Luxe British retailer Fortnum & Mason saw its profits rising 26% in the year to mid-July as the luxury market prospered despite “the most challenging domestic retail backdrop in years”.

From Maison Kitsuné to L’Exception, Archive 18-20 and Yves Saint Laurent, many Parisian fashion labels and stores have introduced a café area, the latest being A.P.C., opening its café from November 20 to January 31.

French fashion influencer-turned-designer Jeanne Damas has launched two establishments in one, the first boutique for her womenswear brand Rouje and a restaurant, both on Rue Bachaumont in Paris’ 2nd arrondissement.

The Saint Laurent Rive Droite store, located at 213 rue Saint-Honoré in Paris, is about to unveil its new café and the ‘African Art’ exhibition, both open to the public from September 15.

Fendi has opened an Italian café on the fifth floor of Harrods as part of an exclusive summer takeover at the Knightsbridge store.

This spring Bethany Williams received the latest Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. On Monday afternoon the LVMH Prize finalist for 2019 staged her latest show at an archbishop’s palace.

This week’s launch of Eataly in the hip Paris neighbourhood of the Marais by the Galeries Lafayette group marks an important new chapter for the high-end French retail group –  its entrance into the experiential era.

Bernard Arnault’s eldest son, in charge of image and communication for the LVMH group, has bought a minority stake in Parisian restaurant Lapérouse, owned by Benjamin Patou’s Moma Group since last year.

​Fortnum & Mason will open its first international store this year with a debut in Hong Kong to tap into the growing Chinese appetite for luxury as well as Hong Kong’s destination status for tourists.

On Friday, the Ralph Lauren store in boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris, is opening a café for the duration of the Fashion Week only, a concept the US label already tested in Tokyo, Hong Kong and New York.

Thursday was a busy day for Giorgio Armani who staged his latest Emporio show in the morning; opened his radically revamped Armani Caffè; and feted fashion week at an after party in his own personal nightclub in Milan.

Jack Wills has teamed up with coffee shop operator Bear to open a café and bar in its Kingly Street flagship store in London and give customers more reasons to visit and spend time in store.

H&M has brought its in-store café concept, Pleats, for the first time to the UK, opening within its store at Westfield White City this week.

The London-based luxury department store has revealed its sixth consecutive year of double-digit growth, fuelled by demand from both overseas and domestic customers. 

The Italian multibrand retail concept has boosted its presence in Japan, its main overseas market, by opening a second, 90-square-metre Tokyo store in the Marunouchi district.