Leading South Korean fashion brand SYSTEM is a household name among fashion-forward crowds in the homeland. Owned by fashion conglomerate Handsome, the brand operates no less than 90 stores in the homeland, but as of late, it has ventured overseas for the first time, opening a flagship store in Paris. The SYSTEM retail space occupies the former Marais area premises of Tom Greyhound, a multi-brand retail concept which was also managed by the fashion conglomerate. Measuring 430 sqm. (4,628 sq.ft.) set across two floors, the store is designed by Berlin-based architecture practice Gonzalez Haase AAS, and aims to reflect Korean culture, and specifically, the urban dynamics of the SYSTEM‘s home base and global style hub Seoul. This has resulted in understated, highly functional settings with slightly tilted display walls to better capture light, while lighting comprises an intricate dual-beam system radiating from two vanishing points.

Additionally, three different artists have added an intriguing visual layer to the retail space. Seoul-based art furniture artist Hyung-shin Hwang created a large display comprising geometric units with varied heights and volumes, based on vertical and horizontal lines, representing the diversity of the South Korean capital in a unique sculptural language. An artwork with traditional Dancheong patterns and architectural elements by artist Ara Kim adorns the walls, and also French contemporary and graffiti artist Tanc has pitched in with graffiti-inspired scribbles on walls and other surfaces. The new SYSTEM flagship store stocks both the SYSTEM and SYSTEM Homme collections. Raising its profile even further in the City of Light, SYSTEM has additionally opened an ephemeral retail space across town at Galeries Lafayette department store. © superfuture