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Casinos for you
Secret Casino Unveiled in Michael Kors Regent Street
By Shane Addinall Nov 14, 2021 IndustryWe discover what lies behind a dressing room mirror in Michael Kors’ Regent Street store. In celebration of their MMK x 007 partnership, the luxury brand opened a secret casino for customers to enjoy.Luxury fashion brand, Michael Kors, unveiled a secret guest experience in their Regent Street Store, London. In celebration of their partnership with the James Bond film franchise, the iconic brand invites guests for a cloak-and-dagger style gambling and martini experience.
As part of the MMK x 007 campaign, customers can travel into Bond’s world through a seemingly simple dressing room in this Regent Street corner store. The usher welcomes guests through the mirror that transforms into a door, as a scene set for a spy novel unfolds. A hidden casino bar, complete with a roulette table and, of course, Bond’s favourite drink, is there to enjoy for up to four Michael Kors guests.
Dress to Kill and Spin the Wheel
Clandestine meetings are the order of the day in a spy’s world and 007 is certainly not against rolling a die or two. We know bond girls as the femme fatal that dress to kill. This may be the inspiration behind the fashion-meets-007 partnership. It is certainly the case with the MMK casino experience that forms part of the 360-marketing campaign.
Once guests enter the closet casino, the concierge invites them to the martini bar that would make James proud. A 20-minute experience ensues, and visitors can forget the world on the other side of the mirror while they sip on a shaken-not-stirred cocktail. Should the gin and dry vermouth drink not tickle your fancy, you may opt for a lychee martini or non-alcoholic option.
As part of the adventure, guests can take their chances at the roulette table and win some amazing prizes, and as a memento, they get to stare down the barrel of a gun to take a selfie. The Dr No inspired “gun barrel selfie” creates a gif image for the guests. Set Creative delivered the project that opened on 28 October.
Guy Tremlett, executive creative director, Set Creative, said:
“It’s a real pleasure to collaborate with Michael Kors and the Bond franchise to create a unique experience in celebration of the MMK x 007 capsule collection. As brands attempt to attract shoppers back to their physical outlets, unique experiences such as this will play an ever more important role.”
The MMK x 007 project launched just in time for the opening of the newest Bond film, No Time to Die.
Bond, the Gambling Man
Apart from the wagering that took place in Casino Royale, the international spy has always enjoyed taking his chances with bets. One could see it as more “educated bets” but being the man of mystery he is, Bond is in the business of betting. Not to mention his love for Baccarat. In the 1953 novel, Casino Royale, Bond plays against the villain, Le Chiffre, at the fictitious casino of Royale-les-Eaux.
An exert from from the novel Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming says:
“Bond has always been a gambler. He loved the dry riffle of the cards and the constant unemphatic drama of the quiet figures round the green tables. He liked the solid, studied comfort of card-rooms and casinos, the well-padded arms of the chairs, the glass of champagne or whiskey at the elbow, the quiet, unhurried attention of good servants. He was amused by the impartiality of the roulette ball and of the playing cards - and their eternal bias. Above all, he liked it that everything was one’s own fault. There was only oneself to praise or blame. Luck was a servant and not a master.”
The novelist based the casino in the book on the real casino in Deauville and in this part of the James Bond saga, the spy changes his drink of choice to a Vesper. Bond himself invented this drink.
The MMK x 007 partnership launch included a spot that stars international models, Bella Hadid and Cindy Bruna, displaying true secret agent chic. It plays out at The Ocean Club, also seen in Casino Royale, where Hadid seems to be on a solo getaway. She soon realises this is not the case and a spy-novel scene plays out at the beach villa.
Michael Kors created an MMK x 007 collection that includes 11 capsule travel bags and sultry bond-girl swimsuits.
The End of an Era
In No Time to Die, James intends to enjoy the retired life he established in tranquil Jamaica. However, this is short-lived when an old friend shows up to ask for help. The newest 007 film will be the last for Daniel Craig and he stars with Rami Malek as the tech villain.
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