That’s right. The renowned French fashion brand is heading east, where a new store-- slated to open next year-- will be its largest flagship in the world, eclipsing its gargantuan Paris retail space. The September issue of Vogue (the long-awaited Fall Fashion issue) has a fantastic feature on China’s “exploding wealth and newfound sense of possibility.” The Chinese are expected to become the world’s biggest consumers of luxury goods by 2015, and currently represent more than a quarter of all sales worldwide. “All of this is fueled by the rapidly expanding middle class,” says Vogue, “which is expected to grow to 500 million people in the next fifteen years.” Many of the big fashion houses are holding major global events in Beijing, and MCM and Tory Burch recently opened boutiques. Little wonder then, that Louis Vuitton has staked a claim to China’s cool capital for its largest store worldwide.
Pictured, a Louis Vuitton 'Voyages' Themed Store Window Display in Beijing. Photo via MaoSuit, the Business of Fashion and Luxury in China, which profiles an interesting new Louis Vuitton "Voyages" Exhibition at the National Museum of China.