OP6 • THEEDGE SINGAPORE
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| JULY 20, 2009
THE ASCOTT INTERVIEW
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Lasting LUXURY Louis Vuitton may be 155 years old but the brand still has the power to create a buzz with every item it launches and every store it opens — the latest being the luxurious duplex boutique at ION Orchard in Singapore. Jean-Baptiste Debains, president of Louis Vuitton Asia Pacific, talks to Surinder Jessy and Audrey Simon about the brand’s expansion plans and how it has managed to stay relevant after all these years.
I
t has been two weeks since Louis Vuitton opened its doors to the public at Singapore’s latest fashion and lifestyle hub ION Orchard and the ubiquitous LV queue has started — sometimes six deep. This despite the fact that just 200m away at Ngee Ann City is another LV store. The pull of this French luxury fashion and leather goods company that was founded in 1854 shows no signs of waning. This is a brand that has always pushed the boundaries of luxury, be it with its products or its stores, and has taken the concept of shopping to new levels, making it a cherished experience. Each of its stores worldwide, from its 18 sq m boutique in Gstad, Switzerland to its 1,800 sq m Maison in Champs-Élysées in Paris, is a reflection of the infrastructure of the city where it is located and the sophistication of the people. Thus, each store has its own appeal and emits a different feel of style and sophistication. And this is precisely why fans of the brand are willing to wait in line to enter the store. Stacy Tang, a 29-year-old lawyer and
self-confessed shopaholic, admitted that she was willing to queue up so that she could take a closer look at the new global store. Asked whether the 20-minute wait was worth it, Tang’s answer was a resounding yes. Who can blame her? On the afternoon of the official opening on July 2, a handful of regional journalists was taken on a tour of the 905 sq m duplex store, which occupies the street level of ION Orchard. There was nothing but “oohs” and “aahs” as we admired the curved façade that flows elegantly down like the folds of a silk scarf. On closer look, the overlapping technique resembles the two-toned LV checkerboard design known as the Damier. This amazing design is the brainchild of Front Inc, New York, a specialist in architectural façades. Once inside, women worth their weight in Graffiti bags will be delighted to see a 9m-long bag bar (the first in Asia) take centre stage. Not to be outdone, the men have a 6m-long bag bar that features an area for accessories.
Making our way up the circular staircase, we arrived at the ready-to-wear section for men and women and the men’s shoes, women’s leather goods and timepiece sections. In a special tie-up with the ION Orchard boutique, LV has created a host of in-store exclusives with some that carry the label “Louis Vuitton Orchard Road Singapore”. These are iconic must-acquire items for the diehard LV fan. Here are just a few to whet your appetite: The very “in” trench coat in luxurious silk; matching bronze ballerina pumps; Soupçon Oversized sunglasses; the Appearance sunglasses; and the elegant Tambour 18 Croissant timepiece. The new global boutique elevates shopping to a whole new level and this experience will be extended to the existing store at Ngee Ann City, where plans are underway to convert it into a duplex store. Renovations are expected to be completed by November. On how the two stores will compliment each other, Jean-Baptiste Debains, president of Louis Vuitton Asia Pacific, tells us that both stores will be similar, even in size, with only product category differences — Ngee Ann City will carry the high-end jewellery collection. Debains notes, “[The store at Ngee Ann City] is very successful and a place that we have been able to develop over the years. Both [malls] have very faithful clientele locally as well as a strong attraction for tourists, an important clientele. When people travel, shopping, especially luxury
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