EVENT: TAG Heuer Sydney flagship store gets an on-brand makeover

Ceri David

The official opening last night of the newly redesigned TAG Heuer Sydney flagship drew quite a crowd – far beyond the usual cluster of beautiful people who attend this kind of shindig. Located at the intersection of Pitt Street and Market Street, this is the undisputed epicentre of the city’s retail district, which made it perfect for rubberneckers hoping to spot a celeb or two sipping Champagne while trying on TAG’s tourbillon for size. It also goes a long way to explaining how this particular boutique came to be TAG Heuer’s most successful globally, in terms of being the highest grossing, per square metre. Next time someone talks to you about investing in prime real estate, this is the benchmark to hold them to.

The new look for the store is a breath of fresh air, with bold shapes and colour aplenty. It also brings the space very much into line with CEO Jean-Claude Biver’s message about embracing cutting edge, innovative design. Developed by TAG Heuer’s in-house design and architectural team in Switzerland, the space is breathtaking even from the outside, its industrial lines inspired by the inner workings of a watch. The first of its kind, it’s set to be rolled out around the world.

Still on the subject of firsts, this was our first opportunity to meet the new General Manager of TAG Heuer Australasia, Pierre Blouin – a warm, characterful Frenchman who’s lived Down Under for more than 20 years without losing any of his accent or charm.

If that weren’t enough, the evening also included the launch of the fully ceramic Aquaracer Lady collection, which was shown off to perfection by a trio of models in dramatically cut wetsuits enjoying the unseasonably balmy weather.