Gentle Monster opens flagship in Beijing
What: The eyewear brand is opening its largest flagship store with massive futuristic, dystopian sculptures across all three of its floors.
Why it is important: Gentle Monster is tackling its plans to expand throughout China with its most recent move being an experiential retail store three times the size of its previous flagship.
The space is theatrical and brings a multimedia approach to the eyewear segment with large-scale sculptures and installations. A moving eye sculpture and teddy bear body parts take up the first floor; a blinking giant space cowboy and its pet rhino, a giant spider called the "Probe" and a video artwork by Jonas Lindstroem occupy the second floor, and a giant insect holds court on the third floor. The first two levels are dedicated to sunglasses and collaborative projects, while the third level features all-optical items. The third level also features a repair service area, a first in the Northern China market.
The company plans to open more locations across China including moving into smaller markets such as Chongqing, Changsha, Wuhan and Hefei. New stores are soon-to-be-opened in Chengdu SKP and Taikoo Li Guangzhou.
Gentle Monster opens flagship in Beijing