Comme Moi Beijing

Up-and-coming Chinese fashion label, Comme Moi, has been growing rapidly since its 2013 inception and first flagship store opening in Shanghai, also designed by Neri&Hu. The collaboration between former fashion model Lv Yan and architects Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu continues with the brand’s latest flagship store in Beijing. Located in Sanlitun, the new shop expands upon some of the signature design elements from the original concept in Shanghai, with several new features unique to the Beijing store.

The entry “façade” is formed by a concrete curtain element that echoes the wearable, yet fashion-forward garments themselves—fluid and feminine, while at the same time, structured and volumetric. The glass portion of the frontage also undulates gently and gives way to a bronze mesh cage. These capsule-shaped enclosures are inspired by French-American artist Louise Bourgeois’ cage-like art pieces. Dotted throughout the retail floor, they function as displays and fitting rooms, while also helping to fragment the 200 or so square meter space into various zones. Inside each capsule, an opaque fabric curtain cocoons the occupier, while custom hanging mirrors and hooks provide flexible functionality.

Elsewhere the familiar bronze rail from the original flagship snakes its way around the room, and from it, the various types of display elements hang. The backdrop to these delicate fixtures is a smooth concrete finish that blankets both walls and floors, with the occasional natural stone inlay to demarcate sitting areas. Another new element added to this design are the loose furniture pieces, a series of colorful stools that each play on a contrasting duo of materials—cork with solid wood, concrete with fabric, and raw plywood with glossy lacquer. For Comme Moi in Beijing, Neri&Hu manages to maintain continuity with the brand’s signature retail environment, while giving it a subtle spin that ensures its freshness and uniqueness in the ever-evolving world of high fashion.