Montblanc has celebrated the opening of two new boutiques in Chennai, this week, signalling strong confidence in the South Indian city's retail potential.

Unveiling the new Neo retail concept currently being rolled out worldwide, the new Montblanc boutiques in Palladium Mall and Express Avenue offer an immersive retail environment reflecting Montblanc's constant quest for purposeful and aesthetic innovations.

Visiting India for the opening, Montblanc chief executive officer, Nicolas Baretzki, inaugurated the Palladium Mall boutique at an official ribbon cutting ceremony on May 7. Among the guests were president of Montblanc Middle East, India and Africa, Franck Juhel, a select group of VIP customers and friends of the Maison who later enjoyed an exclusive reception and launch of the Meisterstuck Le Petit Prince Collection.

Baretzki said: "We are delighted to celebrate the opening of our ninth and 10th boutiques in India, and to continue increasing our presence in the country to serve our loyal customers. Our market position as the international luxury Maison with the biggest retail footprint in India is demonstration of the pioneering spirit that has remained at the core of Montblanc since it was established in 1906. The retail concept that we are currently rolling out across all our markets globally has been exceptionally well received here and opens up the world of Montblanc in a classically contemporary way."

The new boutiques, designed by French designer and interiors architect Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, offer dedicated areas for the four core categories in Montblanc's portfolio: writing instruments, watches, jewellery, and leather goods.

The selection of refined materials inside the boutiques not only express the Maison's European codes of elegance and spirit of craftsmanship, but also serve to identify each category by the distinct materials with which they are usually associated. Watchmaking is brought to life through the use of bronze-sheen brass, leather and wood; black leather and walnut wood reflect the Maison's leather goods expertise; while lacquers and fine metals evoke writing instruments and jewellery.

Home to a wide selection of the Maison's core writing instruments, the boutiques offer a variety of collectables for discerning customers. Currently on display is the new Meisterstuck Le Petit Prince special edition writing instrument collection paying tribute to Antoine de Saint Exupery's classic fable about friendship and imagination, along with the Great Characters Beatles Edition celebrating the cultural legacy of one of the most acclaimed music bands of all time.

A selection of 1858 vintage-Minerva-inspired timepieces, sporty TimeWalkers, and classic Heritage Chronometries offer horology enthusiasts a wide variety of distinctive aesthetics, innovative complications, materials and different case sizes to suit any attire.

The contemporary boutiques also invite new and existing customers to discover the wide selection of stylish and functional leather goods, including the new Extreme and Meisterstück Soft Grain collections which come with brand new functionality, colours and redesigned interior organisational layouts to accommodate the latest technology.

Montblanc's boutiques in Chennai are located on the Ground floor, Central Atrium, Chennai Express Avenue Mall and upper ground, Palladium Mall, Velachery, Chennai. - TradeArabia News Service