Where fashion, fragrance and food converge:
Maison Deux at Hyde Park Corner opens South Africa’s most anticipated new café
Maison Deux, the new luxury retail concept at Hyde Park Corner, opened the doors to Marc’s by Marc Jacobs, the first café from the celebrated American fashion house to launch on the African continent and the first permanent location for Marc’s by Marc Jacobs Café. Operating under licence from Marc Jacobs’ international office, Maison Deux brings together the energy of New York, a French culinary sensibility and a menu developed in direct collaboration with the brand, introducing a café experience previously unseen in South Africa to Hyde Park Corner’s luxury retail mix.
Francois du Buisson, General Manager of Hyde Park Corner, says the opening speaks directly to what the centre has always sought to offer its shoppers. “We have always looked for brands and experiences that offer our shoppers something they cannot find elsewhere, and a café of this calibre, the first of its kind on the continent, does precisely that. It strengthens what Maison Deux brings to the centre and adds a compelling new reason to visit.”
Fashion translated into flavour
The menu at Marc’s by Marc Jacobs spans all-day dining, from waffles, bagels and build-your-own toasts at breakfast through to pasta, salads and sandwiches later in the day. A signature coffee programme and an artisan matcha-based iced drinks range complete the offering, alongside a considered mocktail list that carries the brand’s New York references throughout, from the Strawberry Social and Palm Avenue to the Runway Refresher and Little Red Dress.
The most distinctive element of the menu is a collection of four entremets, each conceived as a culinary interpretation of a Marc Jacobs signature fragrance. New York Nights, comprising dark and milk chocolate, salted caramel and coffee, draws from Perfect Intense, the brand’s rich, late-night scent. Citrus Perfect, combining coconut, yuzu, mango and lime, reflects the bright character of Perfect. The Vanille Dream, built on tonka bean, crème brûlée, vanilla and dark chocolate, takes its inspiration from the soft warmth of Daisy Love, while Wild Pink, a combination of raspberry, lychee, rose and almond, is guided by Daisy Eau So Fresh. The direction for this fragrance-to-flavour approach came from the Marc Jacobs international office as part of a broader commitment to extending the brand’s identity into every aspect of the café experience.
South African talent, internationally informed
The café’s culinary team is made up of South African professionals whose training reflects both local ambition and international mentorship. The pastry programme draws on advanced training undertaken with world-renowned pastry chefs Antonio Bachour and Nina Tarasova, bringing a French, technique-driven approach to every creation on the menu.
Designed by the brand, built for the experience
The interior of Marc’s by Marc Jacobs was conceived by the brand itself. Ambient lighting, tactile finishes and bold design accents establish an environment that is refined in feel but relaxed in character, a physical expression of the balance between polish and playfulness that has long defined Marc Jacobs. The space is designed not merely as a place to eat, but as a destination in its own right where guests step into the world of the brand.
Hyde Park Corner: where it begins
The choice of Hyde Park Corner as the home for Africa’s first Marc’s by Marc Jacobs Café was deliberate. As South Africa’s original luxury retail destination, the centre has, since 1969, set the benchmark for premium shopping in the country. Maison Deux, the multi-brand luxury concept within which the café sits, brings together an edited selection of internationally recognised fashion and homeware brands, creating a retail environment in which the Marc’s finds a natural home.
A spokesperson for the Maison Deux, owned and operated by the Al Capone Group said: “Hyde Park Corner is where luxury retail in South Africa began, and it felt like the right place to bring this concept to life. Marc’s by Marc Jacobs Café is an experience that reflects everything the brand stands for, and we are proud to be introducing it to South African audiences for the first time.”
Marc’s by Marc Jacobs Café is located within Maison Deux at Hyde Park Corner, Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg.
Hyde Park Corner Trading Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 9am to 6pm
Sundays and Public Holidays: 10am to 3pm