Lacoste has opened a new flagship in Seoul's Seongsu district, a four-level space that also houses the first Café Lacoste in South Korea. The French brand unveiled the store on Friday.
Thierry Guibert, who returned as chief executive officer of the tennis-centric brand in October, framed the opening as part of a wider retail push. He said the company's continued development of flagships around the world reflects its ambition to strengthen its international presence and desirability while offering increasingly distinctive brand experiences. He added that Seoul continues that momentum in a city known for its creative energy and cultural influence. Lacoste counts more than 230 points of sale in South Korea, and over the summer it took over the pool and outdoor lounge of the Mondrian hotel in Seoul's Itaewon district.
The flagship covers more than 8,000 square feet and draws on the neighbourhood's industrial heritage and historic brick buildings. Seongsu emerged as a footwear hub in the 1960s, with major manufacturers and a dense network of cobblers and materials suppliers, and was sometimes dubbed the "Brooklyn of Seoul." In the early 2000s it underwent a revitalization led by a major park project in the district, and more recently it has become a hot spot for pop-up and luxury brands.
Inside, terracotta tones reference both the neighbourhood's brick walls and clay tennis courts, with white used as a further reminder of the sport. A monumental installation of tennis racquets captured in motion by Mauricio Alejo, a multidisciplinary artist based in New York and Mexico, takes pride of place in the store, and Korean artists have also been commissioned for pieces displayed throughout the space. A Polo Wall puts the signature polo shirt front and centre, and the retail areas carry the women's, men's and sports collections, with a dedicated personalization space for selected pieces.
The store's café is intended to further the brand's aim of offering a destination for the local creative community. Alongside a selection of beverages, it serves desserts including the Polo Cake, described as a playful culinary interpretation of the signature polo shirt, and offers exclusive merchandise. The first Lacoste Café opened in February in Paris, a 65-seat space on Avenue Franklin-Roosevelt near the Champs-Élysées.
The Seoul opening follows other recent brand moves. In April, Lacoste introduced a new visual identity featuring an evolution of its logo and nods to its archives, including René Lacoste's handwriting and graphics in line with the work of Robert George, the illustrator behind the first crocodile sketch. A global campaign built on the "Life Is a Beautiful Sport" tag line, first introduced in a 2014 campaign, was also rolled out. In May, the brand opened a new Hong Kong flagship in the 1920s listed Grade I historic Pedder Building in the city's Central neighbourhood, following a similar approach of balancing architectural cues from its host city with Lacoste's tennis heritage.
Sources: WWD.