A new Wenzhou concept store for menswear label Atelier by Fapai makes use of China’s discarded wood

New luxury menswear label store in Wenzhou
Atelier by Fapai, the new luxury menswear label from Chinese clothing retailer Fapai, has opened an exclusive appointment-only concept store in Wenzhou
(Image credit: Fapai)

Chinese mega retailer Fapai is dipping its toe into luxury with the launch of a new menswear label, Atelier by Fapai, and the opening of an exclusive appointment-only concept store in Wenzhou. If successful, the new showroom will serve as a blueprint for 300 new stores across China to be rolled out over the next two years.

'The design is inspired by an artist's atelier, a bit rough, imperfect and built with affordable improvised solutions,'  says Karin An Rijlaarsdam, creative director of Cloud-9 Interior Design, who were tasked with designing the space. 'We taught the construction team how to paint in an imperfect way, "damaged" parts of the brick wall and "repaired" it with plaster and paint.'

Purposefully left raw, the white-washed brick walls, exposed metal beam structure, worn concrete floor and metal ceiling access hatch, evoke the atmosphere of a well-used workshop. Two large central worktables that double as display cases for accessories provide a place for customers to sit and discuss their style or custom made order together with a stylist or the tailor.

To combat the lack of natural light in the space (the store is located within a shopping mall) the designers installed a series of backlit white-painted glass panels around the perimeter of the space to mimic clerestory windows, while carefully positioned mirrors at ground level reflect and amplify the light within the space. Modular furniture and fixtures with hand painted surfaces and hand tied leather straps are all custom made using reclaimed materials; display ladders made from scrap wood sit alongside display systems made from metal and bamboo rods.

'There is so much old wood available in China,' says Rijlaarsdam. 'In Chinese history wood has been the main building material: buildings, furniture and ships built entirely out of wood were standard until recently.' Now largely replaced by synthetic materials, Cloud-9 sourced the wood for the project from derelict buildings and local markets.  'The cabinets and entrance door are built from a mix of ship wood and railway sleepers,' recalls Rijlaarsdam. 'The floor is made out of floor planks of bygone Shanghai houses, the work tables are constructed out of large historical entrance doors originating from central China and giant beams out of Chinese buildings in Northern China.'

Interior with raw with white-washed brick walls, metal beam structure, worn concrete floor and metal ceiling access hatch

Shaghai studio Cloud-9 were tasked with designing the workshop-inspired interior, which is kept purposefully raw with white-washed brick walls, an exposed metal beam structure, worn concrete floor and metal ceiling access hatch

(Image credit: Fapai)

Interior with Two large central worktables that double as display cases for accessories

Two large central worktables that double as display cases for accessories provide a place for customers to sit and discuss their style or custom made order together with a stylist or the tailor

(Image credit: Fapai)

Interior with white-painted glass panels , clerestory windows,

To combat the lack of natural light in the space the designers installed a series of backlit white-painted glass panels around the perimeter of the space to mimic clerestory windows

(Image credit: Fapai)

Interior with Modular furniture and fixtures

Modular furniture and fixtures with hand painted surfaces and hand tied leather straps are all custom made using reclaimed materials

(Image credit: Fapai)

Interior with jackets, shoes, mirror

Cloud-9 sourced the wood for the project from derelict buildings and local markets

(Image credit: Fapai)

The cabinets and entrance door mix of ship wood and railway sleepers

'The cabinets and entrance door are built from a mix of ship wood and railway sleepers,' recalls Karin An Rijlaarsdam of Cloud-9

(Image credit: Fapai)

Bamboo and metal rods to create a simple, modular display system

Inspired by the bamboo rods that are used to dry laundry on the streets in China, Cloud-9 used bamboo and metal rods to create a simple, modular display system

(Image credit: Fapai)

Interior of new luxury menswear appointment-only concept store

If successful, the concept will be rolled to another 300 stores across China

(Image credit: Fapai)

ADDRESS

Atelier by Fapai
768 Mingzhu Rd
Wenzhou, China

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