Fashion veteran Maria Luisa Poumaillou used to represent the personalised service of the small, Parisian luxury boutique. But never one to resist change, she says in today's rapidly evolving industry even niche operations like hers have to tap the mainstream in order to survive.
The founder of Maria Luisa boutiques, Poumaillou is visiting Hong Kong for the first time in four years. Here for the boutique's autumn-winter 2011-12 show at the Cat Street Gallery, she talks about the new rules of a globally connected industry, her role as fashion editor of Parisian department store giant Printemps, and laments fashion's new hegemony. She made her name with a multibrand boutique, launched in 1988 on Rue Cambon in Paris, getting into fashion 'by chance, having never worked a day before'. Her only boutique venture (a franchise owned by local company Sidefame) outside France is in Lee Gardens, Causeway Bay. After Poumaillou closed her Parisian flagship in mid 2010, this local outlet is the only Maria Luisa standalone boutique in the world - stocking a sophisticated yet edgy collection including Christopher Kane, Haider Ackermann, Ann Demeulemeester and Margiela - all handpicked by Poumaillou. Since opening in 2004, the store has seen a 30 per cent year-on-year increase in sales.
We're in an Italian restaurant in Lee Gardens for lunch - her slicked-back chestnut hair, bright bolt of coral lipstick and impeccable outfit (that includes enviable violet high-waisted, boot-cut pants), stand out against a sea of conservative tai tais and office workers in black.
Her name sits beside Joan Burstein aka Mrs. B of Browns in London, or Joyce Ma of Joyce Boutique for pioneering ventures into fashion. In the early 1990s, she helped introduce and support then little known designers such as Helmut Lang, Martine Sitbon and John Galliano. Her savvy eye earned a reputation for curating eclectic, fashion forward buys. Despite her mainstream fame, Poumaillou still finds inspiration in niche labels.
'Comme des Garcons is genius,' she says. 'Genius in design and genius in retail - they really did a revolution in this business. She [designer Rei Kawakubo] is definitely one of the unquestionable ones. It continues to be so interesting. When you're in fashion and everything is available to you, it remains one of the few brands that still surprises.'
'Carven is also really good,' adds Poumaillou, 'It is still a small house but with very strong fashion content with a very good price.'
'I respect designers who have an identity,' says the feisty Venezuelan. 'You need to be setting rather than following trends. Ask Nicholas Ghesquire about the latest trends and he wouldn't have a clue.'