On 18 October, the French haute couture house Maison Schiaparelli opened the doors to its pop-up space at the Plaza 66 mall in Shanghai, China. Called “Through the Keyhole”, the pop-up marks the Maison’s first retail presence in China as well as Asia, and will be available until 6 November.
Curated by the brand’s creative director Daniel Roseberry, the space, located on the ground floor of Plaza 66, is inspired by keyholes, the luxury brand’s iconic keyhole/padlock motif, which combines heritage, architecture and visual arts. The outer walls of the pop-up are shaped fluidly, as if molten gold, similar to the key visual on the campaign’s poster. In fact, all three of the fashion house’s key motifs, the keyhole, the surrealist anatomy and the measuring tape are represented in the design of the space.
The interior, on the other hand, is furnished in an elegant style in white, inspired by the Maison’s boutique at the Place Vendôme. In fact, Delphine Belinni, the CEO of the Maison states that the concept for the space is to transport its visitors to the brand’s salons at the historic Place Vendôme. The pop-up is a retail space that hosts the brand’s accessories, jewellery, ready-to-wear and couture lines. Apart from the immersive experience provided at the pop-up, the brand’s latest SS and AW 2024 collections will also be shown at the mall’s VIP room for visitors to try on.
Maison Schiaparelli was established by founder Elsa Schiaparelli in 1927. The Maison has been known for its surreal and bold designs, association with the Surrealist artist group, as well as its collaborations with Salvador Dalí. In a statement, Belinni shared that the China and Asia debut of Schiaparelli in Shanghai is part of their global expansion strategy for few locations but at key destinations, such as Plaza 66, to “protect the uniqueness and exclusivity” of the brand. It is exciting to see how the haute couture-centre house makes its presence in the Chinese market. Pop-ups, of course, can often offer the first taste of what’s to come.
