It has been a good year for high-end British brand Burberry. Burberry has seen a significant rise in sales as a result of its soaring popularity among Chinese consumers.
The brand currently has 57 stores in China but is looking to double this figure across Asia over the next few years. It is a lucrative business venture with the growing consumer demand for luxury goods in this part of the world.
As part of its aggressive expansion plan, Burberry opened up its most elaborate and technologically advanced flagship store to date at Sparkle Roll Plaza in Beijing last month.
The new store stocks Burberry’s Prorsum, London, Brit and Sports lines as well as a full range of men’s, ladies and children’s clothing, leather goods and accessories, fragrances, watches and glasses.
Burberry’s new 12,500 sq ft flagship store is an instant attention grabber with huge model graphics and a striking black criss-cross effect. The whole store is also windowless.
The design reflects everything the brand stands for. It is elegant, sleek and premium.
It uses the latest technologies including touch screens for customers and iPads for staff, making the consumer retail experience more interactive.
The wireless network throughout the store will allow iPads to connect to Burberry global platforms and the advanced sound system throughout store. This will also allow customers to play their own content on the iPod dock.
Burberry has installed a 3x5m video wall in the store, which showcases Burberry content. It has also installed floor-to-ceiling external LED screens on its giant 9x5m exterior walls.
This retail theatre concept enables Burberry to stream content directly from its global headquarters in London.
In the future, this will enable the company to throw a party in the parking lot so that customers in China can watch live runway shows from London in Beijing.
Burberry staff will then walk around with their iPads to help place orders online for the clients while they are enjoying the party.
Launch event
Burberry hosted a grand fashion show at Beijing Television Centre to coincide with the launch of its flagship store in Beijing. The fashion and technology event featured life-like hologram models parading up and down the catwalk.
The luxury brand celebrated its roots and the famous British weather by working its way through the four seasons. At one point the holograms burst into snowflakes.
The show also included a live set from the British band Keane, who played their first gig in China. The event was transmitted to the large LED screens on the outside of the new Burberry flagship store.
