Designated the World Design Capital in 2010, the South Korean cultural hub of Seoul continues to uplift human connection through groundbreaking and prodigious artistry. Here, we illuminate the magnificent architectural and design elements of flagships boutiques by Acne Studios, Gucci, Fendi, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Max Mara.
Acne Studios
Courtesy of Acne Studios.
Designed by the architect Sophie Hicks, the streamlined Seoul address of Acne Studios emerges as a vast, self-contained lightbox, embellishing the city’s multidimensional landscape in a frosty shade of futuristic silver. Slivers of stone and grass decorate the entrance, and visitors are whisked up organic, angular stairs where a neon Acne Studios beacon resides.
Echoing the building’s rectangular design, a square-shaped entrance gives way to two minimalist floors displaying the house’s forward-thinking fashions. Four pairs of enormous concrete columns stabilize the structure—enveloping all in a harmonious space of heathered stone, glass, and metallic surfaces. Daylight fills each corner with a celestial glow, while a sensual, twisting staircase interplays with free-form furniture in pure Acne Studios elegance.
What we love: The enigmatic standalone building sparks a dreamlike encounter with the brand’s fiercely contemporary garments with lush lucidity.
Cheongdam, 27-2, Seolleung-ro 162-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Gucci
Courtesy of Gucci.
This year, Gucci’s second Seoul flagship, Gucci Gaok, introduces unparalleled hospitality and a sweeping array of brand collections within a masterful design landscape. Situated in legendary Itaewon, a cross-cultural mecca due to the nearby ancient city of Hanyang, the store’s gracious Gaok title alludes to traditional Korean homes and welcomes visitors with vibrant enthusiasm. The Korean artist Seung Mo Park’s surreal facade beckons those walking by into a simulated forest that meditates on the fragility of our natural environment.
The surrounding neighborhood’s engaging atmosphere continues with a graphic parade of circular lights across floor and ceiling, juxtaposed with shimmering, metallic surfaces that are enhanced by both modern and traditional furniture. Across four floors, classical decor meets prismatic, disco-era nightclub elements for a jubilant shopping experience. Private client realms with wooden boiserie, luxurious couches, and floral-adorned carpets spark the ultimate relaxation, while the top floor’s Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Seoul merges Italian and Korean fare immaculately in a verdant space that salutes the Italian Renaissance.
What we love: Basking in ever-evolving shop exclusives, such as GAOK-printed luggage, python trimmed Gucci Horsebit 1955 handbags, and the latest read-to-wear gems.
223 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea
Fendi
Courtesy of Fendi.
In February 2023, Palazzo FENDI Seoul opened its doors to the international glitterati within effervescent Cheongdam-dong. Positioned among fellow premier luxury retailers, the FENDI Architecture Department imagined an awe-inspiring cosmopolitan landmark, where a towering structure of angular stainless steel is softened by LED arches reflecting the maison’s beloved headquarters in Rome. The flagship’s four floors sing with meaningful, diverse marbles of Arabescato Vagli, Patagonia Black and White, Blue Roma, and Crystal Blue, placed in charismatic dialogue with champagne metal, steel, and robust cement columns.
The house’s dazzling collections are displayed against handmade plaster, invoking quintessential pequin stripes, atop gleaming tables of bronzed glass by the Italian designer Roberto Sironi, and beside mirrored works of art by the New York–based visionary Fernando Mastrangelo. A divine hanging bridge transports clients to the FENDI Privè arena, where sun rays shine through a skylight onto sumptuous FENDI Casa furniture in a peaceful blue palette.
What we love: The exquisite boutique is also a star of environmental consciousness with a revered LEED sustainability certification, utilizing ingenious techniques for the reduction of energy and embracing daylight’s radiance throughout the store.
442 Apgujeong-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels Seoul Maison, © Yongjoon Choi 2022, courtesy of Studio Jouin Manku and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Van Cleef & Arpels established its historic roots in Korea in 1989, and ushered in a new era of spirited, global connection with the maision’s latest flagship boutique in 2022. As if a twinkling, larger-than-life jewel had landed within the chic Cheongdam-dong district, the Seoul Maison is a visually arresting structure of metallic latticework, meant to conjure images of poetically overlapping reeds in the house’s signature lozenge motif.
Spearheaded by Jouin Manku agency, the architectural design integrates a wealth of natural beauty with the store’s unique surroundings—from its perch on the south bank of the Hangang River to the nearby seven mountains embracing the poignant city. Under the evening stars, the boutique emits an inner glow with a creatively veiled system of lights. Beneath the sun, five floors visibly salute the magnificence of Mother Nature with labyrinthine gardens created by the Korean landscape architect Seo Ahn, walls and ceilings enhanced with organic hanji effects, and a “garden of the arts” exhibition space—rejoicing in the warmhearted union of French and Korean heritage.
What we love: Two private realms, a salon and a terrace, are embellished with a serene lounge and a sweeping dining table, offering a decadent, panoramic view of the boutique’s seasonal gardens and the beguiling city beyond.
441 Apgujeong-ro, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea
Max Mara
Max Mara Flagship Store Seoul, photo by Lee Cheol Hee, courtesy of Max Mara.
In 2019 Max Mara presented its inaugural flagship boutique, nimbly designed by Duccio Grassi Architects, as a lustrous Shangri-la in Seoul’s fashionable Gangnam neighborhood. Greeting the bustle of the street at 434 Apgujeong-ro with magic and mystery, the minimalist facade houses a glossy parade of tall windows leading up to a geometric grid of lights, mirrors, and washes of charcoal.
Within the intimate store, silky oak wood floors and tranquil walls of Ceppo Stone transport visitors to the luxuriant interiors of Milanese palaces. Meticulously curated materials, including handmade finished brass, etched iron, and burnished iron, are interlaced with natural stones from floor to ceiling and stunning furnishings throughout. Sculptural seating in jewel-toned velvets rests atop plush rugs alluding to flora and fauna, while Max Mara and Sportmax collections abound in a singular journey of transcendent Italian craftsmanship.
What we love: A shimmering array of accessories offered within the boutique compliment chic garments by way of plush materials, elegant details, and flawless craftsmanship.
Apgujeong-ro 434, Seoul, 06015, South Korea
