How can a brand new store reflect the history of a centuries-old brand? Delvaux is answering that question with its second flagship in the United States, now open at South Coast Plaza.
The Compagnie Financière Richemont-owned maison’s newest location offers a bridge between the brand’s storied past, present and future, with museum-worthy furnishings and architectural features that marry French and American design. The 1,200-square-foot store, which follows Delvaux’s New York City flagship on Fifth Avenue opened in 2019, draws customers past the breeze-block facade into a salon with a bar, curved velvet couches and chairs, and art pieces that double as tables, cabinets and consoles.
“I consider a store as a bridge between the location where we land and where we come from,” Delvaux chief executive officer Jean-Marc Loubier told WWD when discussing the South Coast Plaza store. “It must be interesting. It must create moments where people shop, for sure, and where people can discover something beyond an object that they can buy,” he said.
Founded in 1829, Delvaux bills itself as the oldest luxury leather-goods house in the world, and one of the first luxury-goods firms to introduce seasonality into its collections in the 1930s. It has been an official supplier to the Belgian royal court since 1883, and boasts an archive of more than 3,000 styles, all patented. The bags, which are made in Belgium and France, have been carried by Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Naomi Campbell among others.
Richemont acquired 100 percent of Delvaux from First Heritage Brands in 2021, when Loubier, the executive who led the rejuvenation and global expansion of Delvaux in the 2010s, returned for a second stint as CEO. The brand currently has 62 stores worldwide.
“If you look at what we have done in Southern California, we are in the mall — which is one of the best in America — but when you look at the facade it’s as if the store was on the street,” Loubier explained of the design. “We wanted to give the feeling of going to a mansion. The bar refers to the European culture of going to a café and discussing around the bar. We have the Cubica console, by a very famous designer of the the ’80s, Ettore Sottsass. The two cabinets, which are made by well-known French designers of the ’50s Jacques Adnet and Gilbert Poillerat, are exceptional.”
The South Coast Plaza store.
The breeze-block facade isn’t the only nod to Southern California in the store; the centerpiece — a geometric midcentury modern screen — originally hails from Palm Springs, where it was once installed in the historic Abernathy residence pavilion. “The screen has an interesting story, because I found it in Paris,” Loubier recalled. “In fact, it was coming from Palm Springs. So by bringing it back to California, it’s a way to pay tribute to the States.” (Another Delvaux Palm Springs connection? Film icon Elizabeth Taylor, who made her dream holiday home in the desert town, and serves as the inspiration behind Delvaux’s latest bag, Le Caprice.)
Loubier approaches each store with a distinct identity but a unifying philosophy. “Today, we have opened a new store in Seoul, Korea,” he said. “In January, we’re opening our first store in Bangkok, Thailand. Two months ago, we redesigned one of our stores in Paris, in Le Bon Marché, which is very unique. What brings them together is the philosophy ‘Les Arts Décoratifs’ of the 19th century, which means that everything which is beautiful must be useful.”
The South Coast Plaza store.
The Delvaux bags displayed in the South Coast Plaza store include bestsellers Le Brillant, Le Tempête, and Le Pin. “I call them the founding fathers,” Loubier said. “At Delvaux there is no logo, but when you put a bag on the table, even if you don’t know the name of the company, you will always remember.”
As the first to register a patent for the handbag, in 1908 with Le Princesse, Delvaux’s retail strategy hinges on its pioneering history and long-lasting quality. Prices range from $400 for small leather goods to $18,000 or more for bags with special handwork. “We are not a fashion company,” Loubier explained. “We don’t come every season with a new bag. We give a lot of importance to the quality of the time to build up something so that it’s long-lasting. Because at Delvaux, what is key is the idea of sustainability by design. We are sustainable in the way we make our bags, we give a lot of care to it, but also, the way people are going to own them. It’s very important that they keep them for a long time.”
The South Coast Plaza store.
Loubier wouldn’t quantify growth, but shared, “Since 2011, we have multiplied by more than 15 [times]. So it means that there is a very interesting dynamics. But there is a lot to do yet. Being in the Richemont group brings a lot of supporting background to us.” When asked about Delvaux’s holiday outlook, Loubier replied, “It looks very promising.”
Loubier hopes to build on Delvaux’s Stateside presence. “One day we’ll be somewhere in Miami, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles,” Loubier shared. “The future means for us developing around the world, but it’s very important that we don’t do that in a sense of standardization or massification, which happens very often with some luxury companies,” he continued. “We try to give a mix of legacy and surprise with the way we build the stores.”
