MODERN LUXURY
WITH ITS NEW CONCEPT STORE DESIGN, BRAUN BÜFFEL BREAKS FREE FROM THE CONVENTIONAL CLASSICS. ANINDYA DEVY REPORTS FROM SINGAPORE
Setting the tone for a new retail experience, Braun Büffel Creative Director Fabio Panzeri unveiled a new store design concept at ION Orchard, Singapore, last January. The launch of the new store design concept also marks the first step in the house’s new business strategy. The architectural philosophy of the new design radiates contemporary luxury where a fusion of heritage, modernity and industrial chic come together. The fusion does a wonderful job in keeping up with the modern eclecticism characterizing the house’s newest collection.
This new contemporary vision for the brand is to create a new Braun Büffel experience across multiple physical and digital touchpoints. Customers are invited to find a new retail experience inside the store, where they are encouraged to touch and feel the products. The mood within the store is one of modern luxury paired with quality craftsmanship, created through a combination of material finishes such as marble stone tiles in light gray with streaks of white tones juxtaposed against hints of leather finishes that act as a feature wall, creating a modern eclectic outlook mirroring the Braun Büffel’s new collection. Artisanal hand-brushed finishes on the cement screen provide a threedimensional textured effect that pays homage to the brand’s penchant for artistic expression.
Inspired by the rise of non-conformity in the Generation Z era, Braun Büffel’s spring/summer 2020 collection, titled “Individualism,” is another unconventional collection from Panzeri’s vision. Exploring designs that transition effortlessly to fit a modern lifestyle, the men’s collection takes inspiration from sportswear-inspired shapes. Metropolitan shapes are mixed with distinguishing details of subtle luxury and captures a sleek, modern and carefree attitude of the Braun Büffel man.
Also present at the special occasion is Christiane Brunk, Owner and Managing
Director of Braun Büffel. DAMAN sat down with her and talked about the German brand’s plans for 2020.
DAMAN: What did you learn from your father about the business?
Christiane Brunk:
I think he told me that there are always ups and downs. You do not only get good weather; you have to be prepared for stormy times. But you should be self-confident and once you’ve made a decision, just go ahead with it and go your way. If you personally feel that it’s okay, then do it and you will see the results in the end.
DA: So what are your plans for 2020? Especially for the brand’s expansion in the Asia Pacific region...
CB:
Well, you see it here. We have the new spring/summer 2020 collection and this gorgeous new store design. I think it’s very good and open. I’m very happy to see this because it becomes more modern and we have to balance out the traditional side of Braun Büffel and prepare it for the future. There are new expectations from consumers and with this store concept, we also want to show that with the collection we’re also using other materials other than leather. Lighter materials, but always in combination with leather. And I think this is a great way to approach and to address new and younger consumers.
DA: Speaking of younger consumers, how do you deal with competition from younger brands so far?
CB:
That’s quite interesting because we have a lot experience and I think we have a very solid brand and design philosophy, which is our base. So, you will see the entirety of our experience in these products. We can add new features like all of these tech and gadgets, but we still have the experience of a leather goods manufacturer that has been around for more than 130 years.
DA: So far, what kind of changes has Fabio Panzeri introduced as Creative Director of Braun Büffel?
CB:
I think we have put more effort on the athleisure aspect of the collection because in former times you can say that Braun
Büffel was only about square, round shapes and stiff materials. Now, he has added more contemporary and modern aspects. I was so happy to see the monogram because it took us quite a long time to get a good one and it was quite successful. So yes, it’s good influence for Braun Büffel.
DA: How do you define Braun Büffel man in this day and age?
CB:
I would say that it’s the urban adventurer. So, I think this is the new man because when you see all the collections here, they should be used in different occasions. I think this is what the new generation has been looking for.
DA: Leather craftsmanship is a declining art form, even back in Germany. What do you do to keep this artform alive and support the business at the same time?
CB:
We are one of the few who are still training young people to become craftsmen. Each season, we have around three to five people who join our apprenticeship for two or three years, depending on what kind of school they attend. We also took back some of our lines which we have given to other production houses so we can keep it made in Germany—that’s very important. We put all of our effort in maintaining this craft and invest in young people to learn the techniques.
DA: Will there be a possibility of collaborations for Braun Büffel in the future? CB:
Yes. We are open and we already have this collaboration with Singapore graffiti artist Clogtwo for the encapsulated bottle. I think it’s quite interesting to have collaborations with other business fields. If our values fit together, then it’s an interesting thing because you have stories to tell. Design wise, we’ll see…
“We put all of our effort in maintaining this craft and invest in young people to learn the techniques”