By William K.C. Kee
Packed with celebrity guests, the opening of Coach’s newly renovated store brought shine to the Pearl of the Orient.
It was a party like no other, and certainly brought glitz and glamour to the Pearl of the Orient.
Coach, a global design house of modern luxury leather goods, apparel and lifestyle accessories, recently celebrated the opening of its newly renovated store at Gurney Plaza Penang with a special Lunar New Year themed event.
The store environment is warm and inviting, with leather and natural wood finishes that reflects the sophisticated yet playful refinement of New York – the city Coach has always called home. The sprawling 260sqm space features a wide assortment of bags, small leather goods, ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories.
Located on the ground floor of the premier shopping mall, the store was designed by Coach Creative Director Stuart Vevers in partnership with William Sofield, designer and president of
Studio Sofield.
The opening event was officiated with a toast by VP & General Manager of Tapestry South East Asia and Oceania, Emmanuel Ruelland; General Manager of Gurney Plaza, Selina Ng, Malaysian actress-singer Nur Fazura and Hong Kong actors Edwin Siu and Priscilla Wong.
This was followed by a lion dance performance at the store. Guests enjoyed Lunar New Year-inspired canapés, a traditional Chinese candy cart, customised Chinese zodiac origami and hand-written Chinese calligraphy while discovering the latest Coach Pre-Spring 2020 collection.
“We are delighted to further extend the boundaries of our modern luxury concept to Gurney Plaza Penang,” said Ruelland. “We are confident that our new store environment, showcasing Coach’s rich heritage and commitment to craftsmanship, along with the season’s latest designs by Vevers, will be embraced by stylish Penangites. We are looking forward to share our full range of products with them in this true house of Coach.”
Married couple Siu and Wong were full of praise for the Penang boutique. “Coach is so much more than fashion, as the brand embraces lifestyle, friendships and love. This store reflects all of those qualities,” said Wong in an interview with the media.
They also shared their fondness for the Pearl of the Orient, especially its food. “We have managed to explore the island and its cuisine, and my favourite is Penang laksa!” enthused Siu, who married Wong in an intimate wedding in Bali last year.
A double decker bus transported the other notable guests. The “cool kids” included Alvin Chong, Sheena Liam, Tong Bing Yu, Debbie Goh (and her adorable baby Danton Lee), Jane and Ashley Lau, Brian See, Daphne Charice, Juwei and Junees Teoh, Sharifah Sakinah, Yaya Zahir and pop duo Fuying & Sam.
Apart from the store opening, guests were treated to an after party at speakeasy bar Magazine 63. Overall, the event was a spectacular success, and brought much-needed vibrancy to the retail scene in Penang.
