London-based heritage brand Swaine has landed on Avenue George V, a stone’s throw from Hermès and Louis Vuitton.
Swaine has opened a boutique on Avenue George V across the street from the American Cathedral, and a stone’s throw from Hermès and Louis Vuitton. It marks the introduction in France of quintessentially British products including attaché cases, fedoras and umbrellas used by movie characters ranging from James Bond to Indiana Jones and Mary Poppins.
Since it was founded in 1750 as a whip maker, the London-based house has supplied British royalty ranging from King George III to Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III. Over the years it has incorporated umbrella maker Brigg & Co. and hat manufacturer Herbert Johnson, whose signature creations are also sold in the Paris store.
It marks Swaine’s second overseas opening this year as the brand seeks to grow beyond its historically male, Anglo-Saxon clientele.
“Swaine is evolving toward a more global, international presence, while broadening its appeal across genders,” Florence Di Taranto, who took over as chief executive officer of Swaine last month, told WWD.
“Leadership is no longer exclusively male; it also speaks to a female audience that wields power. The brand’s evolution is about opening up to these different segments and audiences,” she added.
In tandem with its opening at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles in May, the label launched new women’s handbag styles like the Malibu tote, which can be rolled into a cylindrical travel case, or the Bel-Air, which combines whip-like woven leather handles with ostrich skin, in a departure from its trademark bridle leather.
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