CJ Onstyle, ITA join forces for 'Viva Italia' pop-up

Premium fashion, beauty, home and food products under one roof

Daily sales for 100-plus participating brands surge 288 percent

"We will strengthen premium curation and continue global collaboration"

Products from Italian bicycle brand Bianchi are displayed on the second floor of the "Viva Italia" pop-up store presented by CJ Onstyle and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA). Founded in 1885, Bianchi is known as "the world's oldest bicycle brand," with some models priced in the tens of millions of won depending on options.
Products from Italian bicycle brand Bianchi are displayed on the second floor of the "Viva Italia" pop-up store presented by CJ Onstyle and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA). Founded in 1885, Bianchi is known as "the world's oldest bicycle brand," with some models priced in the tens of millions of won depending on options.

"For those who already owned the products, this became a chance to understand the brand — they realized, 'Oh, this was an Italian brand,'" a CJ Onstyle official said.

Italy's premium lifestyle brands have gathered in Seoul's Garosugil. This is the scene at the "Viva Italia" pop-up presented by CJ Onstyle together with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA). From Vespa, famous for its classic scooter design, to Ponti, a food brand with 240 years of history, an array of Italian names has come together under one roof.

Held under the theme "Italy in Seoul," the event runs both online and offline from Aug. 26 through Sunday. More than 100 brands are taking part, including names introduced by ITA as well as brands CJ Onstyle scouted itself. The offline event at Highstreet Italia in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, features 31 brands. Visitors can browse different concepts by city as they move through the space — Milan for fashion, beauty and home goods, Rome for travel, and Naples for food and kitchenware.

A visit to the pop-up on Wednesday showed a scene reminiscent of a showroom at an overseas department store. At the center of the second floor stood a bicycle from Bianchi, founded in 1885. Known as "the world's oldest bicycle brand," Bianchi's products are priced in the tens of millions of won depending on options. The "Oltre RC 140th Anniversary Limited Edition" on display was priced at 24 million won ($17,900). A Vespa edition marking the scooter brand's 80th anniversary was also on hand — a model CJ Onstyle introduced exclusively in the industry, priced at 6.59 million won.

Products from renowned premium lighting brands are displayed on the third floor of the "Viva Italia" pop-up store presented by CJ Onstyle and the Italian Trade Agency.
Products from renowned premium lighting brands are displayed on the third floor of the "Viva Italia" pop-up store presented by CJ Onstyle and the Italian Trade Agency.

On the third floor, a lamp priced around 4.7 million won, released by Martinelli Luce to mark its 60th anniversary in 2010, was on display. Artemide lighting, which drew attention after being used by celebrities, was also gathered there. Magis's trolleys, known for their bold colors and practical design, were displayed by color. Products from other well-known Italian interior brands such as Flos and Kartell rounded out the floor.

The fourth floor was filled with leading Italian food brands, ranging from Borgo delle Tovaglie — known for the "Choi Hwa-jung apron" — to Muraglia. Muraglia offers olive oil in stylishly designed ceramic bottles. Shoppers could check prices by scanning a QR code with their phone, a setup designed so that products encountered offline could be purchased directly through the CJ Onstyle app. Exclusive products from major brands are being introduced through mobile livestreams and other channels.

CJ Onstyle conducted a midterm sales tally covering the period from the event's launch through Tuesday. It showed the average daily order value among participating brands rose 288 percent compared with the daily average in the first half of this year. Artemide's sales increased 16.8-fold, and sales of bed brand Doleran grew 23.4-fold. Cutlery brand Neva's order volume jumped 33.8-fold, and moka pot brand Bialetti's surged 114.7-fold.

Fifteen of the participating brands secured a permanent presence on CJ Onstyle as a result of the project. "We are strengthening our efforts to curate and present premium global products," a CJ Onstyle official said, adding, "We are pursuing additional projects in collaboration with various countries to introduce their leading local brands."

Leading Italian food brands fill the fourth floor of the "Viva Italia" pop-up store presented by CJ Onstyle and the Italian Trade Agency. Pictured are olive and avocado oils from Pepebruno, and canned tomatoes from Ciao and Vesu.
Leading Italian food brands fill the fourth floor of the "Viva Italia" pop-up store presented by CJ Onstyle and the Italian Trade Agency. Pictured are olive and avocado oils from Pepebruno, and canned tomatoes from Ciao and Vesu.
An 80th-anniversary model from renowned scooter brand Vespa is displayed at the entrance to the fourth floor of the "Viva Italia" pop-up store presented by CJ Onstyle and the Italian Trade Agency. It is priced at 6.59 million won, viewable via QR code.
An 80th-anniversary model from renowned scooter brand Vespa is displayed at the entrance to the fourth floor of the "Viva Italia" pop-up store presented by CJ Onstyle and the Italian Trade Agency. It is priced at 6.59 million won, viewable via QR code.

soho0902@heraldcorp.com