After Hermès entered the Romanian market and after the opening of the new Louis Vuitton store on Calea Victoriei, luxury brand Cartier is preparing to open a location in Bucharest. According to sources, the store will open in the Ateneul area.
French luxury conglomerate Cartier, controlled by the Richemont group, is set to open a store in Romania. According to ZF sources, Cartier plans to enter the local market by opening its own store in central Bucharest. The area chosen by the company is around the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest. This is the same area where Hermès intends to open a store, as it is considered the perfect location for a luxury store in Bucharest. Louis Vuitton has also recently opened a new location in the same area.
Just like Hermès, it is notable that the Cartier brand chooses to enter the local market directly, avoiding the franchise model. In an environment where the local market has long been considered small and underdeveloped, luxury brands have generally preferred franchise partnerships. These involved collaborating with local entrepreneurs familiar with the specifics of consumer behavior and with a deep understanding of the market. Opting for a direct presence reduces the risk for the brand but places a greater burden on the entrepreneur making the investment.
With an impressive global presence, Cartier manages 200 boutiques across 125 countries, with locations in all the major cities of the world. In the Eastern Europe region, Cartier also operates boutiques in Greece and Austria. Cartier is considered one of the most prestigious luxury brands, having been King Edward VII’s preferred jeweller and being called “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers”.
On another note, Hermès is opening its first store in Bucharest, also in the Ateneul area. The opening date has not been announced yet, but we expect the location to open in 2025.
Photo source: Jacek Dylag (via Unsplash)
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Vlad Ciutacu is a writer based in The Hague, Netherlands. He has been working in the footwear industry for more than a decade, with hundreds of pairs in his collection. His favourite models are the Air Jordan 1 and the Nike SB Dunk Low Pro. Find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
