Fashion / news
Ruohan to Open Its First Monobrand Store in Shanghai
The Chinese designer label Ruohan is moving beyond wholesale with a standalone Shanghai boutique, its first dedicated retail space, timed to Shanghai Art Week.
Founder and creative director Ruohan Nie and chief executive Waël Benkerrour have chosen Shanghai as the location for the label's first monobrand store, a debut into standalone retail for the independent Chinese house. The boutique will sit on Hunan Road, described as a quiet street in the district of Shanghai's former French concession.
The store's architecture has been in development for more than a year and draws on the personal house of Mexican architect Luis Barragán, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The opening is scheduled to coincide with Shanghai Art Week. The site is split into two parts: the main building will display pieces from Ruohan's most recent collection alongside the fabric archives the label has built up since it was founded, while a second, smaller structure will carry a more artisanal character.
According to the label, visitors will be able to gain a clearer understanding of the brand through a reception room and a retail area, an approach centred on customer experience and hospitality.
Until now Ruohan has sold exclusively through wholesale channels. The label is also due to show again in Paris on September 30.