Mappin & Webb has made its return to Birmingham at long last, “marking a new chapter for one of Britain’s most prestigious jewellers”.
Mappin & Webb
It’s taken over two decades but the Watches of Switzerland-owned brand’s return to the city comes with a premium showroom site located beneath the historic Burlington Hotel on New Street.
Just moments from the city’s Jewellery Quarter, the showroom “celebrates the deep connection between the brand’s craftsmanship and Birmingham’s long-standing reputation for creativity and design excellence”.
Following a seven-month refurbishment, the 2,800 sq ft showroom features a “world-class collection of luxury watch and jewellery brands within a refined and immersive environment”.
Key to the interior design is a dedicated hospitality bar, private consultation areas and statement chandelier and architectural detailing, “which pay homage to the building’s historic character”.
In a first for the city, the introduction of an external Rolex clock reinforces the century-long partnership between the brands. Of course, a dedicated Rolex area is located at the heart of the showroom where visitors can explore the full range of collections. This also includes a curated selection of Rolex Certified Pre-owned watches.
Additionally, the showroom features luxury timepieces from brands including IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, TAG Heuer, and Tudor.
The jewellery highlight includes one of America’s “most innovative fine jewellery designers” David Yurman, which is exclusive to the Watches of Switzerland Group. Venetian jeweller Roberto Coin is also present alongside Mappin & Webb’s own fine jewellery collections.
Joining other new-concept Mappin & Webb locations in York, Bluewater, Glasgow and Manchester, the Birmingham showroom “reinforces the Watches of Switzerland Group’s strategic vision to strengthen its city presence while balancing heritage with innovation”.
Louis Vuitton has become the title partner of Monaco Grand Prix, further cementing its relationship with the most glamorous race in Formula One.
Louis Vuitton’s specially designed trunk – Louis Vuitton
This multi-year collaboration continues the official partnership between Louis Vuitton and Formula 1, dating back to 2021 in Monaco.
Previously a partner of the Automobile Club de Monaco from 2021 to 2024, and then of Formula 1 since 2025, Louis Vuitton has celebrated the victories of Max Verstappen (2021 and 2023), Sergio Pérez (2022), Charles Leclerc (2024), and Lando Norris (2025) on the Monaco circuit.
Each victory acclaimed by presenting a bespoke Louis Vuitton Trophy Trunk designed to protect and showcase the Grand Prix de Monaco trophy.
“Louis Vuitton is proud to reassert its commitment by stepping up for the first time as a Title Partner of the Grand Prix- a symbolic status of legend, elegance, and daring,” the house said in a release.
Making the bespoke trunk – Louis Vuitton
This means that in 2026, Louis Vuitton will present the Monaco Grand Prix Trophy Trunk for the sixth consecutive year. Crafted in its historic workshops at Asnières, the trunk will be clad in the iconic Monogram canvas interpreted in a shade of red echoing the national colour of the Principality. While also incorporating the signature “V” for Vuitton and Victory in white and red, recalling the national flag of Monaco.
The bespoke trunk distils more than 170 years of expertise and tradition in the Art of Travel, once again underlining the French brand’s motto: “Victory travels in Louis Vuitton.”
As in other Formula 1 races, the luxury brand will also be represented on the trackside with creative banners that reinterpret the Louis Vuitton signature to evoke the sensation of Formula 1 speed. Linking the brand’s concept of timeless elegance with the legendary Monaco circuit.
The first LV auto trunks designed by Georges Vuitton date back to the late 19th century. Later Trophy Trunks were created for some of the greatest sports competitions: the America’s Cup in 1993; FIFATM World Cup; the Ballon d’Or; and the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics.
Brioni reinforces Paris’s status as one of its key international destinations with the opening of its boutique in the Ville Lumière, located at 229 rue Saint-Honoré.
Brioni in Paris. The exterior – Brioni
Set across two levels, the new space welcomes visitors into a contemporary, refined setting defined by natural materials and a warm colour palette that pairs polished travertine and herringbone oak with neutral-toned surfaces and dark metal details.
Linen in shades of beige and blue wraps the furnishings and panelling, helping to create a luminous atmosphere in harmony with the brand’s aesthetic. A curated selection of vintage Italian furniture lends the space a timeless character, adding depth and refinement. Iconic pieces of 20th-century design, including armchairs, tables, and original furnishings, dialogue with the boutique’s materials and colour palette, creating an elegant, understated balance.
Brioni in Paris. An interior view – Brioni
The new Brioni boutique showcases the brand’s men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, formalwear, leisurewear, accessories, and fragrances, and offers an exclusive bespoke service.
Founded in 1945, Brioni was the first menswear brand to stage a fashion show (in Florence’s legendary Sala Bianca) in 1952. The fashion house has been part of the Paris-based French luxury group Kering since 2011. From 2018, the brand’s direction was shaped by the acclaimed Austrian menswear couturier Norbert Stumpfl, whose tenure came to an end last week. Under Stumpfl, Brioni also expanded deftly into womenswear, expressing an understated luxury with rare aplomb.
Brioni in Paris. An interior view – Brioni
In recent months, between July and September, Brioni also opened stores on the fourth floor of the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, at Dubai Mall, in Tokyo’s Roppongi Hills on the renowned Keyakizaka Street, and in Monterrey, Mexico, inside Palacio de Hierro. The Rome-based high-end men’s tailoring brand boasts a global presence with stores in numerous countries, notably Italy, the US, the UK, France, Japan, China (including Hong Kong), the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Mexico, Russia, India, South Korea, Turkey, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan.
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ASOS’s goal to elevate its menswear offer with more premium labels continues apace. Now you can add four more brands to its “growing roster of globally-recognised and design-led brands”.
ASOS
This now includes Madrid-based streetwear label Pompeii, US denim major True Religion, Scandi brand Double A by Wood Wood, and streetwear brand No Problemo “each bringing a distinct aesthetic to the ASOS menswear mix”.
“Together, these brands represent ASOS’s commitment to offering customers access to quality craftsmanship, directional design, and cultural relevance… the expanded line-up highlights the breadth and depth of ASOS’s menswear range” it said.
Shazmeen Malik, Brands director at ASOS said: “Our recent brand launches mark a shift in how we show up for Menswear, delivering standout style, cultural connection, and more of what our customer wants. With a carefully curated premium streetwear offering, [this] is the place for fashion-forward customers to find bold, relevant, and quality pieces that truly stand out.”
In October, the digital retail giant launched ASOS Collective to not only “sharpen” the fashion retailer’s menswear proposition but “signal a confident pivot: ASOS aiming higher in quality, longevity and design refinement”.
New collections include “next-level essentials… building on wardrobe pillars rather than chasing trends – a move that echoes the retailer’s broader strategy to elevate its in-house labels”.