At the opening of the Gentle Monster Shangri-La Manila flagship, celebrities celebrate innovation and immersion as they come together for a modern retail experience
The shopping habits of young Millennials and Gen Z stalls in digital convenience. They navigate the online retail landscape with ease, effortlessly adding products to their carts, and often having their payment details memorized for swift transactions. E-commerce has become a giant. Yet, there’s a common sentiment that this shopping experience can feel robotic, artificial, too digital—it lacks that essential human touch. It’s the very essence of a tangible encounter that we often crave. Something that transcends the screen, something immersive. Something like the Gentle Monster Shangri-La Manila flagship.
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Hailing from South Korea, the eyewear brand Gentle Monster is not content with mere digital transactions. Instead, they elevate the art of shopping to new heights—quite literally there was a monster in the middle—and their flagship store in BGC’s Shangri-La Manila is a testament to this commitment. Here, shopping isn’t a mere transaction; it’s an artful, immersive experience. It’s a journey where you can touch, feel, and interact with the products, where art and eyewear collide in a collaboration of innovation.
Gentle Monster offers a location that links the digital and physical worlds, adding a distinct dimension to your shopping experience. Gentle Monster Shangri-La Manila is a showcase of genuine immersion, enabling you to discover the world of eyewear in a way that actually meets your yearning for authentic experiences. This flagship store is not merely a place to acquire eyeglasses, but a stretch where innovation and aesthetics intertwine. Inside, a carefully curated collection of art pieces interacts with the store’s exterior, transforming it into a space where vision meets visionary.
On the grand opening of October 17, an ensemble of celebrities gathered within the curved confines of the Gentle Monster Shangri-La Manila Flagship. Among the notable personalities were the likes of Liza Soberano, Coleen Co, Arci Muñoz, James Reid and Issa Pressman, Yassi Pressman, Anne Curtis, BJ Pascual, Sofia Andres, Megan Young and Mikael Daez, Dr. Aivee and Dr. Z Teo, Solenn Heussaff, Ruffa Gutierrez, Mond Gutierrez, Sarah Lahbati, Chie Filomeno, Kylie Verzosa, LA Aguinaldo, Ashley and Alodia Gosiengfiao, and designer Patty Ang, who brought Gentle Monster to Manila.
As they roamed the architectural details of the store, they shopped for eyewear and became part of the artwork themselves. They donned asymmetrical shades for their symmetrical faces, effortlessly resembling visionaries of a future yet to be realized. In this immersive retail space, the future of fashion met the present, reminding all that this, indeed, is the future of shopping—a blend of art, fashion, and a touch of celebrity glamour all in an immersive experience.
This innovative brand has garnered global acclaim by reshaping the boundaries of stylish eye protection. Gentle Monster’s creations go beyond traditional glasses as they epitomize creativity and craftsmanship, ensuring that each pair of spectacles is an eloquent expression of elegance and ingenuity. If you’re in pursuit of eyeglasses that seamlessly marry style and substance, Gentle Monster stands as your top destination.
But there’s more to this retail establishment as Gentle Monster has announced an exclusive restock of the Maison Margiela collection. The collaboration is an embodiment of the brand’s commitment to unbridled creativity and self-expression. This collection seamlessly incorporates Maison Margiela’s iconic stitch logo into Gentle Monster’s original eyewear designs, creating a fusion of art and eyewear that is unparalleled.
The Gentle Monster Shangri-La Manila Flagship stands as evidence of the potential of immersive retail, underscoring the fact that genuine experiences are not merely a preference but an essential requirement for contemporary consumers. With this approach, Gentle Monster possesses the capacity to exert a transformative influence on the landscape of modern fashion in the Philippines, setting new standards and igniting the creative fire in other brands to embrace innovation that overextends the confines of the digital space.
Looking ahead, we can anticipate a burgeoning wave of Filipino brands following in the footsteps of Gentle Monster, crafting immersive encounters that enrich the realm of fashion, and fostering a culture of increased innovation, imagination, and engagement for discerning consumers. If e-commerce is the giant, then Gentle Monster is the monster that can influence the new market. Just ask the gentle monster in the middle.
Photograpy KIM ANGELA SANTOS
