Goyard, the legendary Paris trunk-maker, has landed in Milan. Covering a 753-square-foot surface, Goyard’s first Italian flagship is located on Via Gesù 2, at the corner of Via Montenapoleone, in the central Quadrilatero fashion district. The opening announcement appeared on Goyard’s web site and social media.
The iconic geometric Goyardine pattern stands out in the elegant store, which displays both women’s and men’s bags and accessories. In addition to these, the store offers the opportunity to customize the goods with the owner’s hand-painted initials.
Milan’s flagship marks the eighth Goyard boutique in the world, after banners in San Francisco, New York, Mexico City, London, Biarritz and the two Parisian addresses on Rue Saint-Honoré 352 and 233, which dates back to 1834. In addition to these, the French house counts 22 corners located in luxury department stores around the U.S. and Asia, including Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, among others.
The Italian opening is part of an international expansion strategy, focusing on selective and exclusive distribution. As highlighted on its web site, Goyard products are only available at the brand’s namesake boutiques worldwide, since the company has decided not to engage in any form of e-commerce.
Founded in 1792, the historic brand gained the favors and support of international celebrities over the years. Prominent personalities, fan of the brand’s signature trunks, included the Duke and Duchess of Windsor; the Agnellis and the Rockefellers; the Romanovs and the Grimaldis; Pablo Picasso; Jacques Cartier; Estée Lauder; Coco Chanel; Jeanne Lanvin; Romy Schneider; Edith Piaf; Cristóbal Balenciaga and Karl Lagerfeld, among others.
The brand passed under the control of businessman Jean-Michel Signoles in 1998.