Luxury Store with Artistic Touch Succeeds... Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch Sees 37.1% Growth in Luxury Sales

Customer lounge at the luxury brand store on the 3rd floor of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch. (Photo by Shinsegae Department Store)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch's experiment of decorating luxury stores as art pieces has succeeded.

Shinsegae Department Store announced on the 4th that a total of 28 art pieces and art objects were sold at the luxury store in the Gangnam branch. Earlier in August, Shinsegae Gangnam Branch undertook an attempt to permanently exhibit and sell artworks throughout the luxury store through a renewal.

Initially, there were about 120 pieces, but as customer interest exploded, the number of artworks was more than doubled within a month to about 250 pieces, installed on store walls, corridors, and customer lounges.

A total of 28 art pieces and art objects were sold, proving the enthusiasm. In particular, there were many inquiries about paintings and antiques. Relatively small-sized accessories and objects sold steadily.

Representative artists include Kim Mi-young, Kim Young-se, Kim Hye-na, Kim Hwan-ki, Park Kyung-ah, Vernon Fisher, Seo Jeong-bin, Yang Hong-gyu, Yoon Hyang-ro, Jeon Hyun-sun, Cha Gyu-seon, Heo Myung-wook, and Heo Woo-jung in paintings.

Photographers include Kim Dae-soo, Min Byung-heon, Elliott Erwitt, and KDK, and sculptors include Mark Swanson. Art prints have also expanded, making limited edition prints by Kim Hwan-ki, Lee Ufan, and Kim Jong-hak available for purchase.

The art wall composed of 17 walls in the store is decorated with diverse works ranging from photography to paintings and sculptures, providing the joy of shopping.

In the center of the 3rd floor, there is also a lounge for customers. This space, decorated with a comfortable and modern feel, is a place where elegant interior design and contemporary art are exquisitely combined. The mid-20th century Paris photos captured by Elliott Erwitt particularly catch the eye.

Rare objects are exhibited in the store corridors. The ‘Wunderkammer’ space, meaning ‘cabinet of wonders’ in German, delights customers' eyes with art products that meticulously reproduce mineral raw stones and collections from the Louvre and Orsay Museums in France.

There was also a synergy effect with luxury goods. During the one month after the Gangnam branch renewal (8.21~9.20), luxury sales increased by 37.1% compared to the same period last year.

On the 8th, the first-ever dedicated clothing store of Bottega Veneta in Korea is set to open. On the 3rd floor of the Gangnam branch, customers can find over 140 famous overseas designer brands, and new global luxury brands such as Loewe and Alexander McQueen exclusive stores have also been newly opened.

Lim Hoon, head of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch, said, “Since the 3rd floor of the Gangnam branch was reborn as a new space along with works by famous domestic and international artists, customer interest has been focused.” He added, “We will continue to strive to provide customers with a safe and differentiated shopping experience.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.