Le Tanneur enters Japan with its own webstore and an Isetan Shinjuku pop-up

Le Tanneur & Cie, the French leather goods house founded in 1898, is entering the Japanese market with its own Japan online store and a pop-up at Isetan Shinjuku, the company said in a release on Thursday.

The Paris-headquartered maison has launched a Japan-specific e-commerce site, letanneur.com/ja-jp, and will run a two-week pop-up on the first floor of Isetan Shinjuku's Main Building from Wednesday 21 October to Tuesday 3 November, where shoppers can handle pieces from its current collection in person. Featured bags include the HORTENSE tote, a double-face grain leather tote made in France that fits a 15-inch laptop, at ¥155,000; the EMIE maxi shoulder bag, carried by hand, shoulder or crossbody, at ¥144,000; and the CÉLESTE hobo bag from its latest autumn line, at ¥133,000, according to the release. Men's leather goods and gift items are also on display, the company said.

A dedicated Japan storefront plus a department-store pop-up is a common opening move for a European leather house without an existing Japan network: the department store supplies footfall and credibility while the brand tests full pricing and assortment before committing to its own lease.

What to watch is whether the pop-up converts into a permanent in-store shop or concession once the two weeks end, which is the usual next step once a Japan entry like this clears its first test.