Polène moves in on grand scale in heart of Milan

With the opening of a flagship store in Milan at the start of January, Polène has cemented its presence across the world’s four major fashion capitals. Having inaugurated its impressive flagship at the Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées and opened on London’s Regent Street in 2025 (alongside Beijing, Hamburg and Copenhagen), the French accessible-luxury brand, renowned for its sleek bags, is kicking off 2026 at the same pace. Having been present in New York’s SoHo for the past two years, it is opening its eleventh global boutique within the Quadrilatero della Moda of the Lombard capital.

At 37, Via Alessandro Manzoni, between premium-brand boutiques and design stores, Polène makes a bold statement with five striking window displays and showcases its expertise in presenting its bags, priced from €260 for the Neiti clutch, with signature models such as the Mokki at €540 and the Cyme at €420. As in each of its boutiques, the concept gives pride of place to natural materials while echoing local codes.

In Milan, each area of the store, designed by Norm Architects, is dedicated to a single material: stone, inspired by Milanese flooring, at the entrance; leather in various forms to evoke artisanal craft; wood, bringing warm contrast and guiding visitors to a final area where ceramics take centre stage.

“The final space hosts the highlight of the tour: a piece by Italian artist Clara Graziolino. Positioned to be visible as soon as you enter the store, it catches the eye. Crafted in ceramic, the piece evokes the texture of leather. This collaboration reflects Polène’s desire to promote local know-how and to anchor each project in its locale,” according to a press release.

Having launched online ten years ago, the brand is asserting its ambition to deliver a distinctive in-store experience. In Paris, at the end of September, it created a cabinet of curiosities in its flagship, spotlighting the key stages in the making of its products, all crafted in its Ubrique workshops in Spain’s Cádiz region. Polène is also exploring this approach in Milan.

“The immersive Craft at Work experience extends this exploration with the Leather Orchestra: in a small dedicated space, visitors become conductors of an ensemble of leather panels, where material and sound meet in a unique performance, resonating with the city of opera,” explained the brand.

Taking its cue from leading luxury houses, the French brand ritualises the relationship with its customers and meticulously choreographs its offering, placing strong emphasis on concept. In Beijing, at its Taikoo Li Sanlitun flagship opened in December, the brand opted for an environment composed entirely of leather bricks.

“These bricks are made from leather offcuts collected in our partner workshops before being compressed using a process we developed,” the company told FashionNetwork.com.

The brand shipped 12 tonnes of bricks to fit out this store. This concept demanded extensive advance planning so that the teams could receive and work with the materials. Ultimately, it offers a unique environment that marries the tactile appeal of leather with a mineral aesthetic.

This attention to detail and to the story told by each location, together with the precision of its designs and a carefully cultivated aura of rarity, underpin the success of the brand founded ten years ago by Antoine, Mathieu and Elsa Mothay (grandchildren of the founders of Saint James). Between its dynamic online sales and its physical expansion, Polène has enjoyed double-digit annual growth on average over recent years. With revenue reportedly nearing €350 million in 2025, according to several sources, the brand, which prides itself on its long-term culture, faces a number of growth challenges.

While it has secured an impressive new headquarters in the heart of Paris, on Rue du Louvre, to house all its operational teams, and now employs 1,200 people, it must manage shortages across its catalogue. The company intends to maintain its distinctive practice of producing its leather bags in Andalusia. The label is introducing other materials and expanding its jewellery and accessories categories, but leather remains central to its identity. It has launched a project to build its own factory locally to increase production. However, this has encountered delays, and the site is not expected to be operational until 2027. As it develops its physical network internationally, Polène must also assert its identity through the training of local teams and the codification of sales rituals. All the more so as the company, which says it self-finances its development, is not easing the pace on this front.

In 2026, the brand—which since 2024 has counted the L Catterton fund (linked to LVMH and the Arnault family) among its backers—has several store openings in the pipeline.

In Asia, it will set up in Tokyo at the luxury Ginza Six shopping centre and is keeping a close eye on Singapore, which has become a regional magnet. It is also aiming to expand in the United States, with California and Chicago in its sights. Finally, in the Middle East, the French brand is due to open its doors in Dubai, in the Mall of the Emirates. A prospect that will see French success shine across new horizons.