Furla Store Downtown SF

The new Furla boutique in downtown San Francisco

For the past two years, California has had the highest e-commerce sales on Furla’s website, so it’s only natural that the Italian leather maker have an interest in setting up a West Coast outpost. The accessories brand moved one step closer to their goal when they opened their first boutique in Union Square late last month. The space is meant to be a pop-up—it’s leased from now until July with the possibility of keeping it open through all of 2017. “California is an important market for us because the product lends itself to the California lifestyle and color is such a big part of the Furla DNA,” Scott Link, the CEO of the Americas at Furla, told Haute Living on a bustling evening at the new pop-up. “In markets where the weather is nicer, year round, the brand does well. The Furla girl likes to have joyful fun colors in her wardrobe and wear them out.”

The boutique will be a temporary home until the Furla team finds the ideal space. “We are desperately looking for a permanent store in the Union Square area because that is the right fit for the brand. We just haven’t found the absolute perfect space in terms of the size and neighbors,” Link explains. “In the meantime, this was presented to us as a great opportunity in a great location. What we love about this space besides the amazing location is that it’s a blank canvas. It allowed us to come in and very easily bring our brand and products to life.” Furla is in a prime spot, the old Dior space, on Stockton Street in between Geary and Post in downtown San Francisco. The first floor is filled with the colorful purses and furry accessories the brand is known for and the second floor remains an empty canvas.

“What is unique to this boutique is the second floor. We decided not to use it for retail at this point, but we want to use it for collaborations and events,” Link says. Furla’s owner Giovanna Furlanetto is passionate about the arts and enjoys helping young artists further their careers, so perhaps art-related events will take place in the future. “We envision it being a space for lunches, dinners, cocktail parties,” Link says. “Most of our stores don’t have space for any sort of events. This is such a luxury to have this venue.”

The latest collection on display, the cruise collection, is a departure from seasons past. The bright pops of red and pink have been replaced with more nature-inspired saffron, agave, brown, and tan. Link believes that no stylish San Franciscan should be without a Furla Metropolis crossbody bag in their closet—and the choose-your-own flap is a fun option. The 89-year old brand is undergoing a contemporary evolution. It’s an inclusive brand that speaks to new generations of San Franciscans who are looking for quality, craftsmanship, and style. “We are super excited to tell our story to the San Francisco market,” Link concludes. “We will celebrate our 90th year next year. It’s time to let people know we have this real history of heritage and give them a bag that will last them their whole life.”