Delvaux in Asia: a new visual language for luxury retail

A story in constant evolution: Delvaux, the oldest fine leather goods house in the world, continues its expansion in Asia with six new store openings. True to tradition, the new venues are designed by Vudafieri-Saverino Partners, behind the architectural concept of all the Belgian brand’s boutiques since 2012. Their aesthetic language bridges heritage and innovation, adapting seamlessly to each location’s unique cultural and spatial context.

This multifaceted identity has always distinguished the Milan-based studio’s approach. Vudafieri-Saverino Partners has designed over 100 flagships and stores for Delvaux, interpreting its ideology to create boutiques that blend heritage, craftsmanship and contemporary spirit in a unique experience. In this way, each boutique becomes a tangible expression of Delvaux’s values: respect for tradition, attention to detail and cultural sensitivity to the surrounding setting.

“We’ve built a long-standing creative dialogue with Delvaux, in which each venue is a new chapter in the same story.” explain Tiziano Vudafieri and Claudio Saverino “Rather than replicate a fixed format, our objective has always been to interpret the brand’s timeless values in different ways and in harmony with the genius loci of each city."

The recent openings in Asia - Bangkok, Shanghai, Macao, Gwangju and two stores in Seoul - embody a further expansion of this vision, in which the boutiques form the tangible expression of an identity in continual evolution. The architectural elements, while similar, vary each time, adapting to the locations, cities and spaces.

The facades feature geometric patterns - such as chessboard or lozenge designs - which stand out alongside dark accents and polished gold details. The store windows allude to the styles and creations of leading designers and artists; in Gwangju, for instance, the display refers to the Modular Revolving Bookcase by the 1960s architect Claudio Salocchi.

Internally, the projects favour fine materials, custom designs and a narrative structure focusing on the product, perceived as a work of art. The spaces - from the foyer through the atelier/bar area to the VIC room - do not overpower visitors but accompany them on a personal sensory journey, where beauty is whispered and never flaunted.

The VIC room in Gwangju features flowing forms and terracotta-red walls and floor, endowing the environment with harmonious simplicity, while, in Shanghai, a series of marble panels placed side by side in the foyer provide the backdrop to the bag display. The new store in Bangkok, within the Siam Paragon Mall, once again reflects the VSP design philosophy to perfection. The store window alternates brushed brass and backlit mesh panels, in a chessboard-inspired pattern, creating an eye-catching visual rhythm.

In the foyer, a wall with three marmorino-effect suspended fibreglass hexagonal panels, decorated by artist Filippo Falaguasta, welcomes visitors into a symmetrical sculptural composition while, in the hallway, two ‘Martin & Jean’ cabinets - iconic Delvaux furnishing items - frame the transition into the next room, amid niches and curving effects, together with two 18th-century decorative Gueridon pieces. The atelier/bar area is a specular space, featuring burnished brass outlines and mesh panels, accentuating the maison’s craftsmanship with soft lighting and a warm ambience.

This space is also home to the VIC room, a welcoming environment entirely clad in Delvaux Alter Ego wallpaper. Here, an undulating sculptural wall display plays a starring role, accompanied by contemporary seats and matching carpet.

In Asia, Vudafieri-Saverino Partners have once again reinterpreted Delvaux’s essence with great sensitivity to architecture, materials and urban pulse. The resulting boutiques are enhancing the brand’s global status as a symbol of luxury in the region.

Vudafieri-Saverino Partners’ strength lies in its ability to maintain narrative coherence while adapting to local character, allowing Delvaux to speak in the same voice in Milan, New York and Shanghai, with tone ad accent in tune with the location.