Asian Fashion Giants Icicle and Songzio Expand Reach with New Parisian Boutiques

As Paris Fashion Week approached, two prominent Asian brands, Icicle and Songzio, underscored their expanding French and global aspirations by opening new boutiques in the French capital. Both brands, already established within the official fashion week schedules, are making significant statements with their strategic retail expansions.

Icicle, founded in Shanghai in 1997 by Ye Shouzeng and Tao Xiaoma, inaugurated its fourth Parisian store on September 3, ahead of presenting its Spring-Summer 2026 collection on October 1. This new location at 4 Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées, previously occupied by Lancel, is a potent declaration of intent. Beyond its flagship on Avenue Georges V, opened in 2019, this 180-square-metre space complements existing boutiques on Rue Saint-Honoré and at Le Bon Marché, showcasing the brand's subtle, refined collections designed by artistic director Bénédicte Laloux.

The choice of location at the "most beautiful avenue in the world" holds deep historical resonance. Icicle highlights its connection to major figures in French fashion, noting that "In 1924, Jeanne Lanvin set up her couture salons here... In May 1945, Carmen de Tommaso, known as Carven, founded her ready-to-wear house at 4/6 Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées. Today, the story continues with the Carven boutique at number 6 and the new Icicle boutique at number 4." This connection is particularly significant as the Icicle group also owns Carven.

The store's interior, conceived by Icicle's in-house architecture department, reflects the brand's philosophy of simplicity, naturalness, and timelessness. A central structure crafted from natural oak utilizes the ancient Chinese joinery art of Sǔn Mǎo, assembling wood without nails, screws, or glue – a testament to precision and sustainability. The space features plastered walls and ceilings, a waxed concrete floor, and a painted wood façade, with some interior walls deliberately left raw to reveal traces of its rich history and former occupants.

Icicle's commitment to a responsible approach, favoring natural materials and sustainable design, has been central since its dedicated design studio was established in Paris in 2013. While expanding in Europe, the brand maintains a formidable presence in China with no fewer than 242 points of sale across approximately 100 cities, 85 of which are directly controlled. Icicle, which reported a turnover of €293 million in 2024, is targeting 25% growth in 2025 with planned openings in Changsha and a men's boutique in the ultra-premium Shanghai IFC shopping centre. The brand also continues to evolve its ICCF Garden concept, a fusion of fashion and gastronomy, with a new project scheduled to open in Hangzhou before the end of the year.

Similarly, the South Korean label Songzio is significantly bolstering its presence in Paris. Launched in 1993, Songzio is not new to the French capital, having developed ties in the 2000s and appeared on the Paris Men's Fashion Week calendar from 2006 to 2017. Following a comprehensive overhaul, the brand, now led by Jay Song, the founder's son, has re-established Paris as a cornerstone of its international strategy, presenting menswear collections since 2022 with shows during both the January and June men's fashion weeks.

This renewed investment in Paris was cemented with the opening of a men's store in December 2024 at 10 rue Charlot in the Marais. In September, Songzio expanded its footprint by moving into the adjoining space to unveil a 150-square-metre womenswear offering. The new space, designed by Songzio, embodies the brand's universe, seamlessly blending traditional Eastern inspirations with contemporary cuts across two levels.

The store concept is characterized by "radical neo-brutalist architecture blending raw concrete, black oak and sculptural furniture by Arno Declercq," creating a space of contrasts and emotion. It eloquently reflects the house's core duality: symmetry and asymmetry, light and darkness, curves and angles. With 106 boutiques worldwide and approximately thirty retailers, including major department stores across Asia, Europe, and the United States, Songzio is on an upward trajectory. Having recorded sales exceeding US$70 million in 2024, the company aims to surpass the US$80 million mark (€68 million) in 2025, further solidifying its global standing.