Paul’s Boutique continues to expand

By

Sarah Ahssen

Published
Jan 26, 2016

British leather goods brand Paul's Boutique, led by Daniel Morris since June 2013, is continuing its expansion, benefiting from a better-established positioning. Paul’s Boutique exhibited at the last edition of the Paris trade show Première Classe, where it showcased its contemporary style of handbags, spiced up with a London vibe. 

The handbags, mostly in leatherette, are available on average for between €100 and €130. "Our handbags are made from synthetic leather, but our quality control is the same as that of luxury brands. We take painstaking care in the details, and our customers are often surprised in discovering that ours isn't actually leather," said Daniel Morris (formerly with Firetrap and Boxfresh), highlighting that, thanks to its premium positioning, Paul’s Boutique sells alongside Marc Jacobs or Michael Kors.

Gone are the days when Paul Slade, the brand's founder and current Creative Director, used to sell bespoke vintage clothing and handbags at London's Portobello market. Four years ago, the brand actually stopped working with textiles to concentrate on handbags, featuring a leather goods line which targets slightly older customers than those it aimed for initially.

Paul's Boutique is currently available in 500 stores worldwide, and is doing well in northern Europe, but also in southern Asia and Korea. "Three years ago, we used to generate 65% of our revenue in the UK (where the brand is retailed by Topshop), now 65% of our sales come from outside the UK."  

In France, Paul's Boutique will be available in winter 2016/2017 at the Galeries Lafayette department stores, raising its presence to 70 stores in total.