Highsnobiety just opened its concept store – in an airport

Highsnobiety Gatezero Zurich Airport store

Last week saw Highsnobiety open its concept store, Gatezero’ at Zurich airport. For six months, the bricks-and-mortar location will sell a hypebeast-friendly selection of products and exclusive releases from over 20 brands. Think Acne Studios and Gucci RTW and accessories, Comme wallets and Ambush jewellery. Plus travel essentials like toothbrushes and night masks.

From the pictures it looks perfectly pitched for the emerging new-luxury customer for whom brands and insider status are important. So, the hype fashion brands (Bottega, Balenciaga, Loewe and Saint Laurent) are also part of the buy, as well as beauty favourites Aesop, Byredo and Barbara Sturm. Naturally, there’s also a special Gatezero merch line (also available here).

As European cities start to tentatively welcome international customers again, the airport retail concept feels like a timely move for Highsnobiety to extend its media brand to a wider audience.

“Since before the pandemic, the idea of multi-brand marketplaces has been seeping into travel retail, and we’re now seeing more examples launching,” says DRG retail editor, Alison Farrington. “The Highsnobiety collaboration embraces new types of luxury customers, offering zeitgeist brands and exclusives that are a good fit for Zurich’s unique traveller profile. The attraction of a physical space where HNWI travellers pass through who are open to trying a curated mix of products, showcases how this type of editorial-meets-commercial concept can be reframed as luxury travel retail, with the core offer managed by a new type of changemaker ‘retailer’.”

Highsnobiety Gatezero Zurich Airport store



WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla
IMAGES: Highsnobiety Gatezero Zurich Airport store
NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here

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