SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free has today launched renowned US jewellery brand David Yurman, marking the luxury house’s Korean debut.
The brand, founded by David and Sybil Yurman in 1980, was unveiled in the travel retailer’s online Duty Free Luxury Hall.
Lotte Duty Free said that the launch was prompted by rapid growth in the high-end jewellery category. As a result the company has boosted its offer, helping to drive a +106% year-on-year rise in sales for the first 11 months of 2023.
“South Korea is globally recognised as a fashion-forward country, with a strong appreciation for quality craftsmanship and heritage brands” – David Yurman Senior Vice President of Sales Maria Valim
David Yurman is a renowned sculptor and Sybil Yurman a painter (see Back Story below), an artisan combination that is reflected in the craftsmanship of their jewellery collections. David Yurman jewellery, popular with famous actors such as Scarlett Johansson, Brad Pitt, and Henry Golding, has grown into a global brand over recent years, Lotte Duty Free noted.
{Click on the YouTube icon to discover the ‘Come closer’ campaign featuring Scarlett Johansson, launched earlier this year}
The David Yurman range includes the renowned Cable Collection, which reinvents the twisted helix shape into a myriad of designs.
Lotte Duty Free said it plans to strengthen its men’s jewellery range in particular, focusing on David Yurman’s bracelets and necklaces in the form of chains and buckles. This focus reflects the recent fashion trend of ‘genderless looks’ that have no gender boundaries, the retailer commented.
“In the female-centric jewellery market, David Yurman’s men’s collection is popular among male customers because it has a modern design and can be worn comfortably in everyday life,” Lotte Duty Free commented.
“In addition, AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) services currently implemented at Lotte Internet Duty Free will be applied to the David Yurman collection by the first half of next year to enhance the convenience of online shopping for customers.”
A Lotte Duty Free spokesperson added, “Lotte Duty Free has increased its competitiveness in the jewellery market by introducing overseas brands such as Damiani, Boucheron, Chaumet and Korloff exclusively in the Korean duty free industry.”
“South Korea is globally recognised as a fashion-forward country, with a strong appreciation for quality craftsmanship and heritage brands,” said David Yurman Senior Vice President of Sales Maria Valim.
“The launch of our ecommerce partnership with Lotte provides an opportunity for us to feature our most innovative designs and to tell a rich brand story to a new customer in the region.”
Emphasising its strengthened focus on jewellery, Lotte Duty Free noted that it had also introduced a boutique from Italian jewellery brand Pomellato to the Myeong-dong flagship store in January, featuring a range of colorful gemstones.
In April, the company opened a Fred boutique at its World Tower store. This was followed in July as French jewellery brand Messika made its Korean debut by opening at the Myeong-dong and World Tower stores.
The Back Story
David Yurman first developed his artistic eye from viewing pictures of the Lascaux cave paintings in Dordogne, southwestern France. Sybil Yurman (then Sybil Kleinrock) explored the colours used by French Impressionist painters.
Their “serendipitous” meeting in 1969 ignited what would become a lifelong partnership in art and business.
The David and Sybil Yurman Humanitarian and Arts Foundation was established in 2001. David Yurman Angel Awards are presented to individuals who support charity and the arts. Recipients include Steven Spielberg, Elton John and Leonard Slatkin. The foundation became the Yurman Family Foundation in 2014.
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