So, about Friday night. I waved goodbye to mummy duties for the evening and headed out to the store Launch of Gentle Monster London.
I was soooo excited for this launch and not just because I got to go out for the evening but because I have heard so much about the brand. There is a lot of hype around. It is the first Asian brand really breaking into the European market with a bang. For those who don’t know the brand, here is some quick info for you.
What is Gentle Monster?
The brand is from South Korea, founded in 2011. Since launch, it has been going from strength to strength with flagship stores opening around the world. Finally Gentle Monster landed in the UK’s capital, London.
Gentle Monster London Store Launch
First Impressions
My first impressions as I was walking into the store? WOW! my jaw dropped to the floor. I was totally blown away. Was it really an eyewear store I asked myself? I’ve never seen anything like it. The decor of the store was impressive and I don’t even know if I can call it a “store”, it was more like an installation of artwork.
The Theme for Gentle Monster London
Each flagship store has its own theme and for London, it was Kung Fu. The story behind the store (bear with me on this), is a robot alien landed on earth and took elements of Kung Fu back to their planet and made it into their own. There are giant robots doing different Kung Fu moves on the first floor. Downstairs there are two giant robots battling with little aliens as spectators. It sounds very bizarre trying to explain it, but you will have to visit the store to get the full picture and make sense of it yourself.
Gentle Monster London Store Launch
The stories behind each store is to give customers a unique shopping experience, to almost feel like they are taking you on a journey. The eyewear themselves fitted in perfectly within all the giant robots. Looking in from the outside it draws you in because of the quirky interior and then you see the eyewear. You want to go in to explore further and check it out.
Gentle Monster Eyewear
The eyewear also speaks for themselves. They are funky, cool and some I would even class as weird (but wonderful) and certainly, very high fashion. I would go as far as saying, there is something there for everyone, if you want just an understated pair of glasses or sunglasses, they are available, if you want something a bit funky, a bit cool, that is on offer too.
Gentle Monster London Store Launch
Finally, if you really want to push the boundaries and stand out then you will certainly find what you need in the store too.
Gentle Monster London Store Launch (no this image ISN’T streched!)
The price point starts from £150 up to around £280 so they are not overly expensive, it is affordable fashion. The quality of the frames is good and certainly way better then some of the named brands which may cost you the same, you are just paying for the name.
I am excited to see what the future hold for Gentle Monster in London. When I spoke to the UK director, I did ask him this:-
Why out of all the European cities, was London chosen as the destination for the first European store, because the UK in general does have a more reserved market when it comes to eyewear?
His answer was:-
London is one of the fashion capital’s. London as a city is one of the most diverse cities so we feel London is the perfect place to make our debut in Europe.
Gentle Monster London Store Launch
Gentle Monster London Store Launch
The MGAM verdict for Gentle Monster
You NEED to go and check out the store which is on Argyll Street, right by Oxford circus (it cannot be more central than that). Go and try on the eyewear so you get a feel for the quality and how awesome they look on you.
If you love Asian design or more to the point, Korean fashion then you NEED to check out Gentle Monster London. Korea has really taken the fashion world by storm and now, it may be time to shake up the eyewear industry too.
For more info, visit their website. It is a brand to watch!