LVMH powerhouse Louis Vuitton has set its sights on the flourishing luxury market of Southeast Asia, unveiling exciting new endeavours in both retail and dining sectors in Singapore and Thailand.
The strategic move not only reflects the brand’s commitment to catering to the evolving preferences of its clientele, but also positions Louis Vuitton as a key player in Southeast Asia’s luxury market.
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A Bain & Company report identified Thailand as a particularly vibrant market, attracting a substantial influx of visitors and garnering heightened attention from its own residents. This positive momentum reflects the region’s growing appeal as a thriving destination for both tourism and retail consumption.
In Thailand, Louis Vuitton has opened two new culinary establishments: Southeast Asia’s first Vuitton restaurant, in collaboration with celebrated chef Gaggan Anand, Gaggan at Louis Vuitton; and the second Le Café Louis Vuitton in Southeast Asia. Both are located in Gaysorn Amarin shopping centre in Ratchaprasong.
Accepting reservations from March, Gaggan at Louis Vuitton will offer both lunch and dinner seatings. Calcutta-born chef Anand is no stranger to the world of fine dining, rising to fame as his eponymous restaurant Gaggan in Bangkok was named No. 1 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list from 2015 to 2018.
Meanwhile, the new café follows the opening of the first café concept in Singapore, which specialises in fine chocolate.
Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric opened at the Louis Vuitton flagship store in Marina Bay Sands on February 7, led by pastry chef Maxime Frédéric.
In addition to bringing culinary concepts, Vuitton is also making a play for its most valued customers in Southeast Asia.
Vuitton has unveiled its inaugural retail space exclusively designed to cater to the needs of their most esteemed clientele – the Very Important Clients (VICs), as reported by the Straits Times.
The new retail concept located in Singapore’s Ngee Ann City stands as the pioneer of the brand’s innovative Apartment concept within the region.
Spanning 690 square metres, the by-appointment-only boutique features an exhibition space in addition to private salons designed to both elevate the shopping experience as well as offer utmost privacy to the maison’s VIP clients.
The brand previously commissioned a similar concept in Hong Kong, albeit as a pop-up running for a six-week period. The 2022 pop-up, L’Appartement Hong Kong, was designed by André Fu and opened only to selected clients.
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The convergence of the pandemic and growing market complexities have compelled well-established luxury retailers to seek diversification in their portfolios beyond Asian luxury hotspots such as Hong Kong and Japan.
In this pursuit, Southeast Asia is emerging as a logical destination, with notable markets such as Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam offering promising opportunities.
“Luxury brands have come to realise that they need to diversify their portfolios and Southeast Asia is a natural choice for this diversification. Stand out markets include Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam,” noted Savills’ head of Asia Pacific retail, Nick Bradstreet.