Valextra opens first US store

Italian luxury leather goods company Valextra has opened its first US store on Madison Avenue in New York this week. Driving the expansion is the newly-minted CEO Alessandra Bettari, who joined the firm a little over a month ago.

The new store, which was designed by architect Marco Constanzi, encompasses 1,291 square feet and is a study in brass and leather and reflects the luxury of the brand's products. It is the first international store opening for Bettari, who handpicked Constanzi for the job.

Valextra was previously available in the US through an exclusive distribution agreement with Barneys New York. "Barneys has helped develop the awareness of the brand within the market," Bettari told WWD in an interview. "That raises our confidence in making this big investment."

The store offers an additional bespoke service, whereby customers can have their leather goods personalized. This, says Bettari, is 'because each single item that Valextra sells should have your name'. There is even an app which enables customers to discover and play around with different customisation options.

Valextra also plans to open an e-commerce site in January, and a boutique in Hong Kong is set to open next month. 2015 will see the opening of a store in London.