LONDON — Chitose Abe last week traveled to Shanghai for the opening of the Sacai store in Shanghai’s luxury shopping mall Plaza 66.
Situated on the third floor of the mall on Nanjing Xi Road, taking over a spot formerly occupied by Jimmy Choo, the store was designed in collaboration with the brand’s longtime partner, Japanese artist Gelchop.
Inspired by the balance between old and new, the space utilizes materials such as mortar and wood, juxtaposing deconstructed vintage furniture, light boxes and cutout Persian rugs to construct a new interior that resembles Abe’s unconstructed take on fashion.
The opening of the store was accompanied by the release of two capsule collections: a new Shanghai exclusive range, and the Sacai x AMG capsule, which was launched last year in Las Vegas and on nordstrom.com to celebrate the hybridity of their respective contrasting brand DNAs.
“It’s been five years since I last visited Shanghai and I’m so happy to be back here to celebrate the opening at Plaza 66,” Abe said. “Being here I feel the big support from so many people already, but I would like for more people to know about Sacai.”
Sacai and AMG hosted a welcoming dinner for Abe and friends of the house including Carina Lau, Du Juan, He Chong and Oscar Wang.
The Plaza 66 store is the brand’s second location in Shanghai. Its other store is situated at Qiantan Taikoo Li.
The arrival of Sacai signals Plaza 66’s effort to maintain a balanced mix between mega flagships and niche cool brands. Some 15 new brands will join the mall in 2024, with more space available in 2026 when the latest mall expansion is completed.
