Gaggenau announced the launch of four new flagship stores and showrooms after a record year of sales in 2021 during the Covid-19 global pandemic. The company reported more than a 10% uplift in sales in 2021, which highlights the brand’s ever-increasing share of the kitchen appliance market, and is reflective of global trends that saw high net worth individuals spending more on home improvements as opposed to leisure, travel and hospitality during global lockdowns. The two new flagship stores in Shanghai and Paris – opening in 2022 – will be the first to feature a brand-new design and concept, created in collaboration with German architecture firm 1zu33. Other showrooms to boast the new concept design are located in Amsterdam launching in September and Brussels at the end of the year. In Italy, on the other hand, the role of the Gaggenau locations in Milan and Rome, created in collaboration with DesignElementi, remains central. “Each of the new openings – the company explains – incorporate the uniqueness of their location and local context in their design and architecture, alongside Gaggenau’s history and heritage. Furthermore, experiential kitchen and living space scenarios will present Gaggenau appliances in a brand new way. Different materials, looks and finishes, which are representative of real-world, sophisticated living environments are supplied through collaborations with likeminded, highly respected brands, including interior wood fittings from Schotten & Hansen; modern furniture from Walter Knoll and lighting installations from Occhio. The new flagship stores and showrooms will also include immersive private dining spaces, wine bars, and a section dedicated to the brand’s Respected by Gaggenau initiative, celebrating independent artisans and producers in the realms of culinary excellence, viniculture innovation and design. A centrepiece attraction will be ‘The Difference’ – a holistic experience, which allows visitors to discover the ethos of Gaggenau”.
