Vincom A in downtown Ho Chi Minh City was always going to be special.

It is rare anywhere in the world to find a shopping centre developer which invests time and cash into creating a building which fits into a heritage neighbourhood. But Vingroup on Thursday opened a brand new building which looks 100 years old, standing proudly opposite the rejuvenated Rex Hotel and the elegant Ho Chi Minh City Hall.

Vincom A takes up an entire block, 15 floors in all, six of them underground and seven of them for retail (one has yet to open). Above is the Vinpearl Luxury Hotel, which faces Le Loi and can be seen from the historic Opera House and the prime corner Louis Vuitton store.

Banana Republic – its first store in Vietnam.