Hublot Loves New York!

Luxury Swiss watch brand Hublot celebrated its love of New York City by hosting a series of events throughout Manhattan, with plenty of surprises in true Hublot fashion Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, descended upon NYC to host a number of celebrations in honor of several exciting Hublot milestones.

Crowds gathered by the crossroads of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street early this afternoon, as Hublot fêted the opening of its New York City Flagship location in the heart of the city with a unique, unprecedented take on a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new boutique, at the center of New York’s premier luxury shopping district is designed by architect Peter Marino and will be Hublot’s largest retail location in the United States.

Ricardo Guadalupe joined together with Brand Ambassadors Usain Bolt and living legend (and soccer god) Pelé to host the ribbon cutting ceremony outside of the boutique before inviting guests to experience the World of Hublot inside. As the gentlemen gathered in front of the boutique, eyes were directed skywards as a duo of acrobatic dancers descended from the rooftop and danced across the incredible façade until they reached the ground to present Usain Bolt with his newest limited edition watch, just in time for the upcoming Games in Pelé’s native Brazil this summer.

Living legend Pelé shared, “I’m honored to be here in New York on behalf of Hublot as it celebrates this exciting milestone. I have a long history with Hublot and am thrilled to be able to witness the brand’s continued growth.” 
The new space at 743 Fifth Avenue (between 57th and 58th streets in the center of Manhattan) is the latest in the long collaboration between Peter Marino Architect and Hublot which began in 2010 with Marino’s design for the flagship in Place Vendome, Paris, the first of the 5 boutiques that followed.

The boutique’s design exhibits the brand’s DNA of luxury and innovation combined with its Art of Fusion concept of unexpected combinations. The dramatic new façade, lit with LEDs and faceted with powder coated black aluminum panels rise 70 feet (21m) above Fifth Avenue and is the brand’s tallest in the world. The boutique’s décor reflects Hublot’s use of unique materials, which maintains a prominent role in the brand’s watchmaking design.

The 1500 square feet (139m2) interior, the brand’s largest in the US, conveys a contemporary style, with black lava stone and wood floors, graphite-colored leather furnishings, glass and polished stainless steel fixtures, and high-tech innovations including “shadow-less” LCD vitrine windows, sophisticated yet unobtrusive lighting, a wall of monitors, and a “book” with virtual turning “pages”, each showing a part of Hublot’s history, in the main window on Fifth Avenue. An untitled 2014 painting by the artist Albrecht Schnider seems to “float” in front of the smoked gray floor to ceiling mirror in the back of the boutique. The space reveals a fusion between premium materials and a luxurious yet modern aesthetic.