Louis Vuitton Seoul Dosan Park Concept Store & Maison Seoul Flagship in Apgujeong
Today was a Louis Vuitton day for me in Seoul! Louis Vuitton's Dosan Park concept store just launched a new design, and the Maison Seoul flagship in Apgujeong just announced a new exhibition at Espace Louis Vuitton, showcasing selected works of Sheila Hicks from the Fondation Louis Vuitton. Here are some impressions from my visits:
DOSAN PARK CONCEPT STORE
The stores in that area tend to be very intimate, with lower ceilings than in other locations. While I associate Louis Vuitton with grand scale entertainment, I found that it adapted to this space very well, making it feel cozy with soft beige carpets everywhere.
You can really feel the brand DNA at the store. Everything is about travel, with actual LV trunks and trunk-shaped visuals as decoration, and prompts to showcase other merchandise.
The attention to detail is insane. The upper torsos of mannequins are made using fabric with the LV logo and look beyond luxurious.
LV is not shy when it comes to using the latest tech in-store, including wonderful large screens that acted as a backdrop for the interior. There were lots of them, but it wasn't overwhelming at all.
There are personalization services available, including a painting station with an artist at work to paint on trunks, and an engraving station available even for books purchased at the coffee shop on the 3rd floor.
Back to travel, the third floor hosted a little coffee shop, showcasing Louis Vuitton city guides and art books, decorated with purple wallpaper to match the Seoul City Guide, featuring a detail from one of the images in the book.
Another thing about the books: there were as many as FOUR books featuring Seoul, and the Client Advisor said that visitors frequently purchased them as a souvenir from their stay in the city. One of them was printed on Korean Hanji paper, and my artbook-lover's soul did a happy little flip inside when I saw how much effort went into creating this publication.
The desserts and drinks were branded and just wonderful.
ESPACE LOUIS VUITTON & MAISON SEOUL
The gallery space on the 4th floor is quite small but still spacious enough thanks to tall ceilings and can host large-scale artwork. It was perfect for Sheila Hicks's installations.
The space dedicated to Fondation Louis Vuitton and the history behind Maison Seoul – designed by the one and only Frank Gehry – allows visitors to experience the unique architecture from the inside.
- The flagship store itself is filled with artwork – applied and fine art, including furniture, paintings, and sculptures. The latter is quite unique even for a luxury brand, which enhances the feeling of authenticity behind Louis Vuitton's artification strategy.
- Last but not least, both locations had the kindest and most well-informed Client Advisors. Even though I was straightforward about my lack of intent to purchase, they walked me through every floor, explaining the collections and brand DNA in great detail. Now that's luxury.
Have you visited any of the Louis Vuitton stores or exhibitions? I was impressed by how these locations offer an immersive and educational experience, even without a purchase.
