Louis Vuitton has announced the opening of its latest store in the newest luxury wing of Ayala Malls Makati, Greenbelt 3.
Inspired by Louis Vuitton’s Spirit of Travel and intertwined with local elements, the store has special features that are unique to a traditional Filipino home.
The luxury fashion house collaborated with Filipino designers and sisters Stephanie Kienle Gonzalez and Jessica Kienle Maxwell of Philux. The design inspiration for the Greenbelt 3 store is the woven heritage of the country spread across its 7,107 islands—each thread a metaphor of the Philippines’ intrinsically diverse history, culture, and aspirations.
The store is a destination in itself as guests are welcomed into a breezy tropical cabana, with the House’s codes subtly integrated into the glass panels surrounding the store.
The ceiling panels are made of raffia and saguran (textile made from the fiber of local leaves), with the women’s leather goods area showcasing bamboo teardrop lamps made by local craftsmen. The private lounge’s sliding doors mimic capiz (shell-like material) windows often found in traditional provincial family homes. Rugs with designs that echo complex tribal tattoo designs line up several of the store’s key selling areas.
Distinct colourful patterns that are hung around the walls of the store are Filipino artworks made using strips of acrylic, handwoven abaca polyester fabric, and a tasteful mix of cord, rope and tapestry. Artworks by French painter Zelie Belcour and Portuguese painter Carla Sa Fernandes both showcase a colourful ensemble while a centrepiece of metal on wood by English painter Russell Frampton are also displayed prominently in the store.
Belcour’s vibrant artwork is showcased in Greenbelt 3’s private lounge where clients enjoy an intimate and discreet shopping experience. The deluxe, spacious lounge is designed to host appointments for a highly personalized and exclusive shopping experience.