American designer brand Gabriela Hearst announced on March 14 the opening of its second retail residence in South Korea, as part of a partnership with Handsome Corp, a fashion unit of local major retailer Hyundai Department Store Group.
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Located at Hyundai Department Store’s Pangyo branch, the store houses pieces from Gabriela Hearst’s women’s collections, including ready-to-wear, fine merino wool and cashmere knitwear, footwear and handbags.
For the opening, Gabriela Hearst, the American-Uruguayan designer behind the New York-based brand, commissioned designers Benji Gavron and Antoine Dumas to create a 21-piece collection of furniture for the store.
Dubbed ‘Nomad’, each piece is crafted from local artisans and uses only local timbers that have fallen naturally or that are upcycled.
“I am very lucky that I work with some of the best creatives in the world, I can say it seldom happens when somebody understands you intrinsically and your aesthetic. It was instantaneous with Antoine & Benji,” said Hearst.
“Gabi gave us complete creative freedom within the parameters of making what Gabriela Hearst stands for, crafted locally, with local timbers that have fallen naturally, or are up-cycled from prior functions,” added Dumas and Gavron.
“This project’s aesthetic uses ornamental detailing such as leather inlays, and complex wood shaping to emphasize the beauty of the timber and the outstanding skills of the local Korean artisans.”
The Pangko store location comes on the back of Gabriela Hearst’s first Asia store opening in December last year, bowing at the main branch of Hyundai Department Store Co. in Apgujeong, Seoul, one of the capital’s wealthiest areas.
Both stores are retail exclusively in Asia the Gabriela Hearst handbag collection in the region, specifically the Nina, the Demi, the Diana, the Baez, and the Nostalgia, among others.