Top restaurants team up with luxury brands to enrich dining experiences

A long line snaked from the ground floor of the Landmark Prince's in Central to the lift lobby and up to the entrance of Sevva. Customers were queuing to sample the "Lanvin Loves Sevva" afternoon tea set, with a price tag of HK$680 for two and an extra HK$250 for a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose NV Champagne.

Sevva owner Bonnae Gokson was amazed by the response to the collaboration, which was offered each Saturday in December. "Our staff had to open service from the terrace and [both sides of the restaurant] to accommodate eager guests. Mostly right after lunch, we needed more time to clean up after the lunchtime service first before tea service, but the lines were so long that we needed more staff to manage the crowds."

The afternoon tea set featured round placemats with whimsical designs by Lanvin designer Alber Ebaz, and a three-tiered tray resplendent with sandwich rolls, truffle scrambled egg on toast poilane, foie gras mousse and onion marmalade on a waffle, petite finger rolls of French ham and Brie cheese, and minced chicken sandwiches for savouries. Sweets included snowflake coconut chiffon sponge, French vanilla crème, pineapple crème cake, and macarons decorated with Elbaz's cartoon caricature.

Customers also received a voucher that could be exchanged for a small mirror or USB by visiting the Lanvin boutique nearby on Ice House Street.

The overwhelming response to the promotional afternoon tea sprung from a niche market of well-heeled Hongkongers who are so obsessed with luxury brands they want, literally, a taste of them.

MO Bar at Landmark Mandarin Oriental also engages in collaborations with designer labels on afternoon tea sets, the first one in 2009 with fragrance brand Jo Malone. The hotel's culinary director, Richard Ekkebus, says the collaborations are driven by the hotel's public relations team, which works directly with each brand to explore a unique angle. While the designer afternoon teas not only invite enthusiastic customers keen to sample creative bites aligned with their favourite brands, they are an exercise in cross-promotional marketing that is a win-win for both the restaurant and brands.