Befitting a setting more sophisticated than its home in Yingkou, China, Dikeni’s flagship store marks a growing trend for luxury menswear brands in China and its pioneering design, courtesy of Stefano Tordiglione Design, is set to blaze a trail ahead of further developments. A striking 31-metre long and 8-meter high façade prepares customers for the massive 1,000 square-metre space inside the Dikeni store. Spanning two floors, the project was a challenging undertaking, but its realisation is the embodiment of tastefulness and refinement.

The storefront mixes shiny and matte metal strips in a dynamic manner to make the facade stand out, while the verticality of these lines makes it appear taller and more imposing. Large windows are interspersed with impressive marble columns and black drops that hint at the luxury and exclusivity of the store and its products within.

Moving indoors, a suspended black glass screen block greets customers on which videos are presented, designed and chosen according to the seasons. In spring lush green fields might welcome shoppers, while in summer the waves and spray of the ocean occupy the screen; leaves fall across the screen in autumn and crisp white snowflakes descend in winter, bringing more life and a natural energy to the spacious store.

Polished marble is a key feature of the first floor. Shiny black marble is used to create pathways through the shop’s various sections, while off to either side grey and beige marble gleams, leading customers off to Dikeni’s various products. Partitions break up the expansive space, made of glass or metal mesh to do so with a sensual subtlety.

Two impressive staircases lead up to the second floor, their creation an architectural feat as well as stylish solution, given the many beams and columns essential to the store’s structure. On the second floor, further products are displayed in a lighter setting. Large marble columns continue from downstairs but here the floor is of wood, lending a warmer ambience to this floor. There is a bar and seating area designed to be cozy and inviting thanks to lush sofas and warm wood. The feature is a bold addition to the store in a Chinese market, something more commonly seen in the boutiques in Europe yet expertly carried off here by Stefano Tordiglione Design.

The fitting rooms are smartly decked out, with heavy, velvet carpets and a luxurious floral wallpaper sourced from Japan lining the walls. Italian in style, it is of the highest quality and reflects Dikeni and the designer’s joint efforts to pay every attention to detail. The store is populated by furniture made from sleek metals, dark tinted glass and deep woods, masculine in feel and exclusively designed by Stefano Tordiglione Design. With a 1950s feel to the fixtures and fittings, and a particular concentration on luxury throughout the store, the design and interior architecture at Dikeni point to new levels of sophistication.

Photography by Alessandro Rizzi