IT's finally open. The famous queues can now begin at the newest and swankiest Louis Vuitton store in town at Ion Orchard - the first retailer to open at the new mall - and along with that, the almost frantic buying that tends to take hold of its fans.

In the unlikely scenario that this 9,741 sq ft, glittering duplex store does not satiate its well-heeled customers, Singaporeans can look forward to the fifth Louis Vuitton store opening here - most likely at the Marina Bay Integrated Resort (IR).

'There is no decision for the moment, but the IR is one of the options and in the coming months, it's a project that we think is interesting,' says Jean-Baptiste Debains, Louis Vuitton's Asia Pacific president, adding that while both the IRs in Marina Bay and Sentosa are important to Singapore, the brand is 'looking more closely at the Marina IR'.

Meanwhile, the world is in a downturn, but try telling that to Louis Vuitton's customers, who can't seem to get enough of the French luxury house's myriad of seductive offerings, from leather goods and apparel to jewellery and sunglasses. Their willingness to shell out top dollar for Louis Vuitton luxe has helped the brand defy market conditions with a double digit revenue growth in the first quarter, something which was 'surprising to everybody', says Mr Debains in an interview on Thursday after a media tour of the store.

And mind you, that remarkable growth was across all its geographic zones, 'with particularly notable performances in Europe, Asia and the US', according to a press release announcing its 2009 Q1 results by parent company, the LVMH group.

With a bottomline this good, the head honchos at Louis Vuitton never had a chance to break into a sweat - never mind that rich clients were losing sleep over steep falls in their personal net worth and other luxury brands were cutting costs and retrenching at the same time.

What keeps Louis Vuitton successful, says Mr Debains, is its insistence on sticking to its values, with quality being number one. This is paying off especially during this period of economic uncertainty, when shoppers are looking for quality, durability, craftsmanship and attention to details, he says.

The fact that Louis Vuitton never goes on sale is another reason why it's held in such high regard by customers, he claims. 'If you buy something and three months later, it is sold at a big discount, you see that your investment is not so good,' he explains. 'But if the price is the same or higher than before, then you feel your investment has grown. So for us, there's no discussion on the price, just the product - its materials and design.'

With the ambition to strengthen its leadership in the world of luxury, Louis Vuitton's challenge is to get people to know more about the brand, its concept, history and inspiration. 'The more you know and understand our product, the more you want it.'

For instance, says Mr Debains, the lining inside Louis Vuitton's Neverfull tote bags was inspired by the canvas inside its trunks. 'I'm sure a lot of people bought the bag because it's functional and looks nice and don't know about the lining. But when you know it's linked to an antique trunk, you have a different emotional connection. Together with how the bags are made, the craftsmanship and details, you'll have a different relationship with the brand that reinforces the appreciation of the brand.'

Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton is continuing to invest in stores, adding to its worldwide tally of 431. In this region alone, it will open new stores in Sydney, Seoul, Hong Kong and Macau by the year-end. 'It's not opportunities that we are missing, but being selective and doing our projects very well,' he says. 'Today in Asia, it's about where to go and what to do. We don't want to do too much too soon, but spread things out.'

The two-level Ion store itself - the largest in South-east Asia - does not disappoint. Inspired by the folds of a scarf, it features a newly-conceived curved, textured glass façade that mimics its popular Damier chequerboard pattern effect. Inside, new display concepts include long curved bag bars for men and women, a rotunda area for men's accessories, and a watch and jewellery area on the ground floor.

Go up the circular staircase and the store opens up nicely to bright and elegant areas holding men and women's ready-to-wear, shoes, leather goods and watches. A sense of luxe permeates this spacious, second level, where iconic Louis Vuitton trunks and immaculately crafted furnishings, along with carefully placed products, create a strong and beautiful visual experience for those who don't merely make a beeline for Louis Vuitton's latest bestsellers.

'We want it to feel welcoming and friendly,' says Mr Debains, while acknowledging that it is an 'impressive environment'. 'Our philosophy is we want to welcome everybody to our stores, whether you come to buy or just to discover our brand.'

To celebrate its opening, Louis Vuitton created a range of limited edition products exclusive to Singapore, including eight pieces of the diamond-encrusted Tambour 18 Croissant watch. It's all quite a lot to digest, so expect lines to form outside the store, although the folks at Louis Vuitton haven't decided whether shoppers will wait at the entrance on the street level, second level or both. But one thing's for sure, Orchard Road shopping has definitely moved one stylish, decadent notch up - and it's not an easy act to follow.

This article was first published in The Business Times