The luxury segment in China has reached a new level of maturity, and it’s one that shows far more compatabilities with established luxury markets around the planet than ever before. A recent survey by business consultancy Oliver Wyman indicates that no less than 50% of today’s consumers shopping for luxury fashion and accessories have only entered the market in the past twelve months. And more significantly, 40% of them are younger than 25. This specific demographic has developed different sensibilities, a preference for high-end niche brands and vintage goods for instance, which in turn further diversifies the retail landscape in the country’s first-tier cities, especially in fashion and lifestyle hub Shanghai. As of late, a new concept store has opened its doors which fully accommodates Generation Z’s fast-evolving shopping preferences. Called hAo mArket, 好市 or hao shi in Chinese, it’s the first endeavour of Shanghai Zhili Trading Company, a newly established retailer based in Shanghai.
The store occupies a listed residential villa in the downtown district of Jing’an and was built in 1924 in a mixed Neoclassical and Art Deco style, and also comes with two smaller annexes. Featuring no less than 1,326 sqm. (14,273 sq.ft.) of retail space set across three floors, hAo mArket collaborated with Chinese design and architecture practice MHPD to create a fitting interior design for tightly curated range of trophy goods from home and abroad. The courtyard in front of the entrance sees an installation entitled Installation A by eco-artist Huang Shuo, crafted from wooden crates and filled with lush greens from various different continents. The chosen aesthetic indoors uses the fusion of old and new, but also the contrast of materials as the starting point, resulting in a series of eclectic yet alluring spaces. Upon entering the ground floor, shoppers encounter an inaugural collaborative installation by MHPD founder Paul Hsu, clothing brand Kumy, and hAo mArket, that’s crafted from waste and old objects. The fountain at the centre is made of recycled plastic bottles, domestic waste, resin and water pumps, and the setting serves as a backdrop for a new limited-edition co-branded sweater series.
In an adjacent room on the ground floor, the hAo gArden installation by artist Xia Fan can be found, paired with a Maison Dixsept fragrance showcase. One floor up, an abundance of niche cosmetics and fragrance brands is presented, including coveted names such as Matière Première, SUQQU, GA-DE, La Compagnie de Provence, heir and BIOEFFECT. Last, but certainly not least, there’s the third floor where the city’s fashion-forward crowd can indulge in the alluring offerings of the hAo mArket x Leisure Center pop-up store. The Vancouver-based fashion emporium has curated items by a string of top designers, including Comme des Garçons, Marine Serre, Gentle Monster, Balenciaga, Palm Angels and Maison Margiela. We’ve already mentioned a few artists, but in fact, the premises are dotted with works of a string of other creatives that boost the shopping experience, including well-established ones like Daniel Arsham and Takashi Murakami.
hAo mArket
549 Shaanxi Bei Lu (Jing’an)
200040 Shanghai
Telephone: +86 132 62855270
Daily 10am-10pm
Publishers Note
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