A little while ago, LEMAIRE not only inaugurated a standalone store in Tokyo, an event we’ve covered in a previous post, but soon after also debuted its first store in China. Surprisingly, the Paris-based fashion house didn’t opt for a boutique in Shanghai or Beijing, the country’s two leading shopping hubs, but instead settled for a standalone boutique in Chengdu, a city that has become increasingly known for its fashion-forward demographic. Occupying a 140 sqm. (1,507 sq.ft.) unit at Chengdu Taikoo Li a large, open-air shopping centre and the city’s Jinjiang district, it features an interior design by interior design by FOG Architecture, an architecture practice with offices in Chongqing, Shanghai and London.
The LEMAIRE retail space may be situated in a bustling part of the shopping centre, but it aims to offer shoppers a tranquil oasis and ditto shopping experience. As such, tit features a recessed façade, creating a ‘tranquil’, slightly elevated, buffer of potted lush plants which not only signals the serene atmosphere indoors, but also offers shoppers a sense of ritual when entering the premises. The material palette for the design is a firm nod to the Sichuan region and its extensive use of bamboo. The slender stone covering the store façade mimic the texture of bamboo, while inside, flooring is bamboo wood and the curtains are crafted from the multipurpose plant. Another visual layering emphasises cultural elements embedded in the design, such as the Charwa felt quilt of the Yi, an ethnic people from the southern Liangshan region.
Additionally, there’s intricate Cizhu bamboo weaving, the collaboration with local artists and craftsmen also highlights this. The serene setting of the LEMAIRE store hides technical thoughtfulness in plain sight. The design of the skirting board refers to the treatment method of the wall skirt of the renowned Du Fu Thatched Cottage, which presses wooden strips down on bricks, thereby transforming the skirting board into a new material level to integrate a series of interior elements such as thresholds and steps. Also, the vertical boards are hidden in the door frame design, and ‘gaps’ are left on both sides of the threshold to imply its existence; at the same time, the lintel above the door is protruded and extended to become a wooden ‘hanging bar’ to display apparel. The new LEMAIRE store carries men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, bags and shoes. © superfuture
LEMAIRE
Chengdu Taikoo Li, 8 Zhong Shamao Lu, Shop 1342 (Jinjiang)
610021 Chengdu
Telephone +86 28 67425818
Mon-Thu 10am-10pm
Fri-Sun 10am-10:30pm
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