Ms Min has opened a new Shanghai retail space at No. 190 Yueyang Road, in a building that once served as a British residence and later as a wartime hospital. The Xiamen-based fashion brand says the location’s residential setting and cultural surroundings suit its approach to growth.
The store is the label’s third brick-and-mortar project since 2016. It first opened in Jing’an district, later moved to Qiantan Taikoo Li, and has now settled in downtown Xuhui district. Founder Liu Min said the compound’s garden and nearby landmarks—including French plane trees, an art academy, an opera academy and a senior citizens’ center—help create a sense of everyday life around the store.
Designed by Shanghai-based Onoaa Studio, the two-story space has a white facade and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the street and the shadows of trees. Inside, the first floor displays the brand’s ready-to-wear and accessories in an open layout with marble flooring, white walls and a narrow staircase leading to the upper level.
The second floor offers a quieter setting, including a VIP room with a calligraphic work by Liu bearing the Chinese characters for “infinity.” Liu described the piece as a reference to life’s undefined possibilities. The store also displays objects she has collected over the years, including ceramics by Spanish designer Xavier Mañosa, a 1970s glass-and-concrete table by Italian designer Claudio Trevi, a vintage Murano glass chandelier and a prayer stool by Dutch designer Jan de Jong.
A tree philodendron that has accompanied the brand through several stages of its retail expansion has also been moved to Yueyang Road. First displayed at the Qiantan Taikoo Li store in 2022, it nearly withered during a period when it was left unattended amid the COVID-19 lockdown. It recovered after being relocated to Xiamen and cared for by Liu’s family and a gardener.
Founded in Xiamen in 2010, Ms Min was among the first Chinese designers to become a semifinalist for the LVMH Prize. Liu, previously the brand’s creative head, has recently taken on the role of CEO. She said the company intends to focus on its products and service while allowing the business to develop organically.
Sources: WWD.