Underscoring Thailand‘s status as a burgeoning luxury market, Alaïa has opened its first boutique there, located in the Central Embassy shopping mall in Bangkok.
Behind its perforated facade, the bright, minimalist space echoes the curved shapes and gleaming surfaces found in other Alaïa boutiques.
Alaïa conscripted Swedish architecture studio Halleroed, which employed materials including Carrara marble, stainless steel and mirror.
In a statement shared Wednesday, the Paris-based house reaffirmed “its commitment to creating spaces where architecture and clothing share the same essence.”
Benches by Philippe Malouin add a plush touch to the Alaïa boutique in Bangkok.
Jonathan Leijonhu/Courtesy of Alaïa
The directly operated boutique, which spans about 1,700 square feet, is appointed with custom-designed sofas and benches by Philippe Malouin and armchairs by architect and designer Sergio Rodrigues. Nude leather lines the fitting rooms, adding a soft foil to the colder materials on the sales floor.
“This selection belongs to a considered curation of collectible design, echoing Azzedine Alaïa‘s enduring vision of integrating exceptional pieces into his environments,” the house noted.
Over the last five years the fashion house, controlled by Compagnie Financière Richemont, has expanded its retail network nearly four times to some 20 freestanding locations.
Last year, for example, the company opened a flagship in Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun.
In an interview with WWD last year, chief executive officer Myriam Serrano flagged additional runway for retail expansion in Asia, mentioning South Korea and Japan, but at the “step-by-step” pace she has set for the company.
Inside the Alaïa boutique at Central Embassy, Bangkok.
Jonathan Leijonhu/Courtesy of Alaïa
The brand is also planting a flagship in the Miami Design District this year, and another on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles in the latter half of next year.
It’s also a time of transition for the brand following the exit last month of its creative director Pieter Mulier, who starts at Versace on July 1. It is understood the house has no immediate plans to name a successor.
Central Department Store Group operates Central Embassy, which has been in operation since 2014.