By Far Eyes China Expansion With Shanghai Flagship
SHANGHAI — By Far, the six-year-old affordable luxury accessory brand, has opened its first Asian flagship in downtown Shanghai, a second for the brand after its Melrose Place store in Los Angeles.
Located in Shanghai’s newly opened luxury shopping complex Zhangyuan, By Far infused a stand-alone historical shikumen building with blocks of pink and lilac synonymous with the brand.
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Working with New York design studio De-yan, the two-story, 4,690-square-foot shop took into consideration Chinese fengshui traditions in configuring its layout. Fluffy circular sofas and light pink resin boards compartmentalize the store into different product-focused categories. Succulent plants such as velvet elephant ear and redbird cactus add a touch of zen to the space, while squishy chairs by the British artist Charlotte Kingsnorth hint at the quirky nature of the brand.
The second floor features a powder room immersed in baby pink and a lavender-covered VIP salon, both of which are signature hues of By Far’s social media-friendly color palette.
The store features By Far’s full range of handbags, footwear and its newly launched Daydream Perfume collection. The 1,650 renminbi, or $237, refillable perfume product comes in seven scents and doubles as a wearable accessory.
“Novelty brands usually carry hero products that help the brand establish a market foundation initially, but in order to offer more and better experience to our consumers, the most effective way is to communicate with a retail store,” said Lordus Guan, By Far’s general manager of Great China.
Entering China via the e-commerce platform Tmall in 2021, By Far saw triple-digit growth during this year’s 618 and Singles’ Day shopping festivals, respectively.
“Besides our pillar of shoulder bags, we also see other product models taking off in China, such as the Matilda bag and Esteban boots,” Guan said.
To coincide with the Zhangyuan store opening, By Far launched a perfume flagship on Tmall.
According to Guan, By Far’s retail strategy in China includes a plan to open a Beijing store next January and it aims to continue to expand directly operated retail outposts in top-notch luxury malls in first-tier cities.
“We will continue to explore a lifestyle-driven retail format,” Guan said. “We will also independently present our By Far Daydream Perfume line at energetic locations.”
