Lalique and Vilebrequin expand in Burlington Arcade

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jun 19, 2023

One of London’s highest-end and oldest luxury shopping destinations — Burlington Arcade in Mayfair — has announced that two of its high-profile French tenants are expanding. Vilebrequin and Lalique have taken on second boutiques within the Arcade and both new spaces are firsts for their particular categories.

The two labels join Manolo Blahnik and Michael Rose as brands that also occupy two boutiques in the property. 

Vilebrequin, the French swimwear and RTW label, has opened a second boutique of 1,163 sq ft dedicated to women and children. It’s a two-storey pop-up and is said to be the brand’s first standalone store for this category mix. 

Meanwhile Lalique, the crystal house that offers homewares, art, perfumes and jewellery, has unveiled a second boutique of 263 sq ft housing its first-ever art gallery concept. 

The Lalique Art Gallery will include its collaborations with Damien Hirst, Zaha Hadid, Terry Rodgers, Han Meilin and Nic Fiddian-Green. The James Turrell x Lalique collaboration, which includes two limited-edition perfume bottles, will be shown for the first time in the UK at the newly opened boutique. 

As luxury continues to do well while other price levels struggle, Burlington Arcade has seen a number of new opening recently. These include Swaine, Lalage Beaumont, Maunder Watch Co, Opera Gallery, Begg x Co, Sermoneta Gloves, Lily Gabriella, 886 Jewellery – The Royal Mint, and Cara Jewellers. 

Commercial Director Trupti Shah said of the latest two moves: “The retail footprint expansion of two globally renowned brands is encouraging in today’s market. The new openings highlight [that] customers do prefer an experience-led shopping environment for luxury purchases over online retail. We pride ourselves on long-lasting relationships with our tenants, such as N.Peal that has been in Burlington Arcade for the past 88 years.”

The Arcade itself first opened in March 1819 “for the sale of jewellery and fancy articles of fashionable demand, for the gratification of the public”. 

Still meeting that brief in its historic building, like Harrods, it has become a fixture on the London tourist trail and sees around four million visitors a year.