Acne Studios Upgrades Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun Store to Landmark Flagship
Acne Studios‘ latest landmark flagship officially opened in Beijing‘s Taikoo Li Sanlitun retail district, an open-air luxury and fashion retail complex in downtown Beijing.
The two-story, 436-square-meter store, which occupies a busy street corner connecting the Northern and Southern Plaza of Taikoo Li Sanlitun, is one of the largest for the Swedish fashion house.
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With a pale pink facade, a color now synonymous with the brand, the store was designed in partnership with its longtime partner Halleröd, the Stockholm-based interior design firm.
British designer Max Lamb designed bespoke furniture, and French lighting artist Benoit Lalloz created the lighting framework.
Daniel Silver, the British artist, created a series of black and green mannequin sculptures that inhabit the space.
To celebrate the flagship opening, K-pop boy band NCT’s Johnny Suh, Chinese actress Ma Sichun and actor Huang Jue showed up for a store event last Thursday. A collection of limited-edition pieces in different shades of pink will be available exclusively at the Beijing store.
“We wanted to give the best of Acne Studios to Beijing in a much stronger setting,” said Mattias Magnusson, the chief executive officer of the brand who could double as a rock ‘n’ roll star with his long hair and nonconforming style.
Acne Studios first opened at Taikoo Li Sanlitun’s Northern Plaza in 2018. The latest relocation is akin to moving from Manhattan’s Upper East Side to the Lower East Side, with the district’s charming urban village atmosphere. The busy Southern Plaza has an average daily footfall of 70,000 to 80,000, according to Taikoo Li Sanlitun; Gentle Monster, Stone Island, Maison Margiela and Arc’teryx are some of the new brands that became Acne Studios’ neighbors in the area.
“When they [Taikoo Li Sanlitun] offered us to open a more real flagship, we jumped at it. We wanted it to be almost at the intersection between North and South so that we would be able to meet clients from both parts,” Magnusson said.
In a once-in-a-decade groundbreaking move, the Northern district will be upgraded into a luxury mecca with stand-alone emporiums for luxury powerhouses such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and, possibly, Gucci. The reshuffle, which began more than a year ago, is also a clear marker of Taikoo Li Sanlitun developer Swire Properties’ ambition to play a more significant role in Beijing’s luxury retail market.
In addition, Swire’s longstanding boutique hotel Opposite House, which is a part of the Northern Plaza, will also be transformed into a luxury retail project.
“We have always enjoyed Sanlitun as a project, it was one of the first doors we opened in mainland China,” Magnusson said. “We always liked the way that it’s put together, where a nice mix of brands and with the F&B offerings, and always created a good flow,” he added.
To create a personalized experience for important clients, the store also features a cozy VIP room tucked in the back of the second floor. “You need the space to be able to express yourself,” Magnusson explained.
“It’s important that anyone who walks into our shops should get an incredible experience. But then for people who keep coming back, we want to make sure we can really give them something special and something extraordinary,” he added.
VIP shoppers, or a “selected few who are part of our universe,” are also invited to exclusive gatherings in an intimate setting, he said. “But in terms of exactly what we do, I think I’ll keep to myself. Otherwise, it’s not as special,” added Magnusson.
Founded in 1996 as a multidisciplinary creative collective in Stockholm, Acne Studios is known as one of the most popular niche fashion brands in China.
According to Magnusson, Acne Studios is on track to reach 500 million euros in sales in the near future.
To reach that goal, Acne Studios is gradually evolving into “the most inspiring progressive luxury brand,” according to Magnusson. “There is a space for brands to do luxury through a different lens, which is what we are doing and really aim to continue doing.”
More specifically, the brand has been upgrading its denim range to incorporate a wide range of shapes and washes, as well as launching a customization feature. In the leather goods department, its recognizable multipocket “Tool bag” also quickly gained It bag status. Even though local customers were initially drawn to the Face logo, the brand’s most popular items are currently less logo-heavy. For example, memorabilia T-shirts, adorable teddy bear key rings and teddy bear backpacks are some of the more seasonal top sellers in China.
“It’s about an independent spirit, a sense of freedom — it’s not a tangible thing sometimes, but I think the customers feel it, even if it’s kind of just a hint of it, that independent Scandinavian spirit,” explained Magnusson of the brand’s evolving appeal in China.
“Let’s face it, most of today’s luxury brands are part of a bigger group or a bigger constellation in some way, which can sometimes become a little predictable,” Magnusson observed.
“My firm belief is that there is an interest and an appetite for something else. We came from a creative collective, so it’s always been about this multidisciplinary creativity. We also have an Scandinavian outlook on things, which gives us a different point of view, sometimes you look at a piece of design and can’t tell exactly where it came from,” he continued.
In 2018, Acne Studios sold a 41 percent stake of the company to IDG Capital and Hong Kong-based retailer I.T Group, which helped accelerate Acne Studios’ expansion in China.
The brand counts 13 doors in mainland China, two in Hong Kong and one in Taipei. It will welcome its 14th later this year, located in Shanghai. A second Taipei store is also in the works. The brand is also looking to ride the waves of travel retail with potential stores in Hainan‘s Sanya and Thailand.
Without revealing Asia-specific numbers, Magnusson said that the Asian markets are projected to grow faster than the North American and European markets.
Magnusson said that not getting overexposed is key to sustained growth in the market that evolves too quickly.
“There is a tendency for some brands to run really, really, really fast when the market is hot,” Magnusson said. “We try to have a very leveled approach. We like growing, because growing also shows that you’re doing something right, but I think it’s very important to grow at a steady pace,” he added.
“For us, the strategy is very clear: few developments, but do it really well and make sure that we can serve the clients properly, have people that can show you the product in the best possible way, and give you a little piece of the universe of the brand,” Magnusson continued.
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