The rise of luxury culinary experiences that collide fashion and food

In an era where consumer culture intertwines fashion with lifestyle choices, a new trend is emerging at the intersection of haute couture and haute cuisine. Fashion brands are delving into the culinary world, setting up cafes, restaurants and pastry shops, signaling a fusion of taste and style. 

This convergence isn't just about savoring delectable treats; it's a strategic move to captivate Gen Z consumers and create immersive brand experiences. For the bakery, patisserie, and chocolate industry, this trend presents an opportunity to leverage craftsmanship and consumer habits in novel ways.

Recent collaborations between fashion powerhouses and culinary hotspots underscore this burgeoning trend. British luxury fashion house Burberry – famous for its trench coats and check patterns – took over the London-based Norman’s Cafe, a breakfast spot serving British classics. In the week leading up to the Spring/Summer 2024 London Fashion Week, the eatery was transformed with Burberry plaid curtains and tableware featuring the horseman from the Burberry logo. The menu featured items such as the ‘Thomas Burberry Sandwich’: sourdough bread with roast beef, horseradish cream and watercress. 

In Paris, Louis Vuitton opened Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton, a café and chocolate shop housed in the luxurious hotel Cheval Blanc Paris. There, Maxime Frédéric – the 2022 Gault & Millau Pastry Chef of the Year – serves pastries and chocolates inspired by the fashion house’s iconic motifs and prints. Think chocolates with the LV monogram and pastries shaped like the leather brand's iconic flowers. 

Fashion houses venturing into the world of food isn’t entirely novel. Luxury brands such as Prada, Armani, and Bulgari pioneered the trend in the late 20th century as they opened up their own restaurants and cafes. Some famous examples include the Chanel collaboration with renowned French chef Alain Ducasse. Together they opened restaurant Beige in the Chanel headquarters and flagship store in Ginza, Tokyo in 2004. The restaurant with two Michelin stars is characterized by modern French cuisine. Since 2018, Gucci has opened four restaurants around the world together with chef Massimo Bottura, called Gucci Osteria. In Florence, LA, Seoul, and Tokyo they offer a taste of Italian luxury with dishes that capture the youthful energy Gucci embodies. 

“One of the most exciting aspects of the 30 Montaigne project is that it is a journey through the inner essence of the brand, expressed through the architecture, interior design and experience of each space”, says the store’s architect Peter Marino to Wallpaper. “It’s not one idea throughout, but rather, a walk-through spaces that tell a story, that keeps the customer engaged and emotionally connected with Dior from start to finish.”

Another factor contributing to the fusion of fashion and gastronomy is the shift in consumer spending. People are spending more of their income on wellness, hospitality and dining nowadays. In America, roughly 49% of the money spent on food by consumers goes towards eating out. That makes it commercially interesting to transform underperforming retail spaces into hospitality venues, an enticing move for labels looking to position themselves as lifestyle brands.