Hypebeast New York store
What: Online streetwear guide Hypebeast plants a flagship in New York City with a seven-storey 2,323 sqm store in the heart of the Chinatown district.
Why it is important: HBX aims to be a hub for local streetwear aficionados. The configuration can be easily adjusted to accommodate parties, presentations and other gatherings. The store will accommodate not only its HBX store concept on the two lower floors, but also a Hypebeans café, event spaces and offices.
Designed by local architecture practice Food, the store sees a lofty and uncluttered ground floor with exposed red brick walls, large tiles of polished concrete and sleek floor-to-ceiling shelving and clothing racks crafted from shiny steel. Mind you, the custom columns, fixtures, floor, and ceiling grids were designed with significant retention of existing building materials for maximum flexibility and minimum waste.
The ground floor is home to Hypebeans, the company's very own coffee brand and coffee parlour chain. One floor up, the chosen aesthetic is similarly understated, featuring a backdrop of exposed concrete bricks, marble tiles, a metal grid ceiling, and matching custom-made furnishings and fixtures. Needless to say, the HBX store carries a curated and mixed range of brands that specifically targets the sensibilities of a young and savvy crowd. Ranging from streetwear to fashion's upper echelon, the current brand list includes Nike, Acronym, Raf Simons, Brain Dead, Stone Island, Needles, Mugler, ERL, Thom Browne, Reese Cooper and Dries Van Noten.