Four&Sons

Paris match

BY Four, September 27, 2012

To celebrate Paris Fashion week, concept store Merci (the design wonderland of sorts in the Marais district) has invited Mungo&Maud to open a pop-up shop replicating its London store. This is the first time Merci highlights a ‘pet brand’, and it signifies a big step forward in the way pet lifestyle is perceived by taste makers and public alike.

Merci is no conventional store. Set in an stunning 18th century building, it offers 16,000 sq feet of inspiration: from homewares and furniture to vintage clothing and a broad spectrum of fashion ‘must haves’ (such as Isabel Marant, APC or Yves Saint Laurent). More importantly, Merci is a Magasin Solidaire (a ‘Charity Store’): 100% of their profit goes to a charity in Madagascar supporting women and kids, making retail therapy a bit easier on the soul.

Merci’s founder Marie-France Cohen (of Bonpoint fame) was seduced by Mungo&Maud’s “choice of simple and smart items for your pets, which will not ruin your fashionable looking home.” Indeed, Mungo&Maud have been creating beautiful products since 2005, always focusing on great quality and contemporary style.

As they proudly admit, Merci loves Mungo&Maud. We chat to Nicola Sacher, founder of Mungo&Maud about this great love affair.

How did the collaboration with Merci develop?
I knew Marie-France and always admired her previous company, Bonpoint. When she started Merci, I was struck by the atmosphere in the store and the beautiful way that everything is displayed — every time I visit, I leave inspired. When she invited us to do a pop-up exhibit, it felt like the perfect opportunity for us.

What have you learnt from the process?
You can never be too organised! The project has taken months of planning – we are transporting everything from England to make the pop-up as authentic as possible to our original boutique in London, as well as producing special ‘Merci loves Mungo&Maud’ newspapers which will be on display for customers. It’s also been our busiest year yet as we launched our US webstore and are opening a shop in Notting Hill at the same time as Merci. Juggling so many things at once, you have to be prepared for all sorts of surprises, so organisation is key.

So, how does Mungo&Maud keep ahead?
For one thing, we try to differentiate ourselves from the “pet” industry – that’s not what Mungo&Maud is about. We are a luxury lifestyle brand for owners as much as their dog or cat, and we style ourselves as such. We are often told by admirers that there is nothing quite like us on the market, and I think it’s our strong sense of identity, as well as a dedication to craftsmanship, style and quality that makes us stand out from the crowd.

How would you compare dog-lovers from London and Paris?
I think when it comes to your dog or cat, people are the same in every city. It’s clear with our customers that their animals are considered an important member of the family and that’s all part of our ethos – your dog or cat is part of your home and lifestyle, whether you live in Paris, London or elsewhere.

Paris, fashion and dogs… could things get any better?
You will have to wait and see – we always have new project ideas, so it’s just a matter of time.

From 27th September to 13th October 2012.
And of course, dogs are welcome at Merci.

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All photographs courtesy of Mungo&Maud
mungoandmaud.com
merci-merci.com

Tags Accessories, Design, Fashion, Gifts, Grooming, Interiors, Living, London, Merci, Mungo&Maud, Paris, Pop-up, Product, Social