l over design, product quality and how the brand is presented. Inside Retail spoke with O’hayon, also the creative director, about where his control begins and ends, what Japan and Taiwan have taught him, and why he wants every Blvck store to include a place to eat. Inside Retail: For readers discovering Blvck Paris for the first time, how would you describe the brand beyond its ‘All Black Everything’ aesthetic? Julian O’hayon: Blvck Paris is a lifestyle brand built around a very distinct perspective on design. Black is our starting point, but the interest comes from what we do with it: the textures, shapes, details and sometimes unexpected objects we create. There is a balance between minimalism and playfulness, from our clothing to our signature Teddy. We want people to recognise the same creative identity whether they discover us through a hoodie, a home accessory or a store. IR: You founded Blvck Paris in 2017. What did you see in the market that made you believe there was an opportunity to build a brand around such a focused visual identity? JO: Before founding Blvck Paris, I was already working in design and technology, running my own design agency and developing projects for clients internationally. Minimalism and monochrome were recurring themes in my work, so creating a brand around that perspective felt like a natural progression. Black was widely used in fashion, but I saw an opportunity to make it the foundation of a complete lifestyle brand, spanning clothing, accessories and everyday objects. The response to my design work online gave me confidence that this vision resonated with people. From there, the ambition was to turn a distinctive creative identity into products people could wear and live with. IR: How did Blvck Paris evolve from your original vision into the global lifestyle brand it is today? Which moments were turning points in that evolution? JO: The lifestyle ambition was there from the beginning, even when our product range was much smaller. We started with accessories, expanded into leather goods and clothing, and gradually brought the same design approach into more areas of everyday life. Our first physical store in Taiwan in 2020 was an important turning point. It allowed people to experience a world they had previously seen mainly on a screen. Collaborations have also opened new doors. We recently launched our second Harry Potter collection with Warner Bros Discovery Global Consumer Products, reinterpreting the characters and stories through Blvck’s monochrome aesthetic. Partnerships like this allow us to introduce the brand to new communities and explore new creative directions while staying true to our identity. IR: Licensing is a significant part of how Blvck Paris can expand across categories and markets. Why was this model attractive to you compared with building every product and market yourself? JO: A strong brand can travel across categories, but each category and market requires its own expertise. The right partner brings knowledge of local customers, retail operations, distribution or product development that would take us years to build ourselves. Licensing gives us a way to combine that expertise with our creative direction. It also allows our team to stay focused on design and brand development. We are selective about partnerships: the opportunity needs to make sense for Blvck and offer something meaningful to the customer. IR: When you license the brand, where does your control begin and end? Which decisions remain firmly with Blvck Paris? JO: Creative direction remains with us. That includes how our identity is used, the products carrying our name, their design and quality and how the brand is presented in stores and marketing. Our partners bring their expertise to local execution, whether that means operating stores, managing distribution or proposing opportunities suited to their market. We want that input, but within a clear framework. A partnership works best when both sides contribute their strengths and customers still experience a consistent Blvck identity. IR: Blvck Paris now has a physical presence across markets including Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. What makes Asia particularly important to the brand’s next phase of growth? JO: Asia became part of our story early, particularly through Taiwan, where we opened our first physical store. That experience showed us the potential for Blvck to become a retail destination as well as an online brand. We see opportunities to bring together fashion, accessories, collectables and experiences in ways that suit each market. Asia is central to that ambition, but we approach its markets individually. The priority is finding partners who understand their customers and can help us build a lasting presence. IR: Which Asian market has surprised you most – positively or negatively – and what did it teach you about the brand? JO: Japan and Taiwan stand out for different reasons. In Japan, launching Blvck Patisseries gave us a new way to express our creative identity through taste, texture and presentation. It showed how the Blvck concept could extend beyond fashion and become part of a customer’s everyday life in an unexpected way. In Taiwan, what stands out is the meticulous care put into each store. From the interiors and materials to the product displays, every detail reflects the branding and creative vision behind Blvck. Our partners have translated that vision into spaces where customers can fully experience the brand. Both markets have shown us the value of partners who understand Blvck and bring their own expertise to expressing it. IR: What is the ideal Blvck Paris retail experience you want to achieve? JO: I want each store to feel like stepping into the creative world behind Blvck. The architecture, lighting, materials and displays should reflect the same attention to detail as our products, while the atmosphere and service should feel welcoming. Our ambition is for every store to include a food element and a space where customers can spend time, enjoy something, take photos and stay a little longer. Blvck Patisseries in Japan is one expression of that vision. We want the stores to become destinations people enjoy visiting and returning to, where discovering the collection is part of a broader experience. IR: And finally, if someone walks into a Blvck Paris store who has never heard of the brand before, what is the one thing you want them to understand about Blvck Paris before they walk out? JO: That a simple idea can lead to a very imaginative world. Working with black gives us a clear identity, but it also challenges us to keep finding new ways to express it. I hope people leave remembering a detail, a product or a feeling that makes them want to discover more. Further reading: Charles & Keith co-founder Keith Wong on the brand’s global expansion.