French luxury trunk-maker Moynat is about to open its first store in Japan, with the ribbon to be cut by Japanese actress and singer Miho Nakayama.

Moynat’s history goes back to 1849, when trunk-makers Octavie and François Coulembier opened their first atelier in Paris.

After Paris and the Bon Marche, the house has established presences in London, Hong Kong and Beijing. Family holding company Groupe Arnault, which owns Moynat, aims to have stores in the 10 major cities of the world.
The new 45 sqm Moynat Tokyo boutique was designed by local architecture firm Curiosity. It offers a fresh look, featuring vintage Moynat trunks – including its iconic vintage red-car trunk from 1925 – alongside current collections. it will be on the ground floor of the Seibu Department Store in Ikebukuro, the same floor as Louis Vuitton and Hermes (most other luxury brands are grouped on the store’s sixth floor).

For its first two weeks, Moynat will present several workshops in painting and marquetry. Two creations will also be previewed, the Flower Bag and Charlotte Imagined by Ramesh Nair. These are small bags that are lightweight, refined and suitable for Japanese women to carry while wearing their kimono, says Moynat president Guillaume Davin.