Printemps, one of the world’s most well-known luxury department stores, is coming to Doha and during the DJWE, they are introducing two unique brands to the Middle East.
As the whole of Qatar (and the Middle East region) is aware, Printemps is landing on our soil. The iconic French department store is gearing up to open its doors in Doha at the one-of-a-kind destination: the Doha Oasis. The 440,000sq/m development consists of a five-star hotel, high-end residential apartments, sophisticated retail and entertainment facilities. This new leisure address in Qatar offers a holistic experience for Qataris, residents of the country and its visitors – a signature space that promotes a new and unique way of life.
Founded in 1865 in Paris and located at Boulevard Haussmann, the Printemps concept provides a world of luxury retail and exclusive experiences to every visitor. Reflecting its flagship grandeure, Printemps Doha will be the second-largest Printemps store in the world and the biggest department store in the Middle East with a retail space of more than 40,000sq/m. The opulent space will house premier outlets with an extensive range of luxury, fashion, jewellery, lifestyle, beauty, technology and food and beverage (F&B) brands, as well as exceptional and novelty services.
Paris is the capital of fashion, where many high-end brands have been introduced. They attract millions of emotionally connected customers to this dreamy scenario wanting to embrace a lavish and graceful way of living. Printemps Doha is set to be positioned as the bridge that connects West and East, bringing Parisian glamour to the luxury lifestyle arena in the region. It will represent the perfect balance between its French essence and its new Middle Eastern roots, with a selection of products and services that will suit the taste of its regional consumers.
Printemps Doha will offer exciting and epic cutting-edge technologies that will be available to elevate guests’ experience. This awe-inspiring space will bring exquisite and first-time restaurants, fashion labels and jewellery brands to the region – with over 150 exclusive high-end brands showcased for the first time in the Gulf. Clients will be pampered with personal shopper assistance, virtual celebrity stylists consulting and concierge services. They will also have the prospect of pre-ordering the latest fashion collections, purchasing exclusive art customisation and being presented with bespoke pieces designed exclusively for Printemps Doha. The store’s opening is scheduled for Q3 of 2022.
Speaking of unique and exclusive brands, Printemps Doha showcases two first-timers in the region during the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE): Bäumer and LÉTRANGE. And as lovers of all things luxurious, we at OHLALA find out more about these two exceptional brands.
BÄUMER
The creative mind behind this one-of-a-kind brand is Lorenz Bäumer, the only independent jeweller in Place Vendôme, a status that showcases the brand’s notoriety. Place Vendôme is a reference and elegant place for fine jewellery in Paris and home to the most celebrated brands in the world – a symbol of French luxury and refinement.
At this noble location, Lorenz creates stunning pieces inspired by Place Vendôme itself, the world of jewellery and watchmaking, nature and art, all tied up in exceptional stones and materials. The brand ensures a new and unique story behind each gem, diamond and particular creation to transmit an array of emotions.
Born in Washington to diplomatic parents, Lorenz Bäumer had a childhood punctuated by travels – from the United States to Jordan and Austria. A graduate of the École Centrale de Paris, his engineering training makes him a precursor in new techniques and materials applied to jewellery and watchmaking. He worked at Chanel and Louis Vuitton while creating for many other high-end names. He also participated in multiple collaborations with houses such as Hermès, Cartier, Piaget, Bréguet, Baccarat and Guerlain, for which he designed the famous red G and the Abeille perfume bottle.
Inventor of the tattooed diamond, he enjoys working with rare materials such as meteorites and titanium. Some pieces are unexpected, impertinent and exquisite such as the Scarabée brooch of diamonds tattooed with 543 stones and requiring more than 100 hours of work or his olfactory rings. Other creations are personalised with love messages, such as the Writing and the Battement de Coeur collections, inspired by the vibration of a heartbeat.
The Maison Bäumer is also known for its custom-made services, which allow you to tell a particular story that Lorenz will transform into a piece of jewellery. The label is most definitely innovative, with items for bold and ambitious people who are not afraid to adorn themselves in pieces that look like wearable contemporary art.
LÉTRANGE
The history of this luxury leather goods label, one of the oldest of its type in France, started in the 19th century. Back then, around 700 people were employed at the L ÉTRANGE Paris workshop and at the plant in Montargis, where they manufactured bags and accessories for gentlemen, hunters, cyclists and photographers.
Made-to-measure orders were the label’s primary creations with special customers like Jules Verne. The brand even went to Antarctica with Commander Jean Baptiste Charcot in 1908, who carried his equipment in LÉTRANGE luggage during his second Polar expedition. During World War II, Henriette, daughter of Francis Létrange, took charge of the company. Between 1975 and 2007, the house expanded into textiles and luxury shirts. It then became one of the most prestigious suppliers in France before ceasing all its activities in 2007.
In 2014, Sébastien Létrange, grandson of Henriette and Létrange’s seventh generation, became passionate about this family history. While he was immersed in the archives to write their saga, this passion turned into a much bolder ambition: to bring LÉTRANGE back to life. Instead of reformulating archives, Sébastien recognised that the true legacy of LÉTRANGE lies in its spiritual foundations – a dedication to craftsmanship and a determination for constant innovation.
Using the most beautiful high-quality materials, sophisticated finishings and innovative constructions, LÉTRANGE now offers a modern leather goods collection. The label carries the importance of its history in a new light, with inventive designs rigorously crafted and nourished with a vibrant imagination. Every single bag is ingeniously designed, versatile in the ways it can be used and has its own personality.
For the DJWE, LÉTRANGE presents the most expensive bag in the world with more than 100 diamonds. With this spectacular debut in the region, we can’t wait to see all the fabulous creations LÉTRANGE and Bäumer will have available at Printemps Doha. The expectation only grows, and we are sitting in the front row, just waiting for the show to start!