Serapian Brings Milan Design Flair to Tokyo With New Ginza Boutique

MILAN — After testing the retail waters with a temporary store at Ginza Six in 2019 and corners at local department stores, storied luxury leather goods-maker Serapian is opening its first permanent flagship in Ginza, Tokyo .

Dior and Armani Respond to Italian Competition Authority Probe Into Supply Chain

Located in the tony neighborhood that is home to a host of luxury brands and slated to officially open on Wednesday, the 2,150-square-foot boutique covers two floors and was designed by Milanese architect Piero Portaluppi, in sync with the Compagnie Financière Richemont -owned brand’s penchant for highlighting Milan’s decor and design.

“This opening marks a very important step four our maison: Villa Serapian Ginza is our first flagship store in Japan dedicated to the finest Italian Mestieri d’Arte and a reference to Villa Mozart, our Milanese home,” said Serapian chief executive officer Maxime Bohe. “Serapian is synonymous with excellence in craftsmanship and Milanese design since 1928 and we are excited to create an authentic Milanese experience in the heart of Tokyo.”

Designed in line with Serapian’s headquarters in Milan — which are housed inside the Art Deco building Villa Mozart, whose main gate’s frame is echoed in the Japanese flagship’s front door — the store’s yellow facade has street front windows displaying totem-like artworks by Venetian glass sculptor Lorenzo Vittori.

Interior design aligns with the Milanese taste for refined understatement in the mosaic marble flooring, textile-covered walls by Dedar and Pictalab, as well as in the design pieces scattered throughout, which include a Carlo Scarpa “Sailing” chandelier, a ‘60s piece by sculptor Riccardo Scarpa, semiprecious gemstones nestled in marble tables as well as furniture by Marta Sala Éditions and Azucena.

The back room on the ground floor and upstairs space — the latter with a black-stained parquet floor and decorated with hand painted botanical and astronomic motifs — are inspired by Casa Degli Atellani’s interiors, the historical private residence of Portaluppi in Milan, bought in 2022 by industry titan Bernard Arnault , chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

EXCLUSIVE: Giles Deacon Partners With Purdey on Luxury Looks for Outdoor Pursuits

In keeping with its bespoke customization service, the upper floor houses the atelier space where craftspeople guide customers through the creation of made-to-measure Mosaico hand-braided handbags, selecting from about 50 leather colors.

Marking the store’s opening, Serapian is introducing some leather colorways exclusive to the location, as well as debuting a collaboration with storied Japanese silk company and kimono-maker Chiso on a limited-edition capsule collection. The latter includes limited-edition bags lined in silk with floral motifs specifically created for the collaboration by the Japanese company, which was founded in Kyoto in 1555. A silk scarf to accessorize handbags bearing the same pattern is also part of the capsule.

Serapian has three additional freestanding flagship – in Milan, Rome and Abu Dhabi. It also operates corners in Japan at department stores Isetan Shinjuku Man, Nihombashi Takashimaya, Shinsaibashi Daimaru and Sapporo Daimaru, among others.

Last year the storied italian label, founded in 1928 by Stefano Serapian and purchased by Richemont in 2017, launched a traveling pop-up format that touched down in Paris and Manhattan.

Richemont First-quarter Sales Tarnished by Lackluster Chinese Demand, Tough Comparatives