natural wood setting, and matte silver detailing, will be a departure from Montblanc’s current black, white, and gold boutique design.
Montblanc’s North American operations include 49 freestanding boutiques, 56 shop-in-shops and 67 corners in selected fine jewelry and department stores. Montblanc, Established in 1906 by a partnership among a stationery trader, a banker and an engineer, is one of several premium brands owned by the Swiss luxury goods holding company, Richemont.
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