Cartier in a hurry in the City

New Cartier store in the Royal Exchange

Cartier has launched a new boutique in the City of London. In a deliberate departure from its traditional store—aimed at creating a genteel, relaxed environment for "ladies who lunch" to relax in—the new store will target time-pressured male customers in the City.

Rather than its traditional, relaxed, sit-down approach to shopping, the new City boutique at the Royal Exchange, will offer a faster service from standing service stations. The store is also the first Cartier store to put the men’s lines at the front of the store.

Despite the emphasis on a speedy service—Cartier reckons City workers spend an average of just 20 minutes away from their desks during the day—the store design by Bruno Moinard draws heavily on the relaxed style of his previous Cartier boutique in Sloane Street, which opened last year. Whether any City boys find time to enjoy the relaxed seating in the VIP area remains to be seen. The boutique is Cartier’s fourth standalone store in London.