Hermès brand Shang Xia to open first store outside of China

Shang Xia, launched in 2010 by Hermès, will open its first store outside of China in Paris this September according to a press release from the company.

The store, which will measure 70 square metres, was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and was formerly home to Furla. Located in the touristic Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of Paris, the Shang Xia store is just a stone’s throw away from an Hermès store which opened in 2010.

Shang Xia, which prides itself on Chinese savoir-faire, offers an array of jewellery, clothing and homewares, all of which bear reference to Chinese culture. The brand opened its first ever store in September in Shanghai, where Shang Xia is based. A second store opened in Beijing in October.

Patrick Thomas, head of Hermès, wanted to use Shang Xia to transfer the Hermès philosophy in China. It has been a slow start for the brand but Hermès insists that Shang Xia has exceeded expectations, mentioning that Shang Xia is an investment for the future of Hermès. According to industry specialists, China it set to become the world’s number one luxury market over the next few years.

The Hermès group has 38 stores in Greater China (21 in continental China, 8 in Hong Kong, 3 in Macau and 6 in Taiwan). Two store openings are planned in the region for the coming year: one in Ningbo, south of Shanghai and a Maison Hermès store in Shanghai in early 2014.