A second Western Europe location will also launch next year, a Vogue Café in Porto licensed by The Fladgate Partnership.
Gary Robinson, Director of Condé Nast International Restaurants, commented, “Developing and opening a Vogue Café in Western Europe has long been an ambition for the brand, and we are thrilled to announce not one but two locations. Berlin is currently the third most visited city in Europe, with its incredibly creative and cool restaurant, music, fashion and gallery vibe, the dynamic Berlin food movement has now more than caught up with its other creative outpourings. Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, is recognised as a UNESCO heritage site, as well as being a design and epicurean destination full of charm.”
A first for Germany, says Condé Nast, the Vogue Café will be located in the five-star Patrick Hellmann Schlosshotel Im Grunewald, a historic venue steeped in glamour and heritage and located in a prime residential area on the outskirts of Berlin, within easy reach of the Kurfürstendamm. Patrick Hellmann is a German-born designer whose eponymous fashion label, Patrick Hellmann Collection, offers menswear and womenswear, alongside a premium lifestyle, interior design and real estate business including the Schlosshotel. The brand has stores in Berlin and London in addition to outlets in Russia, Dubai, Ukraine and Marbella.
“The rich history of the premises, the beautiful surroundings and the unique energy of the Patrick Hellmann Schlosshotel inspires my creative thinking consistently, which I am excited to share with all our guests. We offer something that in its own way equates perfectly with the spirit of fashion, it is an approach to life: comfort, functionality and aesthetics, all in perfect harmony. It reminds guests of its history by showcasing a mix of contemporary and classic architecture uniquely in each area of the hotel, by using PHC designs in textiles and furnishings. With Vogue Café, we introduce a concept to the local culinary scene which will set new standards of inspiration not only for trendsetting social influencers and the creative community. The cooperation with Condé Nast International Restaurants will be a spectacular venture between two brands, powerfully evocative of uncompromising extravagance and style,” added Patrick Hellmann.
Vogue Café Porto will open in the Infante Sagres hotel on Praça de D. Filipa de Lencastre, Porto’s oldest luxury property. The Fladgate Partnership’s principal business is Port Wine, and the group owns three of the most celebrated and long established Port houses: Taylor, Fonseca and Croft, together with one of the most extensive vineyard holdings in the Douro Valley. In the last decade, The Fladgate Partnership made strategic investments in luxury hospitality and tourism. The group has most recently acquired the Infante de Sagres - where the Vogue Café will open – and which is about to undergo a complete refurbishment, enhancing the property’s original features.
Adrian Bridge, CEO of The Fladgate Partnership added, “The exciting new restaurant and bar in the Infante Sagres will bring together the timeless elegance of Vogue style and this wonderful historic property in the heart of the city of Porto. It will offer a sophisticated place to experience fine dining, casual meals and an exciting range of Port cocktails. The extraordinary interiors of the hotel, which launched in 1951, will be enhanced with iconic images from the Vogue collections, ensuring that the Vogue Café will become one of the most exciting places to eat and be seen in Porto.”
The upcoming Berlin opening reflects the commitment that Vogue Germany has for Berlin as fashion capital of Germany and falls in line with many well-established events and initiatives including Fashion’s Night Out or the design talent initiative VOGUE Salon, that Vogue hosts in Berlin during Fashion Week and throughout the year. Adding a gourmet location to the portfolio integrates smoothly into the overall diversification strategy of Condé Nast and offers an additional well-rounded brand experience to German Vogue readers and fashion-loving international audiences, says Condé Nast.
The Vogue Café Berlin and Porto will join current operations in Dubai, Kiev and Moscow as well as Vogue Lounges in Bangkok (already operating), Kuala Lumpur and Doha (debuting in 2017.)
In June, a Vogue Café pop-up opened in the heart of The Village, Westfield London as part of British Vogue’s landmark 100th birthday. Serving a bespoke Vogue 100 champagne cocktail, as well as traditional English afternoon tea, the Café was open for 3 months, with, says the company, footfall doubling through the space, driven in part by the significant media attention the Vogue centenary has received.
