Last week saw the European launch of Detroit-born watch brand Shinola at Parisian lifestyle concept store Colette. I took the Eurostar over to Paris to meet the team behind Shinola and get a preview of the products ahead of an epic launch party on the Place Vendôme.
Established in 2011 by Tom Kartsotis (the founder of Fossil watches), Shinola has helped reinvigorate industry in troubled Detroit (once known as Motor City) and is set to become a worldwide American heritage brand. In fact, it’s the first company in 40 years to offer watches solely assembled in the United States.
Made in Detroit
Based in a factory within Detroit’s College of Creative Studies, Shinola’s small but rapidly growing team of craftsmen create hand-assembled watches, bicycles and leather goods. The lifestyle brand also extends to paper journals, candles and limited edition baseballs and American footballs, plus its very own Shinola Cola.
So, where does the cool brand name come from? Shinola was originally an American shoe polish company and since WWII, it has been immortalised in the saying, ‘you don’t know shit from Shinola’. Tom Kartsotis revived the defunct household brand and as a tribute to its history, Shinola produces an improved formula of the original shoe polish.
To create watches of the finest quality, Shinola brought in luxury watch experts from Switzerland to train its staff and manage production in the factory. Shinola’s USP is that it offers high end, Swiss standard watches but at a much more competitive price, due to being made in America.
Colette launch
On the morning of the launch, Shinola hosted a press breakfast and presentation at the Colette Water Bar and we had a chance to view the product and window displays before shoppers arrived.
The watches
I was able to get up close to Shinola watches and was particularly impressed with the quality of the leather, the precision of the stitching and the sturdiness of the pieces. Many of the watches have a timeless, all-American appeal with the use of classic colourways and traditional round watch face, such as best-seller, The Runwell.
However, some models, like The Birdy and The Gomelsky, are more fashion-led with slim double-wrap straps, rose gold finish and stylish neutral colours.
Each watch comes in a wooden presentation box, complete with a mini tub of Shinola polish. Also, every item by Shinola carries a card of authenticity bearing the name of the craftsman who created it, adding to the personal,human feel of the brand.
Leather goods
Shinola’s leather goods and watch straps are naturally vegetable dyed and are sourced from Horween of Chicago, one of America’s oldest tanneries. The skins are then shipped to Eric Scott leatherworking factory in Missouri, where they are cut, stitched and finished.
Both companies use hand-made, labour-intensive techniques that reflect Shinola’s values of craftsmanship and quality. The smell of the textured, robust leather is intoxicating and I love the contemporary style and rich colours of the leather iPad pouch, wallets and journals.
Bicycles
Most covetable of all are the fabulous Shinola bicycles with luxurious finishes, including branded leather handlebars and saddle, front rack and bell. The bicycle frames and forks come from Waterford Precision Cycles factory in Wisconsin and are custom-assembled by mechanics at the Detroit factory.
A fabulous party
After some cocktails and bites in the stylish bar at Hotel Costes, we walked to the Shinola and Colette Secret Party at 7 Place Vendôme. The party took place in the basement of an old bank vault, which is sometimes used for fashion shows and art exhibitions. The vast concrete space was filled with splashes of neon, graffiti and illuminated visuals of Shinola products.
The evening started with Motown and Northern Soul music, then DJ Jimmy Edgar took the party into the early hours with a Detroit techno set.
Shinola Cola
All night, the Champagne, cocktails and bottles of Shinola Cola were flowing and live cooking stations popped up to feed the crowd of Paris creatives. Another cool touch was the engraving station, where guests were given a leather pouch stamped with their initials.
So, what’s next for one of America’s most promising new brands? Soon Shinola will extend its lifestyle concept with a denim range, footwear and electrical goods. At present, Shinola has a store in Detroit and a flagship in Tribeca, and soon the brand will move into London and Berlin.
Shinola is an innovative brand that not only puts the spotlight on Detroit as a cool, creative city, but makes the ‘Made in America’ mark even more desirable. It is sure to appeal with its affordable investment pieces, uncompromised quality and interesting story – a rose-gold Shinola Gomelsky watch is now high on my wish list.
For more information and to buy online, visit: www.shinola.com and www.colette.fr
Chérie City was a guest of Shinola
All photos by Chérie City
You Might Also Like