‘Lifestyle’ defined through a blend of accessories, homeware and fashion has given rise to new concepts in retail, which provide a mix of selected products across these categories.
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These locally developed ‘lifestyle’ stores in Asia are gaining popularity by offering curated selections of both global and local brands, and a holistic assortment of products to reflect a certain design or style. Retail in Asia presents a selection of the region’s most exceptional multi-label concept stores with a focus on lifestyle and homeware products for 2024.
Another Story
Bangkok, Thailand
Founded by Maryse Kraatz in 2015, Bangkok’s Another Story is focused on ‘slow retail’ and highlights both emerging and established brands across fashion, home and lifestyle, from Thailand and beyond.
Located in the upscale EmQuartier mall, Another Story bills itself as Bangkok’s ‘first lifestyle concept store’. The concept has since hatched a men’s lifestyle-focused store, Another Man Story, and condensed versions of the original flagship store, Another Mini Story.
What it’s known for: Curated selections from local and international brands that emphasise quality and storytelling.
Noteworthy brands: Apparel and accessory labels include American Vintage, Greek Archaic Kori, Bayday and Izipizi; lifestyle brands include Bangkokian, Normann Copenhagen, Pols Potten, Officine Murano, and more.
Chapter1 Edit
Seoul, South Korea
The brainchild of founders and co-CEOs Kim Ga-on and Koo Byung-jun, Chapter 1 Edit, opened in 2018 in Seoul, focuses on lifestyle products by local craftsmen, including ceramics and home interior accessories. On occasion, Chapter 1 Edit also hosts pop-ups and flea markets for select F&B, fashion and jewellery items.
Chapter 1 Edit is a newer iteration of the founders’ Chapter 1 concept, which curates high-end, contemporary collections of furniture. Chapter 1 Edit offers an immersive retail experience with its fourth-floor Gallery Doqument, an airy exhibition space, and Found Local, a café and bistro located on the first floor.
Noteworthy brands: Mid-century modern furniture by Pierre Jeanneret, Mies van der Rohe and more; home and lifestyle products from local and international labels such as Kar Studio, Mandalaki, and Musubi Kiln.
Cibone
Tokyo, Japan
Founded by Masaki Yokokawa in 2001, Cibone has two boutiques in Tokyo and one in Brooklyn, New York. Cibone’s offerings span a diverse range, encompassing home decor, furniture, fashion, accessories, and more. From crafted ceramics and textiles to minimalist furniture pieces and avant-garde fashion, Cibone presents a carefully curated collection that celebrates the best of Japanese design and beyond.
What it’s known for: Some of the finest Japanese and global design brands as well as local artists.
Noteworthy brands: Muuto, Hay, Ferm Living, Toyo-Sasaki Glass, Hasami Porcelain, Fog Linen Work and more.
Eslite
Taipei, Taiwan (multiple locations including in Hong Kong, Suzhou, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur)
Originating in Taipei in 1989, the popular Eslite bookstore now spans over 50 locations across the region, from Hong Kong and Suzhou to Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur. The store has also since evolved to carry a wide range of lifestyle and home accessories, from stereos and home appliances, kitchenware to premium teas and ceramics, in addition to its vast collection of book and magazine titles in various genres and languages.
Eslite locations also serve as cultural hubs, hosting art exhibitions, author talks, and live performances. Its Songyan location in Taipei began operating 24 hours a day in 2024, serving customers, quite literally, around the clock.
What it’s known for: Each Eslite bookstore is thoughtfully designed and adorned with inviting spaces and reading nooks that offer a respite from the bustling cities.
Noteworthy brands: Over 200 artisanal and emerging brands and at least 10,000 titles; each location varies.
Haus Dosan
Seoul, South Korea
Opened in 2021, Haus Dosan, situated in the trendy Dosan Park neighbourhood where some of the world’s biggest brands have recently chosen to build their retail presence in Seoul, presents an opportunity to fully experience three Korean brands making waves in the regional retail scene.
Here, eyewear label Gentle Monster, dessert maker Nudake, and fragrance brand Tamburins (pictured above) each occupy expansive spaces to introduce and fully immerse customers in their respective brand stories. On the basement floor, for example, Nudake’s first flagship store in Seoul embraces the theme “taste of meditation,” with an art installation as the centrepiece of Nudake’s fantastical dessert creations on offer (pictured below).
What it’s known for: The ‘Haus’ concept conceived by Gentle Monster and designed by BCHO Architects echoes its approach to retail design, with products displayed alongside multimedia art installations in an effort to target South Korea’s arts and culture-inclined MZ generation.
Noteworthy brands: The five-storey building offers a Nudake cafe in the basement, Gentle Monster on the first to third floors, and Tamburins on the top floor.
Kapok
Hong Kong (multiple locations)
Founded by Arnault Castel in 2006, Kapok encapsulates Hong Kong’s vibrant spirit with its eclectic mix of products spanning fashion, design, and lifestyle from both established and more independent brands in Hong Kong and overseas. The store’s minimalist and contemporary interiors allow visitors to immerse themselves in the carefully selected array of products, from fashion-forward apparel and accessories to home decor and stationery.
What it’s known for: With three concept stores across Hong Kong (and a further seven devoted to its menswear-focused in-house brand, O.N.S.), Kapok carries brands rooted in creativity and functionality, making it a one-stop destination for design enthusiasts in Hong Kong.
Noteworthy brands: Around 340 apparel and accessory brands include Aesther Ekme, APC, Future Classics, R Collective, Izipizi, Topologie and Maison Kitsune; footwear from Birkenstock, Common Projects, Salomon and Veja; and lifestyle selection include Astier de Villatte, Malin + Goetz, and Native Union
L’Usine
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (multiple locations)
L’Usine, located in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, offers a unique multi-brand concept that seamlessly combines fashion, lifestyle, and a dining experience.
Set in stylish, industrial-chic spaces, all three of the cafes-slash-boutiques create an atmosphere that appeals to the urban sophisticate seeking an all-encompassing destination.
L’Usine curates a diverse range of fashion brands, from local designers to international labels, offering a mix of contemporary and vintage-inspired styles. Alongside fashion, the store features an array of lifestyle products, including home decor, accessories, and apothecary items, all carefully selected for their quality and design.
Beyond shopping, L’Usine provides a haven for food enthusiasts with its in-house cafes.
What it’s known for: Blending fashion, lifestyle, and dining in a stylish, industrial-chic setting.
Noteworthy brands: L’Usine, Vietti, Nhã Khanh, Sundo, Cộng Cà Phê, and other local and international brands that embody style and creativity.
Tsutaya
Tokyo, Japan (multiple locations including in Mainland China and Malaysia)
Established in Osaka, Japan in the 1980s by Muneaki Masuda, chairman of Culture Convenience Club, Tsutaya has captivated bibliophiles and connoisseurs of art since its inception. Today it is Japan’s largest and most iconic bookstore chain with over 1,000 branches in the country, as well as overseas locations in Malaysia and mainland China. In addition to its literary offerings, Tsutaya also showcases an array of art, music, and film, creating an immersive experience that transcends traditional retail.
Its flagship store in Japan, Tsutaya T-Site in Tokyo’s Daikanyama district, has been designed as a ‘third place’ for customers with lounge areas and a coffee bar. It also spans three buildings of books–from literary titles to coffee-table volumes–as well as stationery, lifestyle and home items, and is equipped with concierge services to assist customers.
What it’s known for: A meticulously curated selection of books encompassing a vast range of genres and authors, both local and international, complemented by various
Noteworthy brands: Each location varies; Tsutaya T-Site Daikanyama carries more than 140,000 titles.
This list is part of a new series, “Best of Retail in Asia,” compiled by this publication’s editorial team together with retail experts across the region. Here, Retail in Asia celebrates the best of retail in the region, recognising the brands, businesses and concepts putting forward some of the finest, most creative and innovative consumer experiences across markets and sectors. The above is not an ordered or ranked list.