Romanians still love luxury handbags: steady sales but slightly lower profit for Louis Vuitton

Romanians brought Louis Vuitton handbags and other luxury products worth some EUR 4.5 million in 2013 from the brand’s only shop in the country. Located in the JW Marriott retail galleria in Bucharest, the Louis Vuitton shop ended 2013 on a EUR 654,000 profit, according to data from the country’s Finance Ministry. The sales level in 2013 was similar to the one the year before, while profit was slightly lower than around EUR 700,000 posted in 2012. Louis Vuitton opened its mono-brand shop in Bucharest in the spring of 2008, when it was one of the first large luxury brands to enter the Romanian market directly. Its shop in Bucharest covers some 130 sqm and is owned by French company Louis Vuitton Malletier. Corina Chirileasa, corina@romania-insider.com