Luxury department store Lane Crawford has opened in Chengdu.
Located in the new Chengdu International Finance Square, the store spans 82,000 sqft, the same size as its Hong Kong IFC flagship.
It is spread over two floors, with more than 300 international brands across womenswear, ladies’ shoes and accessories, beauty, menswear, men’s shoes and accessories, and home and lifestyle.
The store represents a 300 million yuan ($48.6 million) investment and follows the opening of Lane Crawford’s China flagship in Shanghai in October 2013. Lane Crawford’s portfolio in mainland China also includes two stores in Beijing and a global online store, optimised for the China market with Chinese language signage, customer service and payment capabilities.
“We are building beautiful stores strategically positioned in major regional hubs in Greater China. Our stores are seamlessly connected to our digital flagship through product and service, and this enables us to cover all of China, extending reach into new markets for our customers and importantly, also for our brand partners,” said Andrew Keith, president of Lane Crawford.
“Chengdu as the thriving gateway to Western China and the financial centre of the region, is integral to this strategy. There are key indicators of rapid and continued growth in the region with strong GDP, a robust environment of foreign direct investment, a dynamic technology industry and double-digit average income growth. Not surprisingly there is an expanding super rich community and it is one of the most productive luxury goods markets in China,” said Keith.
Lane Crawford is unique in Greater China for its “buyers model” executed at the scale of a department store, while other multi-brand retailers operate concession models, essentially renting space to brands.
Keith said the unique collection of merchandise for Chengdu Lane Crawford was selected by a buying team of 85 experts who has close relationships with brand partners and designers globally.
Featured brands range from international designers including Azzedine Alaia, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Lanvin, Stella McCartney and Valentino to new generation designers including Alexander Wang and Sacai, and contemporary collections including Alice & Olivia, J.Crew and Chinese designers Chictopia by Christine Lau, Helen Lee and MsMin by Min Liu.
The store features two LED screens for digital content and pop areas for collaborations and exhibition. The space is punctuated by a dramatic void which features a three metre high sculpture entitled “The Scribble” by international artist Sawada who has also created “The Lattice”, a series of architectural screens in the menswear area.
It offers a host of exclusive personalised services including a concierge team and a luxurious 5700 sqft suite for personal styling and private events. Exclusive beauty services include six beauty treatment suites, a hair salon and nail bar, with almost 2000 sqft dedicated to a calendar of activities including complimentary skin and makeup and fragrance consultations, beauty tips and trends workshops, product samples and new services.
As part of Lane Crawford’s connected commerce strategy, the Chengdu store and Lane Crawford’s online store are completely connected to provide a seamless shopping experience. Customers in Chengdu can enjoy same day delivery of online and store orders, or collect or return their online order at the Online Shopping Concierge, a 1000 sqft space featuring fitting rooms and iPads.
More than 3000 sqft is designated for creative displays and specifically, a space called “The Hub” aims to showcase and support emerging creative talent in fashion, art and design, by showcasing their work in the heart of the store.
