Following his recent trip to Japan, our CEO Robert Ettinger spent only a brief week back home in England before setting off once again - this time to New York for his annual visit. This includes meeting with our PR agency Falconer, as well as customers, journalists and friends of the brand across the pond.
From hosting special events to reconnecting with long-standing contacts, Robert's trips to New York are always filled with memorable moments. Read below to discover what made this year's visit particularly special.
What brought you to New York on this trip, and what were your main objectives for the visit?
"I tend to visit New York once or twice a year to promote the Ettinger brand and reconnect with journalists, influencers and bloggers. It's always a wonderful opportunity to share our history, talk about our craftsmanship and introduce some of the exciting new products we have coming up."
How important is the US market for Ettinger?
"The US is one of our most important markets alongside the UK and Japan, both for retail and ecommerce. Over the past few years, it has become our biggest online market, and we believe there is still tremendous opportunity for growth there."
You hosted a cocktail evening while in New York. What was the idea behind the event, and how did the evening go?
"Our PR agency, Falconer, organised a special evening that brought together both long-standing contacts and new faces from the industry, hosted at The Cad & The Dandy showroom. It was a chance to celebrate the brand, share our future plans and strengthen relationships in a relaxed setting. The evening exceeded expectations - attendance was fantastic, and there was such a warm atmosphere throughout the night. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many interesting people, and it was wonderful to see everyone having such a good time."
The dog walk looked like a great morning. Why did you want to include something more informal in this trip?
"Last year, Ettinger hosted a dog walk in Hyde Park in partnership with the Peninsula London and it was such a success that we thought it would be a great idea to recreate it in New York using Central Park as the backdrop. We met at the Ralph Lauren coffee shop, where journalists and influencers received pieces from the latest Ettinger dog collection before heading out for a relaxed walk through the park. Along the way, we stopped to photograph and film the owners with their dogs, which made for a very natural and enjoyable experience. It turned into a wonderfully informal way to spend time with people and create genuine connections."
What was the highlight of your trip?
"The highlight of my trip was definitely filming at Mimis - my favourite New York restaurant. I've been going there for over 35 years and always make a point of visiting at least once whilst I'm in the city. It's one of the last classic New York Italian restaurants where they have a piano player, and customers (many of them are locals) get up and sing a song or two. I always sit at the bar where you can enjoy a drink and a meal while chatting to people sitting around you. It's so 'New York' - I love it."
What keeps inspiring you about New York every time you visit?
"Every time I go to New York, I come back feeling energised. It's a city that never slows down. There's a constant sense of ambition and enthusiasm, and people are always eager to connect and hear more about what Ettinger is doing."
What are your personal travel essentials when travelling for work, and which Ettinger pieces accompanied you on this trip?
"The Ettinger piece I relied on most during this trip was the Metropolitan Bakerloo Briefcase which I helped design a few years ago. Although it's slim and elegant, it carries everything I need for my day in New York, from my umbrella, iPad, iPhone, visiting card case and notebook. Everything is kept neatly organised in the inside pockets."
What excites you most about Ettinger’s future in the US?
"I believe Ettinger has an incredibly exciting future in the US and that it will continue to grow into one of our biggest global markets alongside Japan. Americans seem to really appreciate our heritage, Royal Warrant and the craftsmanship behind our products, which gives us great confidence for the future."