Louis Vuitton tests its first home store in Shanghai

Louis Vuitton announced on Friday the opening of a home furnishing and interior design store in Shanghai, a first for the French luxury brand. The label is looking to expand the range of products it offers to its wealthy Chinese customers. The store is located in a building near Nanjing Lu, the city's main high-end shopping street. It is due to open on Monday and will be accessible by appointment only.

Louis Vuitton, the flagship brand of the LVMH group, plans a trial period of a few months before making a decision on whether to make the store permanent.

No labels were visible during a press tour of the store, but a Louis Vuitton employee said a chair designed by the Campana brothers was priced at more than 700,000 yuan (about 94,000 euros) and a small lamp at 10,500 yuan.

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Another smaller building is dedicated to the presentation of creations by Frank Chou, the first designer chosen by Louis Vuitton to enrich its "Nomadic Objects" collection.

Last month, the brand opened a store in Chengdu, in southwest China, that includes an exhibition space and a restaurant.

"LVMH is striving to (...) reposition itself as a contemporary luxury brand by testing new things that resonate with dynamic Chinese millennials and Generation Z consumers," comments GlobalData analyst Bobby Verghese, who believes the group's desire to diversify into home furnishings and decorations, particularly in China, is relevant.

"Unlike their predecessors, who prioritized privacy, Gen Y 'digital immigrants' and Gen Z 'digital natives' are not averse to flaunting their lifestyles on social media," he explains. "LVMH is looking to gain an advantage by entering this emerging segment first."