ALCHEMIST, MIAMI
Pull your bumper up to 1111 Lincoln – Herzog & De Meuron’s stunning car park and shopping mall – for two incredibly fun spaces designed by Rene Gonzalez Architect. The original cantilevered glass-box boutique on the fifth floor is actually more of a gallery now, but has kept its system of mirrored walls and ceilings that mimic the motion of customers, creating a play of reflections from the shop to the city and back. The newly opened shop on the ground floor, however, features a design concept that is almost completely opposite to the gallery’s, like an insulated box that allows patrons to disconnect from the constant motion, sound and heat of Miami Beach. You’ll find a constantly changing selection of fashion, beauty and lifestyle products on the racks, including names such as Alaia, Proenza Schouler, Junya Watanabe, Givenchy and more.WWW.SHOPALCHEMIST.COM
SHANG XIA, SHANGHAI
Together with Hermès, designer Jiang Qionger has set up this dreamy luxury one-stop shop as a way of promoting Chinese craftsmanship to the world. Designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates, the entire interior is covered with triaxially folded fabric, which has been heat-treated and shaped in Japan, creating a clean and seamless backdrop that doesn’t overshadow the Chinese heritage-inspired fashion and lifestyle goods. Shang Xia recently expanded to open a second store in Beijing, and will be launching its first international outpost in Paris later this year, just a stone’s throw away from its mother company’s flagship in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. WWW.SHANG-XIA.COM
LN-CC, LONDON
Head east to gritty Dalston for this appointment-only basement bunker, stocking names like Dries Van Noten, Damir Doma and Haider Ackermann, plus more boutique designers such as Lucas Nascimento and Piece d’Anarchive. The geometric interiors are by set designer Gary Card, and the space includes a bookstore, a gallery and a private club, all accessed via a futuristic, skeletal wooden tunnel. The store recently underwent a renovation, launching two brand new areas: The Secular Space (see top image) – a sleek, neoprene-encased tunnel showcasing footwear and leather goods; and Chameleon – a private, in-store bar and sound space that is available to customers during the day, as well as acting as a stage for LN-CC’s monthly events.WWW.LN-CC.COM
EXCELSIOR, MILAN
Thanks to architect Jean Nouvel, this former abandoned cinema has been transformed into a buzzing retail temple with seven floors of the best in fashion, food and lifestyle. The building’s exterior is the standout feature, lined with metal louvers to give only a peep of the LED screens beneath. Milan fashion prima donna Antonia is a consultant, so expect to see lots of emerging designers alongside the established heavy-hitters.WWW.EXCELSIORMILANO.COM
RUNWAY, HO CHI MINH CITY
Working off the concept of an ice cave, Italian design studio CLS Architetti has lined this entire boutique with undulating fins. Striking as that might be, the centrepiece is in fact the giant cocoon by the entrance, fully clad with 12,899 mirrored stainless steel plates. Inside is the grotto-like VIP room lined with 8,948 plaster roses, inside which customers can slip in and out of runway hits by Lanvin, Balenciaga and Hussein Chalayan, to name a few. WWW.RUNWAY.VN
Images courtesy of the respective stores
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