Machine-A to open in Shanghai with Raf Simons – VOGUE
Thu 9 Jun
London-based retailer Machine-A will open its first permanent store outside of the UK in Shanghai this September, as the multi-brand market in the key cities continues to heat up.
The store will sit in the heart of the Jing’an District, a young creative neighbourhood, and showcase a mix of emerging names and established brands. The permanent store follows a Machine-A pop-up in Shanghai in October 2020.
It will also host a Raf Simons shop-in-shop — the Belgian brand’s first direct-to-consumer location in China. Machine-A and Raf Simons are known for their close relationship. Last year, Machine-A featured Raf Simons archive pieces in its “Machine-B” vintage project.
Founder and buying director Stavros Karelis says the Shanghai store is a “natural step” for Machine-A, which is a popular destination for Chinese tourists in London and has supported several generations of Chinese designers. The retailer recently relaunched its Wechat Official account, and has a presence on Chinese social shopping platform Red, also known as Xiaohongshu (or Little Red Book).