Gentle monster are an exciting recently established
Korean sunglasses brand. The reputation
of the brand is growing rapidly and strengthening as the collections get more
wild and artistic. By collaborating
regularly with alternative experimentations and design ideas, the collections
have proven to be successful. The feel of exclusivity and extravagance runs
throughout the whole brand. With only a small batch of products to every style,
the sunglasses are regularly out of stock, making the customer only hope and
dream for a chance to experience their sunglasses. The designs are still very flat
and basic, even though the materials give an absolute WOW factor. GM is
classically oriental and has tailored their products to their Asian market very
well especially with the focus on ‘Kawaii’ youth fashion.
The brand gives an artistic impression, with videos
of art pieces and 3D store installations throughout their visual merchandising
and social media. This is reflected in the range of colours and acetates
available for the sunglasses. The e-store shows the products to have a amazing
sculptures as the frames have a solid, marble-like quality. They are incredibly
desirable and even those who prefer not to wear sunglasses at all still drool
over the beauty of GM products.
(images above taken from facebook.com & twitter.com)
Harvey Nichols have agreed to hold Gentle Monster
products for a limited time in their Knightsbridge store. This is the first
time Gentle Monster products have been sold from a retail store in the UK, and
is a great way to get their foot in the western door. The large amount of press
and social media attention for this introduction to the HN store gave the
impression of something spectacular, similar to the current GM exhibition stores.
Arriving in London, I was very excited to see the
sunglasses i have been waiting for so long to see. Struggling to find the GM
products in the vast HN store, I finally found them alongside hundreds of other
sunglasses as though they were a permanent fixture and barely a feature. The
online store gives such an impact on the products’ sculptural beauty, I was
disappointed to discover the flat lenses and shapes did not suit mine or many
others’ faces. The products felt incredibly fine and easily breakable, I was
expecting a luxury brand to produce eyewear to satisfy and exceed my delight.
Instead I was incredibly disappointed, especially while their presence in the Asian
market is so bold. Surely there is a reason why the luxury brand has such a
stronghold in that market and is able to satisfy the customer in a luxurious manner.
Perhaps the branding and retail experience is so much more than the mediocre
product?
(own images)
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