After the tumultuous pandemic period, it took a little while for Bangkok to bounce back, but its recovery is gaining steam, and now, it’s becoming an even more coveted luxury shopping destination. Mind you, the Thai capital has started to rival the sophisticated retail arenas of Singapore and Hong Kong. Following the inauguration earlier this year of LV The Place Bangkok, Louis Vuitton’s groundbreaking new retail and hospitality concept, an event we’ve covered in a previous post, affiliated luxury brand DIor has pulled off a similar first with the recent opening of the uber splendorous Dior Gold House in the downtown Ploenchit area. A purpose-built hexagonal structure, undeniably a firm nod to Dior‘s homeland, has been erected on bustling Thanon Ploenchit, nestled next to Central Embassy shopping centre, and right in between soaring buildings of concrete, steel and glass.
Interestingly, the building, whose shimmering gold façade is modelled after Dior‘s flagship store on avenue Montaigne in Paris, reminds us of an ephemeral store which opened its doors in Seoul two years ago, and which we also covered in a previous post. Set in a lush landscaped garden, Dior Gold House measures over 1,000 sqm. (10,764 sq.ft.). The store interior, created by Dior‘s in-house design team, sees a multitude of alluring settings with custom-made furnishings. Interestingly, in order to further elevate the shopping experience, the premises are dotted with artworks of nine contemporary Thai artists. Upon entering Dior Gold House, shoppers are greeted with installations by Boonserm Premthada, made from elephant footprints. Saran Yen Panya, of Bangkok-based creative agency 56th Studio, has reinterpreted the tuk-tuk, the preferred mode of transport for many city dwellers, while sculptures by Wishulada Panthanuvong decorate the interiors.
Additionally, armchairs by Eggarat Wongcharit punctuate one of the boutique’s rooms and furniture by Sumphat designers Rush Pleansuk and Philippe Moisan, strikes a balance of the beautiful and the functional. Last but not least, artists Vassana Saima and Savin Saima of Vassana have made a series of Lady Dior bags out of bamboo, evoking traditional floral art, presented in a separate space. Dior Gold House carries women’s and men’s apparel, accessories, bags, shoes, small leather goods, jewellery, eyewear and home products. And that’s not all. Blending in culinary delight, Café Dior features a dreamlike setting crafted from bamboo by renowned multi-tasking Thai creative Korakot Aromdee, which mimicks plants, flowers and birds. Here, three Michelin-starred Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco supervises a delicate sweet menu inspired by nature, so dear to designer Christian Dior, as much as by the house’s couture legacy. © superfuture
Dior Gold House
1029 Thanon Ploenchit (Ploenchit)
Bangkok 10330
Telephone +66 800 765761
Café Dior
1029 Thanon Ploenchit (Ploenchit)
Bangkok 10330
Telephone +66 659 984633
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
