British luxury fashion brand Joseph is the latest new brand to be lured to the Philippines by SM group.

Joseph recently opened its first store in Southeast Asia at SM Aura, (pictured).

“We are thrilled to be opening a store in the Philippines at such an important time for the local luxury market, “ said Louise Trotter, creative director at Joseph. “Showing the Joseph collection within a store that reflects the brand’s core DNA allows us to offer our clients in the Philippines the full Joseph experience.

Founded by Casablanca-born hairdresser Joseph Ettedgui, the original Joseph boutique served “more as a magazine than a shop”. It was a place to discover the new, which at the time included designers like Kenzo, Castelbajac, Azzedine Alaia, and Yohji Yamamoto – and eventually served as the showcase of his label.

With over 30 stores in Japan and recent openings in Beirut, New York, Taipei and Beijing, Joseph plans to open more stores in the Philippines in the next five years.

Extending over 150 sqm, the store offers the complete assortment of Joseph’s women’s and men’s ready-to-wear and accessories from the Autumn/Winter 2014 collection, the first of its kind in years to be shown on schedule at London Fashion Week.  The space reflects the brand’s global store design concept, echoing the Joseph “sensibility; clean lines and a monochromatic color scheme designed by the brand’s architect, Raed Abillama”.

A minimalistic feel is created through the use of coarse materials including concrete and black metal.

The Philippines store is operated by SM Premium Fashion Retail Designs, Inc. through an exclusive distribution agreement.