It’s a well-known fact that few brands approach retail as Gentle Monster does. Each store is exemplary of next level evocation, effortlessly pushing all the buttons of a predominantly young clientele that’s already prone to sensory overload. Incredibly, for most homeland flagship stores, the awe-inspiring decor and installations are regularly replaced by new nifty settings. The Gentle Monster flagship store in Sinsadong, a plush shopping area on Seoul‘s south bank, has recently been given a makeover. Themed Time Sleep, all four floors have gained a new aesthetic, and it’s immediately evident upon entering the premises. Christmas may have passed a while ago, but an actual pine tree takes centre stage on the ground floor, seemingly levitating horizontally in front of a yellow pillar. Two large-sized busts grace the show windows.
Walking up the stairs, a new space unfolds in which two male characters, captured by separate classic sculptures, one encapsulated by abstract vertical panels, the other by horizontal panels. A sleeping female figure is depicted on an expansive mural and serves as a decorative backdrop. The next space sees an elephant suspended from the ceiling amidst a row of battered floor-to-ceiling columns, a setting which symbolises the transition from sleep to waking up, and from dream to reality. The subterranean floor, which accommodates the store’s service department, is furnished with organically shaped desks paired with chunky ottomans against a backdrop of a backlit mural featuring fantastical scenery. Throughout the store, the settings are interspersed with the coveted Gentle Monster eyewear, presented on sleek cabinets or shelving.
Gentle Monster
23 Apgujeong-ro 10-gil (Sinsadong)
06028 Seoul
Telephone: +82 70 50800196
Daily 12-9
Publishers Note
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