Following a number of retail spaces at home base Hong Kong and Seoul, online streetwear guide Hypebeast plants a flag in New York City. The company has secured a seven-storey structure built in 1900 in the heart of the city’s Chinatown district. The floor space measures a whopping 25,000 sq.ft. (2,323 sqm.) and will accommodate not only its HBX store concept on the two lower floors, but also a Hypebeans café, event spaces and offices. Designed by local architecture practice Food, the store sees a lofty and uncluttered ground floor with exposed red brick walls, large tiles of polished concrete and sleek floor-to-ceiling shelving and clothing racks crafted from shiny steel. Mind you, the custom columns, fixtures, floor, and ceiling grids were designed with significant retention of existing building materials for maximum flexibility and minimum waste.

As the HBX aims to be a hub for local streetwear aficionados, the configuration can be easily adjusted to accommodate parties, presentations and other gatherings. The ground floor is also home to Hypebeans, the company’s very own coffee brand and coffee parlour chain. One floor up, the chosen aesthetic is similarly understated, featuring a backdrop of exposed concrete bricks, marble tiles, a metal grid ceiling, and matching custom-made furnishings and fixtures. Needless to say, the HBX store carries a curated and mixed range of brands that specifically targets the sensibilities of a young and savvy crowd. Ranging from streetwear to fashion’s upper echelon, the current brand list includes Nike, Acronym, Raf Simons, Brain Dead, Stone Island, Needles, Mugler, ERL, Thom Browne, Reese Cooper and Dries Van Noten.