Latest news with #Wempe
Business of Fashion
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business of Fashion
As Rolex Shrinks Retail Near New NYC Flagship, Patek Philippe Expands
After 45 years, Rolexes will no longer be sold at Wempe, the tony watch and jewellery dealer at 700 Fifth Ave., one of retail's most prestigious addresses. The watches aren't going far, though. Rolex SA is finishing construction on a new, 199,000-square-foot New York headquarters designed by David Chipperfield Architects two blocks away at 665 Fifth Ave. Once it's complete, which the company has said should happen by the end of 2026, the space will host a multi-floor flagship that the company hopes will become a magnet for shoppers and curious tourists. As a result, the Swiss luxury timepiece behemoth is shrinking its retail network in that part of Manhattan to just the flagship plus emporiums owned by Bucherer AG, a previously independent retailer Rolex bought in 2023. Wempe has some time left to offer its customers a Rolex. 'We will be doing business as usual until the end of the year, fulfilling every order that we can,' says Rudy Albers, president of Wempe, noting that the Rolex partnership will end at the end of 2025. 'However, we have not been sleeping at the wheel either. We will be partnering with Patek Philippe to open one of the biggest showrooms on the East Coast in 2026.' Wempe has also sold Pateks since it opened its emporium in the Peninsula Hotel building in 1980, and has several retail locations in its home country of Germany. On Fifth Avenue, the footprint of the in-store Patek showroom will expand from 600 square feet to 1,600. There will be private salons and galleries, and according to Wempe the store's allocation — how many watches it's given to sell — will be increased. 'With the opening of the new Patek Philippe SA showroom, Wempe continues its longstanding, trusting relationship with the Swiss family-led company,' said Kim-Eva Wempe, owner and managing partner of her family's company, in a statement. Her grandfather Herbert started as an authorised Patek Philippe seller in Hamburg, Germany, in 1927. As popular as Pateks are with New Yorkers, there are only four places to buy the brand's Nautiluses, Aquanauts and Calatravas in the city: Wempe, Tiffany & Co., the Bucherer TimeMachine on 57th Street and Watches of Switzerland in Hudson Yards. In 2023, Patek Philippe boss Thierry Stern told Bloomberg he had begun reducing the brand's retail network by 30 percent. By Chris Rovzar Learn more: Swiss Watch Exports Could Dwindle to 12 Million Units As High-End Shift Accelerates 'Big Four' watchmaking brands Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille all grew last year, Morgan Stanley's annual report said. But less sought-after names including Tudor, LVMH's Hublot, Swatch's Longines and Breguet all registered steep declines.
Business Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
As Rolex shrinks retail near new New York City flagship, Patek Philippe expands
[NEW YORK] After 45 years, Rolexes will no longer be sold at Wempe, the tony watch and jewellery dealer at 700 Fifth Ave, one of retail's most prestigious addresses. The watches are not going far, though. Rolex is finishing construction on a new, 199,000-square-foot New York headquarters designed by David Chipperfield Architects two blocks away at 665 Fifth Ave. Once it's complete, which the company has said should happen by the end of 2026, the space will host a multi-floor flagship that the company hopes will become a magnet for shoppers and curious tourists. As a result, the Swiss luxury timepiece behemoth is shrinking its retail network in that part of Manhattan to just the flagship plus emporiums owned by Bucherer, a previously independent retailer Rolex bought in 2023. Wempe has some time left to offer its customers a Rolex. 'We will be doing business as usual until the end of the year, fulfilling every order that we can,' said Rudy Albers, president of Wempe, noting that the Rolex partnership will end at the end of 2025. 'However, we have not been sleeping at the wheel either. We will be partnering with Patek Philippe to open one of the biggest boutiques on the East Coast in 2026.' Wempe has also sold Pateks since it opened its emporium in the Peninsula Hotel building in 1980, and has several retail locations in its home country of Germany. On Fifth Avenue, the footprint of the in-store Patek boutique will expand from 600 square feet to 1,600. There will be private showrooms and galleries, and according to Wempe the store's allocation-how many watches it's given to sell-will be increased. 'With the opening of the new Patek Philippe showroom, Wempe continues its longstanding, trusting relationship with the Swiss family-led company,' said Kim-Eva Wempe, owner and managing partner of her family's company, in a statement. Her grandfather Herbert started as an authorised Patek Philippe seller in Hamburg, Germany, in 1927. As popular as Pateks are with New Yorkers, there are only four places to buy the brand's Nautiluses, Aquanauts and Calatravas in the city: Wempe, Tiffany & Co, the Bucherer TimeMachine on 57th Street and Watches of Switzerland in Hudson Yards. In 2023, Patek Philippe boss Thierry Stern told Bloomberg he had begun reducing the brand's retail network by 30 per cent. BLOOMBERG
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Heidi KIum suffers rare fashion fail in oversized suit while getting upstaged by nepo baby Leni
Heidi Klum embraced her beloved nepo baby Leni Klum as they attended the King's Trust 4th Annual Global Gala, which was held at Casa Cipriani in Lower Manhattan on Thursday. The IMG Model - who celebrates her 21st birthday this Sunday - flashed her black-lace teddy beneath a sheer Zuhair Murad gown and matching pointy-toed pumps selected by stylist Kristina Askerova. Leni slicked her hair back into a severe updo, overlined her brows, and adorned her ears with $7,895 Wempe 'Spotlight' earrings. The 51-year-old America's Got Talent judge flashed a hint of cleavage beneath her black baggy PJ-style pantsuit and matching pointy-toed pumps selected by styling duo Rob Zangardi + Mariel Haenn. Hairstylist Italo Gregorio blew out Heidi's middle-parted blonde mane while her longtime make-up artist Linda Hay applied dramatic dark eyeliner. The mother-daughter duo's red carpet sighting came three days after they unveiled their latest joint gig modeling bras and panties for the Italian brand Intimissimi's basic collection. Leni also guest-starred in three episodes of the 20th season of Germany's Next Topmodel - airing Thursdays on ProSieben - which is hosted and executive produced by Klum. 'I did get help starting off, and I know that people would dream to start off with what I had,' the 5ft2in beauty - who's studying interior design at a NYC college - admitted to People back in 2022. 'I'm so grateful that I've been able to take what was gifted to me by my mom. But I am doing the work and putting in the time. Now I'm working on my own, traveling alone, going to school. My mom and I just have the same love for the same thing.' Leni also fronts campaigns for GHD, Swarovski, and Dior Beauty mostly thanks to her connections. The Emmy-winning host welcomed her eldest child following a 2003 fling with wealthy Italian businessman Flavio Briatore, but it was her second ex-husband Seal who adopted her in 2009. During their seven-year marriage ending in 2012, Heidi and the 62-year-old Grammy winner also welcomed son Henry, 19; son Johan, 18; and daughter Lou, 15. The 51-year-old America's Got Talent judge flashed a hint of cleavage beneath her black baggy PJ-style pantsuit and matching pointy-toed pumps selected by styling duo Rob Zangardi + Mariel Haenn
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Marshall Mitchell: Mitchell man requests 'fair and equal' treatment from events on Main Street
Apr. 25—MITCHELL — Location. Location. Location. During the citizens' input portion of its April 21 regular meeting, the Mitchell City Council heard a complaint from local resident Jay Wempe. Wempe requested that the council take immediate action to make events in Mitchell more fair to vendors, especially those who have brick and mortar businesses and pay taxes in Mitchell. "I'm asking you to create equally-fair spots for all vendors at all Mitchell events," Wempe said. Vendor placement issues are not an isolated incident, according to Wempe, who cited a soccer tournament that allowed one food vendor near the field of play, but not the other food vendors. According to Wempe, the location of Matilda's Coffee and Desserts, an offshoot of Michelle's Mad Batter, had a very poor location on Third Avenue at Main Street during the Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party in 2024. "By the time we were seen, most had already purchased from the Fifth Avenue and Main Street parking lot area," Wempe said. Matilda's Coffee and Desserts was "late to the game because she wasn't here years ago," Wempe said, referring to established food vendors at the Fifth Avenue and Main Street parking lot. Wempe, who is a not-so-silent partner of Michelle's Mad Batter, petitioned the council about placement along Main Street, requesting that all food vendors should be placed together to make it "fair and equal." Officials disagreed. "Obviously, if something is not broken you're not going to fix it," Mitchell Events Coordinator Aaron Hieb told the Mitchell Republic. 2025 marks the eighth year of the Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party on Mitchell's Main Street. The event's sponsorship has grown with the event's patronage, which is about 4,000 to 6,000 people, according to Hieb. The city took over the biker rally from Brian Klock, who started the event 19 years ago out of Klock Werks, a motorcycle accessories and specialty shop. The majority of food trucks have been with the event since it started, Hieb said. Any additional food vendor applicants serving entrees will be put on a wait list. "We kept some things consistent. They were guaranteed a spot prior to the city of Mitchell taking this as long as they show up each party," Hieb said. Seven food vendors, from Mitchell and surrounding towns, set up at the Fifth Avenue and Main Street parking lot south of Bradley's Pub and Grill. They do not pay a registration fee, according to Hieb, because Klock did not require a registration fee and the city has maintained vendor expectations. "Currently, the planning committee does not have any intention of fixing something that isn't broken," Hieb said. The city added Third Avenue and Main Street food vendors in recent years to meet demand. The three 20-minute motorcycle shows at Second Avenue draw a hungry crowd, according to Hieb. "Third Avenue requires some food for those people that travel all the way down there," Hieb said. "We're trying to incorporate as much of Main Street as we can." In 2024, Mitchell-based vendors County Fair, Adamo's Kitchen and Matilda's Coffee and Desserts each paid a $100 application fee and were placed at the empty lot at Third Avenue and Main Street, a fee that Fifth Avenue parking lot food vendors do not pay. "Matilda's has a $5 ticket item average. Do you know how long it takes to pay off $100 fee on a $5 ticket item? So if you're not in a prime location, what happens?" Wempe said. While Adamo's Kitchen and County Fair have renewed vendor spots at Third Avenue for the Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party in 2025, Wempe did not renew Matilda's spot, which will be filled by Mya's Teriyaki. Michelle's Mad Batter has a brick and mortar location at North Lawler Street, two blocks east of the Main Street empty lot on Third Avenue. As of now, there are eight non-food vendors, ranging from non-profits to crafts, who paid a $50 registration fee to set up between Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue for the Pre-Sturgis Party in 2025. In January 2023, Michelle's Mad Batter, co-owned by Wempe's daughter Michelle Kalan, opened across from the Corn Palace in one of the storefronts owned by the Mitchell Area Development Corporation. Michelle's Mad Batter also serves lemonade, which became a point of contention during the Corn Palace Festival. "Guess what they did? Put all the lemonade vendors right outside us," Wempe said. "Mitchell brick and mortar should be given priority over location." The Corn Palace Festival is set up with a mix of varying kinds of vendors all the way down Main Street, according to Corn Palace Director Dave Sietsema. Vendor spaces are renewed based on prior locations, not by lottery or staff discretion. "You've invested time, effort and whatever level of marketing to say, 'I'll be at my normal spot,'" Sietsema said. "At other events, it doesn't switch every year." Empty vendor spaces as a result of retirements or cancellations are given to the next person who requests a change or to a new vendor. "I try to find a spot for everybody. It just may not be what they think they need," Sietsema said.
