Alfred Dunhill used state-of-the-art technology for its Fall/Winter 2012 presentation and left the audience in awe.
British label Alfred Dunhill leaves the press speechless with its Fall/Winter 2012 collection in Shanghai, China.
The world has finally realised that China is a force to be reckoned with. Alfred Dunhill, on the other hand, knew that 20 years ago, when it set up its first Chinese standalone store in Shanghai. (The British label now has more than 100 stores across Mainland China and nine in Hong Kong.)
So when Alfred Dunhill hosted more than 1,000 journalists and guests from all around the world for its Fall/Winter 2012 collection on 16 March in Shanghai, it was a homecoming fit for a king.
The wet weather that night was perhaps also befitting, bringing to mind the grey, rainy skies synonymous with London.
Titled Trafalgar (following the Home concept in London in 2011, and Momentary in New York in 2010), the presentation was a blockbuster showcase that could easily rival any big budget Hollywood production. Think holographic projections (courtesy of the Maya 3D Projection Mapping Technology) using one of the longest CGI sequences, where the four seasons were delightfully captured on a virtual bubble with 64 models gloriously decked out in Alfred Dunhill finery - an elegant and poetic marriage of Eastern and Western cultures. Simply breathtaking.
That's not all. British violin virtuoso Charlie Siem (who appeared in the first Alfred Dunhill Voices campaign) also gave a live performance with his rendition of Vaughan William's Lark Ascending and Chinese composer Tan Dun's Love in Distance. Accompanied by a nine-piece Chinese orchestra, the performance was hauntingly beautiful and ethereal. To top off the experience, a fragrance inspired by the rain was specially created to scent the event hall. In all, a show that pays homage to a brand that's rich in history and boasts luxurious craftsmanship.
Alfred dunhill's retail space is stretched over two floors. The ground floor houses the Travel and Discovery Room, which reflects the brand's commitment to personalisation, luxury and exclusivity. The Vintage Room displays museum products that reflect Alfred's chic dandyism and free spirit.
The second floor includes the White Shirt Bar and Bespoke Tailoring Room where customers can experience the traditional British bespoke tailoring service headed by Savile Row-trained Daniel Williams. There's also a three-chair traditional English barber "shop".
For a pre-dinner cocktail. kick back and relax at the very exclusive Private Lounge and Dining room on the top floor.
To end the night, about 300 VIPs were whisked off to an intimate after-party in the heart of the city on Huai Hai Road at the elegant Shanghai Home of Alfred Dunhill, a concept store that includes an art gallery, a fine-dining restaurant and a bar, as well as personal-concierge service. Built in the 1920s, it was a neo-classical villa in the former French concession. There are three other Alfred Dunhill Homes, in Tokyo, Hong Kong and London.
