We’re already nearing the end of June and entering the second half of the year – can you believe it? That also means it’s once again time for our retail concept round-up featuring some of the best new openings in the concept world from the past month – enjoy!

Alacantra, Shanghai Village

Alcantara has opened the doors to its second concept store – ‘a place where art and fashion meet’ – this time located in Asia, located in the luxury shopping destination Shanghai Village.

The luxury material manufacturer hopes to underline the versatility of the material and the lifestyle approach of the brand, combining tradition and innovation under the banner of the authentic “Made in Italy” value. The store showcases the brand’s own collection of finished products such as bags, accessories and garments as well as some more abstract applications throughout.

The space also displays iconic pieces from the Alcantara art collection and offers the opportunity to experience the art installations as they become an integral part of the world of Alcantara.  

Fresh STORY, New York 

Venerated concept store, STORY has partnered with online food purveyor, jet.com, in a collaboration merging food, fashion and lifestyle called Fresh STORY.

While the store itself is not new, the idea behind the West Chelsea location is that every four to eight weeks, it completely reinvents itself, from the merchandising to design, coming back to life around a theme, idea, issue, or trend.

This time the brand is challenging the likes of Amazon with an in-store experience designed to get customers shopping online and raising brand awareness. The store design sees fruit incorporated into the designs of luxury shoe and accessories brand, Charlotte Olympia and a showcase of artisan brands for visitors to discover. In-store sampling and cooking hope to drive a community feel, entertaining visitors and encouraging them to get behind the jet.com brand.

Flora and Henri, Seattle

Seattle-based lifestyle store, Flora + Henri are making a return to the brick-and-mortar retail scene with the opening of a concept boutique carrying a curated selection of design-sensitive products, designed to speak to a slower and more thoughtful lifestyle.

The store aims to provide everything you need to live a thoughtful life, filled with love and beauty, in a unique, artisanal space. The brand will offer personal interactions and a timeless shopping experience by allowing visitors to relax with a cup of coffee, get to know the curators and discover a whole new range of other ethically sourced brands.

The 3,000-square-foot space was designed by owner Jane Hedreen and architect Eric Cobb, and constructed by Tim and Patrick Dolan of Dolan Built. Featuring high ceilings and natural light, the serene space speaks to the history of the building while maintaining a fresh, crisp and modern feel. The storefront will give a new retail presence to the 1st Avenue streetscape and allow Flora and Henri to create an operational hub for retail, wholesale, design, and e-commerce, all under one roof.

New Balance Roppongi 19:06, Tokyo 

Renowned trainer brand New Balance has opened a brand-new lifestyle concept store in Japan titled New Balance Roppongi 19:06, aiming to support the coexistence of sports and lifestyle.

Located in Roppongi in Tokyo’s Midtown area, the store is named after the area it is situated in and the year 1906, when New Balance was born. The store features warm wood panelling to create a ‘stadium’ atmosphere, and industrial concrete material construction reflecting the premium nature of the brand. Stylish and overflowing with a high-quality feeling, the store features a carefully selected line-up that combines performance with lifestyle.

State-of-the-art apparel and footwear will be the focus, with a range of limited-edition and collaborative items such as limited-edition 3D printed sneakers. Services unique to the brand will also be developed over time to offer the ultimate New Balance experience.

Stay posted for the latest retail openings in London, coming to Insider Trends soon. In the meantime why not experience the best retail spaces for yourself by joining one of our London retail trend tours? We’ll show you the latest in retail trends and help you out with any questions.