When Dior’s creative direction is not the topic of discussion, it is Louis Vuitton’s cathedral-like boutique that is on everyone's lips. Coinciding with the launch of Milan Fashion Week, the flagship brand of the LVMH group organised a cocktail party on September 21 to celebrate the reopening of its store on the luxurious Via Montenapoleone street, not far from Gucci’s boutique.

Louis Vuitton flagship store on Via Montenapoleone

The relaunch of the Via Montenapoleone store, which has been officially opened since September 23, followed a vast restoration programme which aimed to make it the second biggest Louis Vuitton store in Europe, after the Parisian one on the Champs-Elysées Avenue. Spread across 5 floors, the store will introduce many new features, such as the label’s new “Made to Order” project, a shoe customisation service that should also arrive in the Shanghai and Sydney boutiques before the end of the year. The Via Montenapoleone flagship will also boast Louis Vuitton’s first Travel Room in Europe, which offers a wide range of luggage and other travel accessories.

The increased retail space also includes Louis Vuitton bags, leather goods, jewellery, watches and the full ready-to-wear collection designed by Marc Jacobs, who is still the label’s creative director. The designer recently worked alongside Katie Grand to help curate the exhibition “Louis Vuitton: The Art of Fashion”. Currently being held at the La Triennale di Milano museum (on Viale Alemagna) until October 9, it celebrates the creativity of Marc Jacobs by displaying some of the work he has done throughout his career at Louis Vuitton.

In a different corner of the world, Louis Vuitton’s celebratory mood continues. Following its excellent half-year performance ended June 2011, which saw a very high increase in sales and profit, the brand announced the opening of a new Louis Vuitton store in Singapore that sets the bar high for expectations in the Asia-Pacific region. Newly launched in the presence of Louis Vuitton chairman Yves Carcelle, who is to step down from his position next year, the gigantic building is located on an artificial island at the Marina Bay Sands.

New Maison Louis Vuitton in Singapore

Designed by the award-winning architect Peter Marino, the "Island Maison” incorporates culture within its retail space, where all aspects of the brand’s identity are represented. On the ground floor, one can find the ready-to-wear collections as well as shoes and accessories. When shopping for leather goods on the first floor, customers can also go outside to relax on a balcony that looks like the deck of a luxurious yacht. An underwater tunnel, which resembles a contemporary art gallery, joins the island to the Marina Bay shopping centre and leads to a bookstore where visitors can browse through books on art and fashion. Finally, a staircase will take you a room dedicated to watches, jewellery and exceptional leather goods.