Louis Vuitton opens pop-up in Seoul to debut beauty line

Louis Vuitton's pop-up store for La Beaute Louis Vuitton in Seoul's Gangnam District, Friday / Korea Times photo by Ko Dong-hwan

Global luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton will open a new beauty product store in Seoul, embarking on a new business here alongside the country’s K-beauty trend, now growing worldwide.

La Beaute Louis Vuitton is set to open its first pop-up store in Seoul’s Gangnam District on Monday. The first floor of the three-story shop includes a virtual test zone and Key Look experience zone, located next to displays of products for sale.

The second floor is dedicated to a vanity trunk, makeup station and perfumes, and contains a lounge. The vanity trunks and makeup stations are inspired by Louis Vuitton’s history and craftsmanship, dating back to the company's foundation as a luggage maker in 1854.

The top floor is a cafe serving beverages and desserts.

British makeup artist Dame Pat McGrath is the creative director for La Beaute Louis Vuitton’s inaugural beauty collection. Dubbing the brand the “fruit of craftsmanship and innovation,” she said the collection will open a new dimension for luxury beauty.

Louis Vuitton's promotional photos for La Beaute Louis Vuitton, featuring, from top left clockwise, Jung Ho-yeon, Awar Odhiang, Chu Wong and Ida Heiner. Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

La Beaute Louis Vuitton’s products span lipsticks, balms and eyeshadows. LV Rouge, reinterpreting “LV” as a roman numeral for 55, comprises 55 satin and velvet matte lip colors, alongside LV Baume tinted lip balm and LV Ombres eyeshadow collections.

Louis Vuitton said that with the three major product categories, the brand purports to “redefine beauty in terms of lifestyle, experience and art.”

Prior to opening the store, Louis Vuitton officially launched La Beaute Louis Vuitton in Korea on Friday. It was followed by a campaign of promotional photographs taken by American photographer Steven Meisel and featuring Ida Heiner, Chu Wong and Awar Odhiang and Jung Ho-yeon.

The opening of the pop-up store coincides with the opening of Louis Vuitton’s first restaurant in Korea, Le Cafe Louis Vuitton, also in Gangnam. Chef Anthony Yoon is gastronomic director at the restaurant, which will introduce the exclusive tastes of Louis Vuitton. It will be located inside Louis Vuitton Maison Seoul, the brand’s flagship store, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry.