Catastrophe

TheArsenale no longer feels like a retailer, it feels closer to a cultural platform. At what point did you realize you weren't just selling extraordinary machines, but curating an entire worldview?

Marcela Mayorga Meignan: Well, I think there has always been something about TheArsenale that goes beyond retail. But I truly realised it had become something much bigger when I started seeing a real community forming around it. Watching hundreds of young people queue just to buy a cap, seeing enthusiasts proudly place a TheArsenale sticker on their cars, or receiving calls from places like Qatar and Macau asking us to create a TheArsenale space, not simply a store, but a cultural destination— those were the moments that made me understand we were building something far beyond what we had originally imagined.

Every collaboration since then has reinforced that feeling. Whether it was working with Mobilize, Pirelli, or many of the incredible creators we’ve met along the way, it has never been just about launching a product. It’s about bringing together people who share the same curiosity, the same passion for design, and the same desire to push boundaries.

Personally, that’s what makes this journey so meaningful. I feel incredibly fortunate to build something like this alongside my husband. Every project, every opening, every collaboration is another chapter in a story we’re writing together. Looking back, what makes me the proudest isn’t what we’ve sold; it’s the community we’ve built and the emotions we’ve been able to create around TheArsenale.

People often separate fashion, architecture, automotive design, and technology into different disciplines. The Arsenale seems determined to erase those boundaries. What connects all of these worlds for you?

MMM: Yes, I know people often separate disciplines and like to put people into categories. It’s something I’ve always questioned, because I don’t think creativity works that way. You don’t have to be just a musician, just a designer, or just an architect. Creativity is much more fluid than that, and I think TheArsenale reflects the same philosophy.

We don’t like to label ourselves either. We describe TheArsenale as a cultural hub for mobility because that gives us the freedom to explore mobility in its broadest sense. A scooter can exist next to a flying car, a submarine next to a piece of mobility-inspired art. For us, it’s all part of the same conversation.

What we’re really creating is an ecosystem where all these worlds naturally coexist. That’s why people are so curious when they walk into one of our spaces. They don’t always know what they’re about to discover, and I love that feeling. Instead of explaining exactly what we are, I’d rather invite people to experience it for themselves.

I also think what makes TheArsenale different from a traditional concept store is that we’re not curating different fashion brands. We create our own products and collaborate with brands that share our vision of mobility, so everything remains part of one consistent story. Every collaboration, every object and every space contributes to the same editorial direction.

Office has always been interested in the people behind creative ecosystems rather than individual products. How do you build a community around mobility rather than simply collecting clients?

MMM: Community has always been at the heart of everything we do. It’s never been a one-way relationship. We believe our community gives something to us, and we have a responsibility to give something back. When someone becomes part of TheArsenale, it’s never just about buying a car, a motorcycle, or even a submarine. It’s about becoming part of a story. We want people to feel that they’re part of something much bigger than a transaction. That’s why, everywhere we’ve had TheArsenale, from Miami and Monaco to Dubai and beyond, we’ve always hosted events that bring our community together. We invite collectors, designers, entrepreneurs, artists and friends to meet, exchange ideas and simply enjoy being together. People come wearing TheArsenale gear, they meet new people, collaborations happen naturally, and that’s exactly what we love to see.

One of my favourite examples is Ahmed Bin Mana Al Maktoum. He first discovered TheArsenale by buying two Ferrari coffee machines. We became friends, and over time that relationship evolved into something much bigger. Today, TheArsenale has a home in Dubai because of that connection. Stories like that constantly remind us that we’re not just building a business; we’re building relationships that grow into incredible opportunities. The same happens with people like Will Smith, Paul Pogba, or Jake Paul. They didn’t come because of a marketing campaign. They simply discovered TheArsenale, were curious, and wanted to experience it for themselves. I think that’s one of the biggest compliments we can receive.

Over the years, many clients have become close friends, and many friends have become partners. We know what we’re building is ambitious, and it’s a long-term vision. More than anything, we want the people around us to feel that they’re not just watching the story unfold, they’re helping write it. I think that’s what a real community is all about.

Monaco is often associated with luxury and excess, but you're based here for a different reason. What does Monaco offer as a laboratory for future mobility and cultural experimentation?

MMM: Monaco isn’t the destination, it’s the starting point. This is where Patrice and I decided to build our life together. When we moved here, it wasn’t just about opening a store, it was about creating a home and giving our family a place to grow. TheArsenale Monaco became our base, a place that gave us stability after so many years of constantly moving from one project to another.

What makes Monaco so inspiring isn’t what people usually think. It’s not just about glamour or beautiful cars. It’s about the culture that exists around mobility. You have one of the most passionate automotive communities in the world. Formula 1 is part of the city’s DNA, but beyond that there are dozens of rallies, collectors’ gatherings and automotive events throughout the year. You meet people who genuinely live and breathe mobility. What we’ve realised is that many of these enthusiasts aren’t simply looking for another supercar. They’re looking for culture, for inspiration and for a place where they can share that passion with others. That’s what we wanted TheArsenale to become, a cultural home for people who see mobility as something much bigger than a machine.

The same is true with yachting. Through Monaco, we’ve discovered an incredible maritime culture, especially around the Yacht Club and the people who shape this world. It’s been fascinating to learn from it, connect with that community, and see how naturally it fits within TheArsenale’s universe.

Many of the objects you work with almost function as sculptures. When does engineering become art, and when does design become emotion?

Pat Meignan: I don't think engineering becomes art by accident. It happens when performance is no longer the only objective, and someone decides to create emotion. The machines that fascinate us are never just the fastest or the most advanced. They're the ones that make us feel something. They have a soul, a story, and a point of view. That's why I often say that we don't curate vehicles, we curate emotions. A Bugatti, a Riva yacht, a BRABUS supercar, or an electric flying vehicle can all create the same emotional response if they embody extraordinary vision and craftsmanship.

At TheArsenale, we're drawn to objects that blur the line between engineering and art. They're designed to move people physically, but also emotionally. And when a machine still gives you goosebumps years after it was built, that's no longer just great engineering, that's timeless design.  

Marcela, you've built a communication strategy that feels much closer to publishing than traditional luxury marketing. How do you tell stories about machines without making them feel like advertisements?

MMM: I’ve never been interested in advertising for the sake of selling something. My background in publishing taught me that people connect with stories, not products. Whether it’s a car, a motorcycle, or a piece of design, I always ask: Why does it exist? Who created it? What emotion does it evoke? That’s the difference. We don’t start with specifications— we start with the human story behind the object.

At TheArsenale, we approach every project as if we were creating an editorial feature. We focus on the people, the craftsmanship, the vision, and the culture surrounding each creation. If the story is authentic, people naturally become curious about the object itself. For me, communication isn’t about convincing someone to buy something. It’s about making them feel something first. The rest comes naturally.

The Arsenale collaborates with brands that already possess very strong visual identities. What makes a partnership exciting for you? Is it shared aesthetics, shared values, or the ability to create something neither partner could have imagined alone?

MMM: I think what excites me the most is when two worlds naturally come together.

When we start talking with another brand, the first question is always whether they fit into TheArsenale’s ecosystem. It’s never about putting two logos next to each other. It’s about creating something that feels authentic for both sides.

A great example is our collaboration with Pirelli. When my husband and I visited the Pirelli Foundation in Milan, we expected a simple meeting. Instead, we found ourselves completely immersed in the history of the brand. Seeing the archives, the old advertising campaigns, the packaging, the photographs… it was incredible. You could really feel the legacy of the family and the impact they had on Italian industry and culture. We actually arrived with the capsule collection already designed because we move very fast. We presented it to Marco, and he immediately loved it. That was a special moment because we knew the collaboration felt right.

People think of Pirelli as a tire company, but it’s much more than that. It’s a cultural brand. The Pirelli Calendar, motorsport, design, photography… they’ve always gone beyond their product. That’s exactly why the collaboration felt so natural. Three months later, we launched the collection during the Monaco Grand Prix, inside the Formula One Pirelli truck, at TheArsenale, with a great event. Everything happened incredibly quickly, but it felt effortless because both brands shared the same vision.

And going back to your previous question, that’s also how I approach communication. I don’t start by thinking about an advertising campaign, I start with the story. When we had the opportunity to shoot on the Pirelli speedboat, I immediately imagined this cinematic, James Bond-inspired atmosphere. Once you have the right story, everything else— the visuals, the campaign, the emotion— comes naturally.

This Autumn you'll be unveiling a new collaboration with BRABUS around the Monaco Yacht Show. Without giving too much away, what can people expect from the project, and how does it expand The Arsenale's vision beyond land into the world of yachting?

PM: I don’t really see yachting as a separate world. To me, it is part of the same ecosystem. Whether it is a car, a motorcycle, an aircraft, or a yacht, it is all about the future of motion.

For the Monaco Yacht Show, we are organizing the first BRABUS press trip in Monaco, in joint venture with Alexandre Grimaldi’s agency. We are very fortunate to work with Alexandre on this project, because he brings a unique understanding of Monaco, its people and its international influence.

The idea is not simply to present products. We want to create a complete BRABUS experience for selected media, clients and partners, and allow them to understand the brand across automotive, marine, design and lifestyle. This is exactly where TheArsenale adds value. We create the context, the audience and the storytelling around exceptional mobility brands. For us, this project is another important step in expanding TheArsenale’s vision beyond land and showing that the future of motion is one single culture, whether it happens on the road, in the air or on the water.