Louis Vuitton fashion show steams into Shanghai

THE Louis Vuitton steam train made its first appearance in Paris in March but this week it pulled into a specially constructed set on the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, with its precious cargo of models and handbags. Only a handful of years ago, staging a runway show of this magnitude outside of France would have been unheard of but the leading luxury goods company was making a strong statement about its dominance in the Chinese market. Increased competition from other brands such as Hermes for the Chinese yuan, has Louis Vuitton reinforcing its fashion credentials. "Luxury has become a universal language," said Louis Vuitton chief executive Yves Carcelle. The company launched in China 20 years ago where the luxury market is now worth 180 billion yuan. "There was no media and no magazines in China in 1992. Now we have the media of the world coming here." At Thursday night's show, representatives from Chinese Vogue, Elle and other luxury titles filled the front row along with fashion seat-fillers Alexa Chung and Poppy Delevigne. Designer Marc Jacobs's ornate and elongated designs, which had already been seen in Paris, were only a part of the event's allure. "We see ourselves as a luxury brand, not a fashion brand," said Christopher Zanardi-Landi, the executive vice-president. That luxury is reinforced at the new Louis Vuitton Maison which opened on Wednesday in Shanghai's most expensive mall, one of only 16 flagship stores including Sydney. The first Louis Vuitton Maison in China contains a handbag bar, a made-to-order shoe section and a sprawling private apartment for VIP guests. The store closely rivals the Paris flagship with floorspace. "We don't like to focus on the size," said Zanardi-Landi diplomatically. With recent figures showing that the growth of the luxury market may be slowing in China, the company is now focusing on cementing its status as a luxury leader. "We will slowly continue to grow," said Zanardi-Landi. Louis Vuitton has 41 stores in China and will open a Maison in Beijing next year. "We are continuously improving what we have and bringing newness to what we do." To make Thursday night's restaging of the runway show new, Jacobs added pieces to the collection, and singer Lana Del Rey was flown in to entertain guests at the lavish after-party where Carcelle danced on stage with models, seemingly unconcerned with double-digit growth. In the next room, the Louis Vuitton steam train remained at its makeshift station. Things may be slowing down, but no one is packing their monogrammed bags and heading home. Damien Woolnough travelled to Shanghai as a guest of LV