Elegant designs
Leather goods brand Louis Quatorze opens first concept store in Malaysia.
A RICH heritage of craftsmanship is seen at Louis Quatorze. The French origin brand offers a wide range of bags and other small leather goods that denote a classic aesthetic.
The recently opened store in Malaysia similarly weds tradition with modernity. Located in Metrojaya Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur, it marks Louis Quatorze’s debut in South-East Asia.
“Malaysia is a hub for a lot of affordable luxury brands in the region. The population is very diverse. Hence it’s a good match with us,” states head of global expansion, Chris Kim.
Kim, who was in KL for the store’s grand launch, notes that the brand has a broad product line. The different ranges can appeal to a large customer base, from people in the 20s right up to 50s.
“Our premium line is more classic and structured, which targets the business and office crowd. We also have the entry-level line that’s more trendy and casual,” explains Kim, during an interview.
The Louis Quatorze current season’s concept is “modern French”. In this, the collection reinterprets traditional French culture, art and sensibilities from 1950s France.
That said, there are also cool designs within the collection that meet modern needs. One such example is a “DIY” bag that customers can customise with different straps and ornaments.
“They can even change the compartments. Basically, the whole purpose is to give customers the experience to build their own products. They can do it at home themselves,” says Kim.
Louis Quatorze is currently available at over 130 department and specialty stores across the world. This includes countries like China, South Korea, United Arab Emirates and France. While the brand also offers sunglasses, gloves, watches and scarves, the store in Malaysia only carries handbags and other small leather goods.
“The big markets that we have expanded into are the Chinese and French ones. But unlike other brands, we are quite cautious. Our approach is more towards a long-term expansion,” Kim points out.
Paul Barrate, who was born into a prominent family of French leather artisans, originally founded the brand in 1980. It was named after the Sun King, Louis XIV of France as a way to highlight French noble culture.
“We pride ourselves to be of French origin, but Asian craftsmanship. All our products are made in South Korea. The designs combine French and Korean aesthetic, so it’s a mix of East and West,” concludes Kim.