Following the eagerly anticipated Pop-up store at Covent Garden that opened right before the 2012 Olympics, Opening Ceremony finally opened its London flagship right next door earlier this week. At 7,500 sq.ft. [697 sqm.] this is a much bigger space, but leave it to skillful owners Humberto Leon and Carol Lim to pack the new outpost to the guilds with an eclectic bunch of carefully sourced hipster stuff that’s too good to pass by.
The interior is clean and simple, and is further layered with sense of graphics. Well-selected displays, shelves and lighting fixtures add up to the contemporary vibe and give the retail space a playful twist. So, what’s in store? Quite a lot. Next to Opening Ceremony’s own men’s, women’s and kids lines of apparel, shoes and accessories, the flagship packs a slew of other brands, and many are exclusives to the store. And doing justice to their reputation of discovering cool unknown labels before the rest of the planet does, Leon and Lim have sourced a few trophies from Korea.
But there’s more! A book shop-in-shop by Claire de Rouen, featuring a handpicked a selection of rare first editions and inspiring tomes, and designer industrial designer and artist Faye Toogood crafted the minimalist tinker installation to adorn the patio gallery space. And to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the store currently hosts a special sale exhibition of archival prints from artwork produced for an anniversary publication.
http://superfuture.com/supernews/london-opening-ceremony-flagship-store-opening