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](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/foDZ3wmvNvMvRmi4iqz28o-415-80.jpg)
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.'
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
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 designers installed a series of backlit white-painted glass panels around the perimeter of the space to mimic clerestory windows
Modular furniture and fixtures with hand painted surfaces and hand tied leather straps are all custom made using reclaimed 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 Karin An Rijlaarsdam of Cloud-9
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
If successful, the concept will be rolled to another 300 stores across China
ADDRESS
Atelier by Fapai
768 Mingzhu Rd
Wenzhou, China
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
-
Commune’s sustainable personal care products look ‘quite unlike anything else’
Commune’s Somerset-made products stand out in the sustainable skincare crowd. Madeleine Rothery speaks with the brand’s co-founders Kate Neal and Rémi Paringaux
By Madeleine Rothery Published
-
‘Hedonistic and avant-garde’: Rabanne’s Julian Dossena on the legacy of the chainmail 1969 bag
Paco Rabanne’s 1969 chainmail handbag encapsulates the late designer’s futuristic, space-age style. Current creative director Julien Dossena tells Wallpaper* about the bag’s particular pleasures
By Jack Moss Published
-
Postcard from Paris: Olympic fever takes over the streets
On the eve of the opening ceremony of Paris 2024, our correspondent shares her views from the streets of the capital about how the event is impacting the urban landscape.
By Minako Norimatsu Published
-
AlphaTauri’s Salzburg HQ is a science fiction fantasy
Browse in-store, buy online: the future-focused mentality of AlphaTauri
By Simon Mills Last updated
-
Manu Atelier's first boutique nods to Le Corbusier in Istanbul
The cult Istanbul-based label introduces bold, sculptural expressionism into this first bricks and mortar store
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Louis Vuitton's Ginza Namiki flagship evokes a rippling pillar of water
Japanese architect Jun Aoki creates a water-like facade for Louis Vuitton's Ginza Namiki Tokyo flagship
By Danielle Demetriou Last updated
-
Alternative retail websites for fashionable festive gifting
Look to luxury etailers Rêve En Vert, APOC Store and Doda the Store, Aspect and Zero-Living for feel-good gifting options that support emerging creatives and artists, and have a sustainability-focused mindset
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Aspesi’s upcycled shirt is a winter wardrobe staple
The Italian brand's Shirt-Jacket 13 silhouette is well padded with eco-credentials
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
David Chipperfield designs Furla's new flagship in Milan's historic Piazza Duomo
Gio Ponti, Vico Magistretti and Achille Castiglione inspire the brand's newest Milan boutique
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Morocco-based Marrakshi Life combines traditional techniques with a New York aesthetic
Clothing brand Marrakshi Life champions a unisex, hand-tailored line
By Grace Cook Last updated
-
Tiaan Nagel’s art collector-inspired store in Johannesburg
Tiaan Nagel has partnered with interior-architecture studio Tonic Design on a new flagship store in Johannesburg's Hyde Park Corner
By Sean O'Toole Last updated