Storytelling with luxury taste

This summer, fashion isn’t just dressing us, it’s feeding us.

Pop-ups have always been about buzz. But this summer, something more thoughtful is taking shape. And, it’s a feast for the eyes, ears, and belly. Fashion brands are teaming up with chefs, cafés, and food artists to create experiences that tell stories we want to consume (in every sense).

Labels are swapping standard store and collection launches for sushi counters, fragrance cafés, and summer restaurants. It’s not just about clothes or products anymore. It’s about how a brand feels. What it tastes like, smells like, and sounds like. The result is a new kind of storytelling that’s more personal, sensory, playful, and memorable.

Here’s a closer look at some of the most interesting crossovers this season (IMHO).

Prada Caffè, London

The Prada Caffè at Harrods (first opened in 2023) is a 1950s-inspired space in signature green, with Italian dishes and exclusive tableware that feels like stepping into one of their campaigns. A more permanent version in Milan’s Galleria channels the same calm elegance. The recent Spring Prada Picnic, a beauty-focused pop-up in Covent Garden, London, featured ice cream, products, and prizes.

Saint Laurent Sushi Paris

Saint Laurent’s new sushi counter in Paris is small, quiet, and beautifully considered. It’s hidden inside the brand’s concept space and feels more like a gallery than a restaurant. It’s a natural extension of the brand’s cool and detail-driven tone.

Lacoste Pop-Up Summer Café, Monte-Carlo

Lacoste has launched a beach-inspired restaurant in the south of France for this summer. Casual and fresh, it brings the brand’s sporty roots into a new setting. “Le Café Lacoste” draws inspiration from the brand’s storied tennis roots and the personal favourite recipes of René Lacoste himself. I mean, look at that cake…!

Acqua di Parma x Ben Arpéa, Paris

To celebrate its new summer fragrance, Acqua di Parma turned its Paris boutique into a pop-up art gallery to host artist Ben’s work alongside its latest collection. Visitors walked through citrus-inspired installations, sampled scent pairings, and even feasted on branded ice lollies, yum!

Kith x Wilson, summer pop-up bus, London

Kith and Wilson recently dropped a tennis-inspired capsule and took it on the road. They converted a vintage double-decker bus into a mobile shop with apparel, gear, a tennis ball vending machine, and even custom meringues by Ottolenghi. While they didn’t serve the tennis ball coffee, the ad creative used certainly delivers a food-meets-fashion-meets-sports vibe.

These experiences aren’t just stunts; they’re extensions of the brand voice.

So, why this shift? Because food is connection. It brings people together. And when brands build experiences around it, they create something that feels more grounded and more about emotion than status.

I’m not alone in wanting brands to be relatable and human. Food helps fashion slow down and show up differently, and may I say, deliciously? These pop-up spaces allow people to experience a brand, taste it, rather than just buy it.

The takeaway (every blog needs one, right?!)

The best brand activations and pop-ups this summer aren’t just places to shop. They’re places to sit, eat, talk, and experience something shared. And that kind of storytelling sticks.