Louis Vuitton shuts down another store amid fallout from trademark dispute in China

The latest China store exit in Guiyang highlights the luxury brand’s struggle to balance prestige with cultural empathy amid legal disputes

Louis Vuitton will close its only store in Guiyang on August 31, according to an on-site notice, further trimming the French luxury brand’s southwestern China footprint, which has fallen to three stores from a peak of six.

It coincides with a string of trademark lawsuits Louis Vuitton has filed in China.

In one case, local tea chain Molly Tea was ordered to pay the brand 10.3 million yuan (US$1.5 million) in July over the use of a similar logo. The verdict sparked heated online debate, but also drew public support for the Chinese company.