[Photo provided to China Daily]

The producers of high-end French cognac label LOUIS XIII have decided to open their first-ever boutique. For this pioneering new venture, Beijing was the natural choice as the city is the heart of China's history and culture, where the most prestigious international brands, French luxury houses and dedicated luxury malls are found.

"China is a valued market and a land of esteemed cognac connoisseurs that enjoys a long history with LOUIS XIII, dating back to 1880," CEO of the house of Rémy Martin Eric Vallat said. "It is the ideal place to establish the first ever LOUIS XIII boutique in the world, showing our commitment to a global vision and to loyal clients."

As a dynamic and cosmopolitan capital constantly evolving, Beijing, echoes the principles of LOUIS XIII.

Here is the full excerpt of the interview with Eric Vallat.

Why LOUIS XIII decided to choose Beijing to open its first-ever boutique?

China is a valued market and a land of esteemed cognac connoisseurs that enjoys a long history with LOUIS XIII, dating back to 1880. It is the ideal place to establish the first ever LOUIS XIII boutique in the world, showing our commitment to a global vision and to loyal clients.

For this pioneering new venture, LOUIS XIII naturally chose the capital Beijing, the heart of China's history and culture, where the most prestigious international brands, French luxury houses and dedicated luxury malls are found.

Beyond deciding on the city, we chose a mall. Beijing is home to SKP (Shin Kong Place, a high-end business hub), the place to be in China for high-end fashion and lifestyle brands. I am very impressed by how the management team of SKP managed to innovate and upgrade its mall. They also had a very good understanding of who we are and where we want to head to, which allows us to be positioned as a true luxury brand resonating beyond Cognac. We are located on the second floor among prestigious brands, right in the heart of male and lifestyle luxury brands, our sartorial environment of reference.