Fashion and Luxury brands are branching out into the food and beverage industry with their own iterations of chic restaurants and luxurious cafés. This is part of a growing trend where brands create lifestyle spaces that translate their brand identity in a visually compelling way, aimed at reaching broader markets and wider demographics. Higher footfall translates to higher brand visibility and wider exposure across a range of clients with different tastes and budgets. Customers can now indulge in a luxurious setting courtesy of their favorite brands and buy into a brand without having to spend ‘luxury prices.’ This is a strategy that brands are investing in to create a new holistic experience that takes what clients might see online into the realm of reality.
Take, for instance, Louis Vuitton’s LV The Place Bangkok—the space includes Louis Vuitton’s men’s and women’s ranges as well as a restaurant, all under one roof, highlighting a closely knit web of interactions for a better customer experience. Customers come in to shop and sit down for a meal or a drink before leaving. This is a strategic form of marketing—selling the consumer something they didn’t know they needed.
At Star Brands Consulting Group, we recognize the power of brand expansion into hospitality. Below, we explore how top luxury fashion houses are merging their signature aesthetics with gastronomy to create unique, immersive experiences.
LV The Place Bangkok
Louis Vuitton has unveiled its new café and restaurant, helmed by celebrated Indian chef Gaggan Anand. This is the Maison’s first restaurant in South Asia and features a seasonal menu infusing Thai cuisine with Louis Vuitton’s signature style codes. Aside from the unique culinary journey, the location is also home to an immersive exhibition dubbed “Visionary Journeys” and a contemporary store that continues the alluring fashion venture with elegant layouts that capture the essence of Louis Vuitton. LV The Place Bangkok offers more than just a memorable food journey—it’s an experience that embodies luxury at its finest.
Find the location here:
LV The Place Bangkok
Gaysorn Amarin Level G-2,
496-502, Ploenchit Rd, Bangkok
Dior Café
After a series of pop-up coffee shops throughout Asia, Europe, and North America, Shanghai’s Dior Café is one of a select number of permanent Dior hospitality offerings worldwide. It joins Monsieur Dior restaurant in Paris and Dior Café in Seoul, bringing a fusion of Asian and French cuisine served with panoramic views of the city. The interiors feature black-and-white houndstooth chairs, a nod to Christian Dior, one of the first designers to incorporate the print in the 1940s.
Discover the location here:
Shop Unit S-L3-14, Shanghai Qiantan Taikoo Li,
No. 1-9, Lane 500 Dongyu Road
Coach Restaurant
The Coach Restaurant and Coach Coffee Shop recently opened its doors at the Grand Indonesia Mall in Jakarta. The space takes inspiration from Coach Play Singapore Shophouse, which debuted in 2023. The Coach Restaurant combines local charm and an optimistic New York spirit to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience. The restaurant’s interior decor is inspired by an elevated take on classic New York diners and steakhouses, with leather booths and mirrored walls. Next door, the Coach Coffee Shop offers an assortment of New York-style pizzas, delicious pastries, and desserts featuring motifs of the Coach Rexy.
Find the restaurant here:
Grand Indonesia West Mall, Level G.
Jl. MH Thamrin No.1, Jakarta Pusat, 10310
Vivienne Westwood Café
The Vivienne Westwood Café is available in both Shanghai and in Hong Kong’s Harbour City. Divided into an 18th-century-style French tea room and a modern shooting studio, the restaurant is the whimsical representation of past meets present. The late Westwood aesthetic goes off the catwalk and onto the wallpaper with trompe l’oeil painting techniques. The utensils and tea sets used in the Café are engraved with Vivienne Westwood’s signature Orb logo or decorated with the label’s signature tartan. Westwood often remodeled and renamed her shop according to the changes in the theme of her designs.
The Vivienne Westwood Café is located at:
300 Huaihai Zhong Road Luwan District,
Huangpu,
B3 Shanghái
Emporio Armani Caffè
First opened in Milan in 2000, the Emporio Armani Caffè Milano brings sophisticated simplicity to the food and beverage industry. An exclusive location paired with creative dishes leads to an authentic sensory experience. Divided into two sections, the ground floor features a café where guests can sample freshly made pastries and other delicacies. The first floor houses the main restaurant, complete with a new champagne bar at the entrance.
Find it here:
Armani Hotel Milano
Via dei Giardini, 2,
20121 Milano MI, Italy
Café Kitsuné
Maison Kitsuné’s Café Kitsuné reinvents caffeine classics with Parisian and Tokyo influences. With a focus on artisanal roasting and high-quality beans, customers can indulge in americanos, dirty chai, and mochaccino, along with teas, pastries, juices, and ice cream. Café Kitsuné has expanded beyond its original locations in Japan and France, with branches in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Indonesia.
Locations:
- Kuala Lumpur: G.77.0, Plaza The Exchange TRX, Persiaran TRX, Tun Razak Exchange 55188
- Singapore: 13 Stamford Rd, #01-11, 178905
- Jakarta: Ashta at District 8 GF 31 & 31A SCBD Lot 28 Jl Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 52-53, 12190
- Tokyo: Aoyama CAFÉ & BAR 3-15-9 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku
The Blue Box Café by Tiffany & Co.
Offering a Michelin-starred menu curated by chef Daniel Boulud, The Blue Box Café by Tiffany & Co. serves signature dishes made with the highest-quality ingredients. The redesigned space includes a private dining area and a bar with exclusive art installations, making it a must-visit for those looking to experience the elegance of Tiffany beyond jewelry.
Find it here:
Tiffany & Co. The Landmark
727 5th Ave, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10022
Zacaffe
Zara is among the latest to enter the café scene, following the success of its Zacaffe concept in Madrid, China, and now South Korea. However, the Spanish fast-fashion giant is far from alone in blending retail with coffee culture. Several high-end fashion brands have already embraced this concept, successfully turning their stores into experiential hubs.
Ralph Lauren: A Pioneer in Fashion Cafés
Ralph Lauren was one of the earliest luxury brands to explore the coffeehouse trend, launching Ralph’s Coffee in New York in 2014. The venture quickly gained traction, leading to expansions across major fashion capitals. In September 2024, Ralph’s Coffee debuted in South Korea, opening in Seoul’s trendy Garosu-gil district. The café’s classic green-and-white aesthetic, combined with an American-style menu, has made it a hit, drawing long queues even on weekdays.
Building on this momentum, Ralph’s Coffee also introduced a pop-up store at The Hyundai Seoul, reinforcing the growing demand for luxury coffee experiences within retail environments. The pop-up’s success underscores how fashion-branded cafes can function as powerful marketing tools, engaging both brand loyalists and new customers alike.
Find it here:
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
2 Bayfront Avenue, #01-71.
Gelato Pique: Luxury Homewear Meets Café Culture
Another Japanese brand, Gelato Pique, ventured into the café business in September 2024 with Pique Café in Hannam-dong, Seoul. Specializing in crepes and gelato, the café aligns perfectly with Gelato Pique’s “comfortable luxury” brand philosophy. This integration of food and fashion enhances the shopping experience while reinforcing the brand’s aesthetic and values.
Why Fashion Brands Are Investing in Cafés
The rise of fashion-branded cafes is not merely a passing trend—it represents a strategic shift in retail. Several key factors are driving this movement:
- Creating Immersive Brand Experiences
As online shopping continues to rise, brands are looking for ways to engage customers in physical spaces. A well-designed café within a fashion store offers a sensory experience that online shopping simply cannot replicate. - Increasing Customer Dwell Time
Cafés encourage customers to spend more time in-store, leading to higher chances of purchases. By offering coffee, pastries, and curated lifestyle products, brands can extend shopping experiences into social and leisure activities. - Enhancing Brand Identity and Loyalty
A branded café allows fashion companies to reinforce their aesthetic and values in a tangible way. This added touchpoint strengthens customer relationships and builds long-term loyalty. - Expanding Revenue Streams
Beyond just selling apparel, incorporating food and beverage options adds an additional revenue channel. Exclusive, co-branded merchandise such as coffee mugs, tote bags, and limited-edition apparel further drive sales.
The Future of Experiential Retail
As more fashion brands embrace the café concept, the lines between retail, lifestyle, and hospitality will continue to blur. The success of Ralph’s Coffee, Café Kitsuné, and Zacaffe signals a larger industry shift toward experiential shopping, where customers are not just buying products but immersing themselves in a brand’s world.
With e-commerce reshaping consumer habits, brick-and-mortar stores must evolve to remain relevant. Fashion-branded cafes represent a forward-thinking approach to retail, offering a unique way to attract foot traffic, enhance brand perception, and foster customer loyalty. As this trend gains momentum, expect to see more brands joining the movement, transforming flagship stores into multifaceted lifestyle destinations.
Final Thoughts
As a premier consulting group specializing in luxury branding and franchising, Star Brands Consulting Group understands the importance of brand diversification. By stepping into hospitality, these luxury labels are not only enhancing brand loyalty but also creating exclusive, immersive experiences that solidify their cultural and commercial impact.
At Star Brands Consulting Group, we help brands strategize their expansion into new industries, ensuring seamless integration of luxury, lifestyle, and customer engagement. Interested in exploring brand expansion opportunities? Contact us today.