É, o verão está chegando, muito sol, muito calor, muita sede.. época de tomar muita água e chupar muito sorvete!

Nesta terça-feira foi a inauguração do Espaço Magnum Hall na rua Amauri, um espaço que além de servir os novos sabores Magnum Devotion Avelãs & Castanhas e Magnum Devotion Cookies, conta com deliciosas sobremesas criadas por chefs dos renomados restaurantes da Rua Amauri, como Forneria San Paolo, Dressing e Ecco.

O local é um luxo! Possui decorações inspiradas em musicais da Broadway com ambientação, figurinos e trilha sonora.

E Toda sexta-feira terá uma programação especial! Os bailarinos Paulo Goulart Filho e Dinah Perry reproduzirão alguns dos clássicos espetáculos da Broadway como I’m Happy Again, de Cantando na Chuva; Blue Eyes Songs, de Frank Sinatra; Liberdade, Beleza…, de Moulin Rouge; It´s Up to You, de New York, New York, e All That Jazz, de Chicago, com duração de 15 minutos.

Além de tudo isso os clientes da Magnum Hall poderão acumular pontos no cartão fidelidade Magnum Hall e ganhar brindes desenvolvidos por designers e estilistas, como um caderno de bolsa de Jeniffer Bresser, um cinto da Isabella Giobbi, uma canga da 284, um pingente da Juliana Jabour, echarpe da Lilly Sarti, pólo da Carina Duek, entre outros.

Cada sobremesa consumida vale 15 (quinze) pontos e cada sorvete MagnuM vale 5 (cinco) pontos. A partir de 80 (oitenta) pontos já é possível trocá-los. E as sobremesas são de dar água na boca.

Puro Luxo né?!

Vamos conferir, lógico!

Local: Rua Amauri 352, Itaim-Bibi, Segunda a Domingo, das 12h às 23h. Os Espetáculos acontecem todas as sextas-feiras, nos dias 27/11, 04/12, 11/12, 18/12, 20/12, sempre a partir das 21h.

Qui a dit qu’on ne pouvait pas être ghetto et raffiné? Pour les fans de la marque au revolver qui aiment que leur petit chez soi sente toujours l’odeur délicate d’un concept store, Crooks & Castles propose une série de bâtons d’encens aux couleurs et senteurs (trois différentes) de la marque, et en profite au passage pour la jouer sobre avec la boîte, en nous évitant le fameux visuel de la méduse avec un bandana de gangster. Peut être pour un prochain pschiiit pour WC?

Disponible uniquement dans le shop Crooks & Castles de Los Angeles.

Very exciting news … ROMANCE WAS BORN are launching their very own concept store “Pearl’s Dream”!

Their inspiration comes via their latest collection – DOILIES AND PEARLS, OYSTERS AND SHELLS, and opens the doors to the public from Friday November 27 to Sunday 31 January 2010 @ THE INTERSECTION, 2A Glenmore Road, Paddington!!!

Via Pedestrian TV

Crée par Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture, ce concept store de l’opérateur O2 (groupe Telefonica) a ouvert ses portes le 16 décembre 2008  dans le centre historique de Dublin

Le lieu comporte 3 espaces :

Concierge : une entrée avec les services personnalisés d’un concierge pour les clients

Blue Room : un bar VIP

Indigo Lounge : un VVIP lounge plus select avec une vue panoramique sur la ville

L’immeuble datant de 1880 a été également transformé en salle de concerts avec une capacité de 14 300 spectateurs.

I-Dea GRUP, proiect sustinut de Filiala de Design a Uniunii Artiştilor Plastici din România, si-a propus sa dedice ziua de 24 noiembrie celebrarii modei, din pasiune pentru acest domeniu.

De ce 24 noiembrie? Business-urile franceze de moda sarbatoresc in fiecare an, in ziua de 25 nov., Sfanta Ecaterina din Alexandria. Simbolismul acestei zile, asa cum este ea sarbatorita de catre cusatorese si modiste (midinettes in fr.), isi are originea in folclorul francez. Tinerele aflate intre prima comuniune si varsta maritisului, isi celebrau protectoarea prin impodobirea statuii acesteia cu boneta modestiei. Nu se stie exact in ce moment Sfanta Ecaterina a fost investita ca patroana a modei, cel mai probabil in urma migrarii fortei de munca de la sat la oras. In biserica Ortodoxa, Sfanta Ecaterina se sarbatoreste atat in ziua de 24 cat si in cea de 25 noiembrie.

Cum ne-am propus sa celebram aceasta zi? Prin invitarea unor profesionisti din diferite areale ale modei (jurnalisti, designeri, analisti, fotografi etc.) care sa discute liber pe teme legate de moda; prin proiectii ale creatiilor tinerilor designeri, totul asezonat cu prajituri specifice acestei sarbatori, Cattern Cakes, si briose, the fashionable cookies.

Dress code – accesoriu de cap, bine-nteles.

Cand si unde? Marti, 24 noiembrie 2009, Galeria Ceramica 7, Hanul cu Tei, zona Lipscani incepand cu orele 18.30.

“Din pasiune pentru moda” este un proiect marca „I-DEA GRUP” – Biroul de Stil şi Creaţie”, în cadrul programului expoziţional „I-DEA GRUP” – CONCEPT STORE”, un demers implicat şi creativ a patru persoane: Alina Ene (concept), Iulia Tonegaru (concept), Dan-Andrei Paraschiv (fotograf), sub coordonarea Lectorului Universitar Drd Ioana Avram. Este o abordare neconventionala a contextului economic actual, cu intentia de a construi o platformă de manifestare profesională pentru cei care vor sa abordeze domeniul modei cu pasiune si consecventa.  Sub deviza “Fashion must go on!” va propunem să percepeti si sa intelegeti moda, sub toate aspectele si “arderile” ei,: design, productie, marketing, comunicare, prin colaborarea cu profesionisti ai acestui domeniu.

So there’s this fad in Paris called a ‘Concept’ store, which I think is pretty cool. It’s basically a store that sells a smorgasbord of goodies~ from clothing, to furniture, housewares, books, etc. from a mix of different brands that cater to specific sets of clientele. It’s like a one-stop shop for the modern, savvy, life-of-lux customer, a Wal-Mart of sorts for the rich and avantgarde.

merci, a charitable concept store

Anyhoo, I finally went to check out one such place called Merci, conveniently located in my arrondissement.  The proprietors of Merci are also the ones behind the high-end children’s clothing brand, Bonpoint, except with Merci, they’ve decided to go charity instead of monetary.  All the brands represented at Merci have ceded their profit margin, and a good percentage of the sales go towards various charities.

Shopping for a cause~ what a lovely idea!

if i could only make one purchase at merci, it would be this oh-so-comfortable couch. Love the color too!

don't know if i would wear floral landscape jeans, but props to the artist for a cool concept.

There was an ‘artists’ corner’ where the landscape on the canvas was also painted onto some jeans, and a really neat-looking chandelier.

chic chandelier

All in all, merci was a fun concept store, i’m definitely diggin’ the idea.  for a list of concept stores around the world,  check out this blog: http://slowretailen.wordpress.com/concept-stores/

’til next time!

Petite anecdote de la groupie que je suis :

Et oui on ne se refait pas. Nouvelle à Paris, on s’enthousiasme parfois sur des événements devenus anodins pour les parisiens. Mais que voulez-vous, quand je croise une légende de la mode je ne peux m’empêcher de m’extasier.

Hier soir, j’attendais sagement la fermeture de COLETTE et surtout la sortie de ses employés. J’ai la chance d’avoir un ami qui y travaille, du coup de temps en temps on se retrouve à sa sortie du boulot.

Dix-neuf heures, le magasin ferme ses portes au public. Je patiente, entre les t-shirt et les baskets, que mon ami finisse de ranger son rayon. Et là, illumination : qui entre dans ce magasin hype déjà clos depuis 15min…? M. Mode, M. Tendance, M. CHANEL… J’ai nommé :

M. Karl Lagerfeld en personne !

Icône de la mode, référence de la culture moderne, Dieu de la fashion attitude, oui Karl m’impressionne et je me sens toute petite quand il entre dans la même pièce que moi. Évidemment, si il se déplace dans ce concept store à la fermeture, c’est pour ne pas être dérangé. Très à l’aise avec tout le personnel, sans prétention et en toute discrétion, il choisit une dizaine de livres illustrés (qui doivent faire deux kilos chacun) avant de repartir en toute simplicité. Bien sûr les photos sont prohibées par la sécurité du magasin. M. Lagerfeld vient ici pour faire du shopping tranquille, exit les fans et autres accros de l’autographe. Du coup le seul cliché que j’ai est de très mauvaise qualité. Il est le résultat d’une prise très furtive que j’ai réussi à faire en faisant semblant de téléphoner…

Voilà comment une single citadine se contente de petits riens : j’ai vu Karl Lagerfeld et j’ai trouvé ça trop bien ! Avant d’être blasée comme beaucoup de parisiens, j’ai encore du chemin ;-)

Le troisème Flagship Store international d’UNIQLO, après ceux de New York et Londres, ouvrira ses portes jeudi 1er octobre dans le quartier de l’Opéra, réunissant au coeur de Paris les ultimes innovations d’UNIQLO en termes de produits, d’architecture et de service.

Modélisation 3D :RAGAR / TOZAWA DESIGN RENDERINGArchitecture
intérieure : Masamichi Katayama / Wonderwall Inc.

Nom du magasinflasghip UNIQLO Paris Opéra OuvertureLe jeudi 1er octobre 2009 Adresse17 rue Scribe – 75009 Paris Surfaceenviron 2.150m2

L’ouverture d’un shop-in-shop éphémère UNIQLO chez colette préfigure le très attendu flagship parisien.

Après un « Pop-Up Store » dans le Marais en juillet, Uniqlo ouvre un second magasin éphémère au deuxième étage du célèbre concept-store parisien colette. Y seront vendus les fameux T-Shirts UT dans leur capsule, les jeans «All Made in Japan », etc. Et pour marquer cette ouverture, une série limitée de 500 pulls en cachemire brodés y sera proposée en exclusivité… un avant-goût d’Uniqlo avant l’ouverture du Flagship Store.

UNIQLO shop-in shop chez colette : du 31 août au 26 septembre 2009
213, rue Saint-Honoré, Paris 1er, du lundi au samedi, de 11h à 19h

Source www.uniqlo.fr

Book your room at www.hotelparismontparnasse.com

Nell’era dei temporary shops e dei negozi che diventano concept store, anche i locali notturni devono stare al passo con i tempi.
Già presenti all’estero, i club di nuova generazione diventano location multitasking: contenitori di idee ed eventi, oltre che spazi di aggregazione e divertimento.
Seguendo questa filosofia, il K59 di Verona, apre ad ottobre come spazio polifunzionale, in cui sedersi a pranzo e a cena, sentire musica dal vivo e dj a rotazione (ognuno con la sua storia e la sua personalità), assistere a mostre ed esposizioni fotografiche, concorsi per giovani musicisti e lanci di nuovi prodotti.
Uno spazio malleabile, una location da inventare giorno per giorno, in cui anche le voci dei clienti sono importanti, come fonte continua di creatività e nuovi spunti.
K59 è un brand, un nome sotto il quale si fondono le diverse sfaccettature della vita sociale, un posto da vivere ognuno a modo suo.
Verona è pronta a recepire un simile progetto?
Noi siamo convinti di si, che sia l’ora di tentare qualcosa di più ambizioso perchè siamo sempre pronti a guardare nel prato del vicino, ma l’erba ogni tanto è verde anche da noi.

You know you’ve been there…dress up to go shopping. Maybe you’re heading to Kitson in LA, Plaza 66 in Shanghai, Barney’s New York, Liberty in London, and you’ve put on that little something to impress. But the ultimate snob shopping has to be Colette, but they have a good reason to be.

Although some people hate to admit it, but Colette is the ultimate trendsetting concept store in the world. This is where fashion industry people get the latest info on what’s hot.

Everything in the store has a concept to brag about. It would be impossible to find a Parisian who has never heard of Colette. With three floors of clothing, music, jewelery, accessories, cosmetics, books, and even high-tech gadgets from around the world. A cafe with water from around the world and music bar you can download CDs onto your ipod.

But I was a little confused walking into this supposed “coolest” store looking for signs to tell me a theme or a concept. The store has no visible identification besides cards with two blue dots at the cashier. It was only after reading about it and hearing people talk about Colette, did I really get the “real” concept. A concept of no standard concept. It is this anonymity that allows Colette to remain in a category of its own. By not giving the store an assigned face, it lets people decipher the store for themselves and allows them to make their own assumptions and discoveries about what Colette is really all about.

It reminds me of MTV, which no longer stand for  ”music television” but “pop-culture”, so why choose one standard logo and not let their fans the creative control over their branding. Its no longer “products” but a “lifestyle” that companies are selling. Red Bull is about “energy” not “energy drinks”. So why create just a “store” not “trends”.

Since its opening in 1997, Colette has revolutionized the Parisian streets with their new approach towards consumer culture. Located on Rue Saint Honoré, Colette is more than just a retail outlet, serving an international hub of pop culture, rare, specialized fashion, design and exhibitions. Colette has since become a brand in itself. Those two blue dots means something different to everyone and thats the most beautiful concept of all.

Colette Music

Colette Hello Kitty

Colette Timberland

new recycle store PASS THE BATON, Marunouchi, Tokyo; you can find here second hand items each with its own story – from people such Tadanobu Asano or Keiichi Tanaami,,, I have also contributed few items of mine – including my beloved Mirror Ball which I used for Bling Bling illustration – NUMERO Tokyo Dec`07!!!check it out!!!

Gosh I feel dumb. I just realized while writing this post what “SSFW” stands for, “Spring Summer Fall Winter”. Duh!
Regardless of the name its another cool store in one of the many alleys in Myeong-dong, Seoul.

I have to say the store is stocked with key fashion items of the season. As you can see a blinged-out pair of metallic leggings and a feathery ballerina skirt. I was tempted, but I resisted the costume pieces and brought myself a normal acid washed cotton blazar for 35,000 won.

Their window display was so very chic, simple yet stylish, with the season’s hottest outfit put together to perfection. The leather jacket with semi-shine leggings is hot. I also brought myself a pair for 12,000 won, way cheaper than American Apparel. But if you can see through the window at the old man selling socks in the middle of the street. I saw a similar legging for 4,000 won. That’s less than $5/30RMB.

Here you can take a peak at their visual merchandising, which is a little quirky due to the awkward naked babies standing on the wall shelf. Maybe the fashion buzzword for Fall ‘09 is “quirky”.

My first impression was “ah! its Timeless!”. Timeless is a concept boutique that we created in our business plan class; think Anthropologie meet green and sustainability with a coffee shop inside. But Aland seems to take a more practical turn and took out the eco part but used the idea into the store design and merchandising. Located in Meyung-dong, Seoul; a hip area packed with young trendy people squeezing their way through small streets full of small boutiques in between global chain stores like Zara and even Forever 21!

The overall store design is pretty random and wacky. A little bit of vintage, a little bit of punk, a little bit of the 80’s, a little bit of everything. But it works…there’s always something to please someone. Not to mention the 80 something designer brands that they carry, including A.P.C. (same as Timelesss), Fred Perry, circle, and a bunch of Korean brands.

Aland has 4 floors: 1F Women/Men collection with accessories and stationaries. 2F High-end Men’s wear with really expensive jeans from Japan and Living Space. 3F Flea Market with vintage items and a big wooden basket full of t-shirts thrown in there like local market.

This is the “Flea Market” floor. Its really random, but I did find a cool black frame glasses made of out wood. But I stop myself from turning into a real fob.

This is the B1F with a local designer concept area that sells some pretty neat designs. The clothes are very korean style; padded shoulder blazer, MC hammer pants, and a little bit of soft leopard print here and there. I probably spent about almost 2 hours in the store “cooling” to this and that. But the best part about this store is that its still affordable. This is definitely a concept store to look out for. They just opened their 2nd store in Apgujeong, a very chic and quite expensive area of Seoul.
There’s more pictures here. http://www.a-land.co.kr/store/mds/m1-1.htm

End Clothing is not playing around with their new concept store. The space takes on a hunting theme hence the name End Hunting Co. They have a killer selection of brands that you should be excited to hear about under one roof. Opening Ceremony, A.P.C., Wood Wood, COMMES des GARCONS, NOM de Guerre, Dover Street, and Billionaire Boys Club are amongst the lines carried.

Here’s the address:

End Hunting Co.
8 High Bridge
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 1EN
United Kingdom

This is an interesting  piece of interior design for a concept store called Supermarket in Yugoslavia from Serbian based design studio reMiks.  The concept store event has a mani/pedi spot among its fashion, florals and other gadgets being sold.

via plastolux

via hellodesignhungary

 I found the pictures on Plastolux, my go to site for international interior design and furniture ideas.  For more shots and a breakdown of the design, you can check out design blog, Hello Design Hungary here.