Leading Australian luxury accessories label Oroton has spread its wings to Malaysia, opening a flagship boutique in Suria KLCC and a second boutique at The Gardens Mall. The 78-year-old brand, known for its beautiful, modern and timeless leather bags and accessories for men and women, is one of Australia’s most luxurious home-grown labels.

Oroton was founded in 1938 in Sydney by a gentleman called Boyd Lane. Made up of the words, oro meaning gold in Latin and ton to imply a tonne of gold or fortune, Oroton strives to create innovative and beautiful designs with a focus on relaxed luxury and timeless style.

Originally set up as a textile designer and importer of fabrics from Japan, the first cult Oroton product emerged in 1951 with a gold metallic mesh compact or powder puff for women. The mesh material had never been used in a modern beauty or fashion product before — to many, it looked like a protective coat of armour — but Oroton’s designers applied this material to the first Oroton product, and many other evening bags over the decades to follow.

It is Australia’s most enduring design house, with all Oroton products developed from the sketchbook of the design team based in Sydney (headed by creative director Ana Maria Escobar) and sourced using the best leather, silk and customised Oroton hardware from around the world.

The two new Oroton boutiques in Suria KLCC and The Gardens Mall reflect the elegant sophistication of the brand with a contemporary, plush interior. Like a jewel-studded box, the arresting façade consists of monogrammed Os in gold, with the Oroton logo and its founding year elegantly inlayed into the marble flooring. Inside, the products are arranged on shelves accented with chrome detailing while stunning metallics grace the stores with floor to ceiling beams in silver and gold. Both boutiques stock the full range of Oroton products — bags and wallets, crystal jewellery, men’s accessories and sunglasses.

Oroton’s arrival into Malaysia is part of an expansion plan that began last year. In September, they opened their stand-alone store in one of the world’s toughest retailing markets, Hong Kong, and moved on soon after to open two more boutiques in Singapore.

The Oroton Group, which has been listed on the Australian Stock Exchange since 1987, is also the sole distributor for the Polo Ralph Lauren brand in both Australia and New Zealand and has been for the past 20 years.

This article appeared on the Live it! page, The Edge Financial Daily, July 20, 2011.