Carolina Herrera opens her first boutique in Japan

Tokyo: Venezuelan-American designer Carolina Herrera entered the Japanese luxury retail market Wednesday, opening her first store in the country.

Herrera`s new boutique in Tokyo`s upscale Ginza district is part of an ambitious expansion of her brand in Asia. The three-story boutique is similar to the others operated by the New York design house around the world, with wood and leather dominating the decor. The Tokyo boutique, however, incorporates Japanese elements, such as sculptures, lamps and cloth wall coverings. "It`s like if it was Carolina Herrera`s house or apartment in Tokyo. That`s the idea behind this new store," a spokesman for the design house told EFE. The New York fashion house has stores in Singapore, Shanghai and Seoul. Carolina Herrera plans to open boutiques in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok in the next few months. The Carolina Herrera boutique in Tokyo`s Ginza district, one of the most upscale retail districts in the world, is offering 2013 spring/summer collections for men and women inspired by the 1950s and 1960s, as well as accessories and luggage. "The Japanese are very sophisticated, they know fashion and appreciate quality," the Carolina Herrera spokesman said. IANS