In a sign that Apple wants its new smartwatch to be considered as much a fashion object as a tech toy, the company showcased its Apple Watch at high-end Paris boutique Colette on Sept. 30, during the city’s fashion week.
Prior to the store’s opening, Apple designer Jony Ive hosted Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld and Vogue editor Anna Wintour for exclusive try-ons. Photos from the event can be seen here.
Other visitors were not allowed the same privilege as Lagerfeld or Wintour, as the watches were kept under glass, leaving visitors only to gawk. Even so, lines formed around the block for what was just the second public viewing of the high-tech timepiece.
Many interpreted Apple’s display at Colette as a sign that it will look outside its traditional distribution channels, with Quartz noting that Apple chose the boutique over its two branded stores in Paris.
“That it chose Colette for today’s pop-up suggests that the company is tailoring its strategy—and gets fashion pretty well,” the publication wrote.
The watch will go on sale next year. The entry-level watch is priced at $349, and estimates for the high-end 18k gold models go anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000, observers say.
Analysts at Pipar Jaffray recently predicted Apple will sell 10 million watches next year, which it called a “conservative estimate.”
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