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Retail

Lalique courts basketball fans through experiential lounge

February 14, 2017

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade

 

French lifestyle brand Lalique is teaming up with social commerce site Fancy for a pop-up during the National Basketball Association’s All-Star Weekend.

“D&G: A His and Hers Fancy Pop-Up Experience” is curated by actress Gabrielle Union and her husband Dwyane Wade of the Chicago Bulls, featuring some of their favorite lifestyle products across technology, beauty and fashion. The collective celebrity of this couple is apt to create a buzz around the pop-up, potentially opening up Lalique to a new audience.

Playing ball
Merchandise featured on Fancy ranges from the quirky to the couture. Hermès Birkin bags share the feed with Vetements sneakers, an at-home dry cleaning device and a Lego-shaped lunch box.

Taking this curated, social shopping experience offline, the pop-up will be open to the public from Feb. 17-19 at the International House Hotel in New Orleans. The temporary outlet is Fancy’s first time working with an athlete and an actress.

For his part of the pop-up, Mr. Wade will feature some of the items he has helped design himself. These include Li-Ning’s Way of Wade 5 All-Star shoe, which will launch during the All-Star weekend exclusively at the pop-up.

Lalique will be displaying its range of designs in a VIP gentlemen’s lounge.

Included will be furniture from its Lalique Maison collection, including its 100 Points barware and its Dragon Bar. Artistic collaborations with Damien Hirst and Zaha Hadid will also be featured.

Lalique's 100 Point barware

Lalique 100 Points barware

All of Lalique’s items included in the lounge will be available for sale during the event, and the pop-up marks the start of the brand's six-month partnership with Fancy to sell jewelry, fragrance, art and decorative items.

Ms. Union will also be displaying an exclusive clutch handbag with label Edie Parker. Adding a bespoke touch, visitors will be able to customize their own bag at the pop-up.

Swiss skincare brand Valmont was another of Ms. Union’s picks, and will be selling some of its products at the pop-up.

The brand will be giving some VIP guests its signature Vitality of the Glaciers facial. Combining butterfly massage with a collagen mask, this treatment is designed to boost circulation and reduce wrinkles.

Lalique has made other alliances lately, putting its brand in front of new potential clients.

The brand is bringing its crystal wares to new heights through an alliance with Singapore Airlines.

Through the partnership, the airline will retail co-branded in-flight products such as toiletries and glassware in its suites and first class cabins. For Lalique, this represents an opportunity to introduce its brand range to a captive audience of affluent travelers (see story).