SINGAPORE — Furla’s new flagship boutique in Marina Bay Sands isn’t just another shop selling premium accessories in what may seem to be a crowded playing field. For its chief executive Eraldo Poletto, it’s a direct representation of what the fashion brand is all about.

“The goal I want to strive for is to make the customer feel the joy of the full contemporary Italian lifestyle,” he said. “To experience, through the product, what we are about: (A sense of) playfulness, (being) colourful and always innovating in terms of quality and design.

“That’s our job. It’s very simple, but it’s complicated at the same time,” he said with a grin.

For Poletto, the consumer is key to the company’s success; engaging with customers is almost as important as offering a quality product. To set up its largest South-east Asian store in Singapore then becomes more than just a question of geography.

“I think every place has a special characteristic, but Singapore is the centre of South-east Asia; it’s the place to be. There’s no doubt. It’s a bridge to the region, to Australia. It’s an amazing place tourist-wise, business-wise,” he said. “We’ve been in Singapore for a while and we want to move up to the next level.”

This next level means changing its mindset about the relationship between company and customer.

“The biggest challenge for any company is that the business, the society and the customer are evolving at an amazing speed and the company has to evolve at that speed too,” he said, adding that these days, shopping isn’t only restricted to a particular location, but is a global experience.

“It’s the age of the globe-shopper. It’s all about people moving around. We have customers from Singapore who are buying our products not in Singapore, but in London. We have to be customer-centric. That’s the focus.”

The focus on customers is the reason why Furla has unveiled its men’s collection in Asia. It includes cool wallets and bags (the “it” bag is probably the Modular Bag, which can transform from a tote into a travel bag).

“The male shopper is getting smarter and has the desire to own something that is quality-made (and) with a nice design,” said Poletto. “We see that more in Asia than in the West. The male collection has been designed for the Asian consumer, but you can buy these products anywhere around the world.”

Beyond the products, Poletto said they have to tackle the new digital environment as well. “The company has to always be ready to talk to the consumers. It’s a very different proposition now. The brand used to tell the consumer what to do, what to buy. Going digital is a two-way communication and the community has a very strong opinion about whether what you do is right or wrong. So companies have to accept that criticism.”

He added: “It’s a different game, it’s a different mindset. It’s not just about technology – that part is easy. It is what’s behind that counts.”

For many people, shopping for branded products isn’t just about affordability.

“These days, it’s about the freedom of choice. The consumer can wear a UNIQLO T-shirt and carry a Chanel bag. It’s not about whether you can afford to buy what is expensive — that is an outdated proposition,” said Poletto.

“We try to stay away from being expensive. We don’t want to compete with the high-street brands. They’re playing a different game and doing a fantastic job of it. We’re in the premium segment. The premium segment is a market that is growing, particularly in this part of the world. More people can afford premium brands, so that’s where we want to be.”

Even in a country that’s chock-a-block with boutiques — from luxury to high-street brands — the Furla boss isn’t afraid of competition, if only because market forces will dictate who stays and who goes.

“There are too many, somebody will disappear. That’s the beauty of the economy — the customers decide who is going to be the winner or the loser,” he said. “I don’t see us fighting against others, it’s all about the customer. We all just need to do our jobs better and improve our design, collection and products — and we have to improve our connection with the consumer.

“The company’s job is to anticipate the desire and look ahead all the time. It’s not about creating a system or a model. It’s about the customer, not about us,” he said.