Bombinate to open first offline experience, The Hive

Bombinate, the online platform for men focused on heritage and craftsmanship, is to stage its first offline experience in the lead up to Christmas. "The Hive" will be a three-day pop-up to be held at The Truman Brewery over the first weekend in December.

The pop-up will allow customers to browse and shop a curated selection of Bombinate's partner brands, including some guest artisans, such as Italy's most remote eyewear maker and Scotland's finest ski-maker, while enjoying mulled wine and freshly brewed beer.

Jose​ ​Urrutia,​ ​co-founder​ ​of​ ​La​ ​Portegna,​ ​one​ ​of​ ​Bombinate’s​ ​British​ ​brands,​ ​said of the initiative:​ ​“There's​ ​an​ ​opportunity for​ ​The​ ​Hive​ ​to​ ​make​ ​a​ ​mark​ ​in​ ​people's​ ​perception​ ​of​ ​quality,​ ​and​ ​we​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​part​ ​of​ ​that​ ​change.”

Founded by childhood friends and​ ​entrepreneurs​ ​Elliott​ ​Aeschlimann​ ​and​ ​Massimiliano​ ​Gritti, Bombinate (the name is an ancient English word for the noise a bee makes) was launched in May of this year. The pair travelled throughout Europe​ ​and​ ​the​ ​UK​ ​in search​ ​of​ ​highly​ ​skilled,​ ​underrepresented​ ​artisan​ ​brands,​ to feature on the platform.

“These​ ​brands​ ​have​ ​committed​ ​their​ ​life’s​ ​work​ ​to​ ​quality,​ ​and​ ​deserve​ ​to​ ​finally​ ​find​ ​the​ ​limelight​ ​that will​ ​allow​ ​them​ ​to​ ​share​ ​their​ ​passion​ ​with​ ​the​ ​global​ ​audience​ ​that​ ​has​ ​been​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​them,” said Gritti.

The pair described the demise of craftsmanship as one of retail's "costliest mistakes" and said they were determined to repair some of the damage by bringing together "the​ ​next​ ​generation​ ​of​ ​Europe’s​ ​finest​ ​artisanal​ ​brands​ ​in​ ​the​ ​very​ ​the​ ​heart of​ ​London".

The Hive will run from 1-3 December at 4​ ​Dray​ ​Walk,​ ​London​ ​E1​ ​6QL from 10am to 10pm.

​Read our interview with the Bombinate founders here.

Image (above):  Malle London, Bombinate's first partner brand.