BY ANDREA TOGNON ARCHITECTURE

ICICLE’s latest concept store to open at Shanghai Grand Gateway 66, is an impressive 485 square metre boutique which showcases its collections ranging from Womenswear, Menswear, Paris Collection and Accessories. For this grand project, the luxury label commissioned the renowned Milan-based architect Andrea Tognon to design its new store, which took two years to complete from design to construction. Tognon, is renowned for his portfolio of work that includes some of the biggest luxury houses such as Céline, Max Mara, Jil Sander, Max&Co, Omega - and that’s just to name a few.

ICICLE is one of China’s notable luxury fashion labels known for dressing celebrities. The brand represents the antithesis of the mass manufacturing industry that China has been known for. Rather, the conscious label has carved its own divergent path that is guided by the philosophy of slow fashion and ethical manufacturing, delivering luxury garments sans compromise. It is quite evident that the brand’s philosophy has been thoughtfully taken into consideration by the architect in his design for the new concept store. “Tognon’s thoughtful design prioritises the fluidity, comfort and intimacy that the space creates for people, while constructing a sustainable space of subtle dialogues between different natural materials. The new concept store is a contemporary interpretation of the harmony between human and nature, the philosophy that has inspired ICICLE since its founding.”

Tognon’s approach to design takes into consideration people, by paying particular attention to the movement of clients and staff who work at the store. His consideration for this project focussed on creating an environment that was fluid and which also had an intimate comfort between human, products and space. To create this, he opted for a floor plan that had curvilinear walls instead of implementing a diagrammatic scheme to enable the fluidity within the space. Since the store’s programme does not conform to a predictable or straight-forward layout, one can observe that “each independent unit together creates a diverse and evolving spatial engagement and exchange. Intimacy is fostered by the relatively small scale of different units where customers are being ‘hugged’ by comfort. Greenery and furniture of irregular organic shapes add a soothing merriment, encouraging longer stay to appreciate subtle design details.”

A soft neutral palette that features light cream walls paired with light grey terrazzo floors has been established as the backdrop to the store. During Tognon’s formative years (15 years of age to be precise), he worked in his family’s furniture design and manufacturing business, which enabled him to harness the skill and love for craftsmanship. This is apparent throughout the design of the store through the mix of materials that Tognon has chosen which range from the pairing of various marbles, solid walnut timbers and concrete. He also designed four custom marble tables for the ICICLE concept store. “The moving textures of marble form natural paintings of intricate dialogues. Subtly irregular shapes of the table mirror the designer’s hand drawing, which imbues the table with soft emotions that foster a communication between the beholder and the creator.” 

Subtle bursts of colour have sporadically been applied throughout the store which help build moments of excitement, such as the cobalt blue porcelain table that was custom designed by Tognon. The table features eighteen pieces of glazed porcelain squares that have been arranged in an irregular pattern of intervals. “For Tognon, porcelain and blue not only represent Chinese cultural traditions but also link to the rich and ancient pottery-making tradition in his hometown in Italy. Designed with a contemporary language, the table symbolises a transcultural-and-spatial interaction between the Chinese brand and the designer’s Italian root.” The change rooms, also feature blue, however the tone transcends into a deeper teal application that is quite calming for those making pensive buying decisions. Other moments of colour have been injected into the seating furniture that also feature Tognon’s own designs. Rays of colour ranging from pink blush to orange to maroon red sofas and armchairs which create striking contrasts. 

For the Italian designer, working with the brand’s store concept and aligning it with their ‘Made in Earth’ philosophy is one that the designer strongly resonates with. When approaching retail design, his focus is on prioritising how to create and make a space that is responsible and sustainable. He specifically chose concrete as a material to be applied as wall structures for its durable properties and honesty. The use of marble has been consciously applied, as it has only been selectively used for furniture pieces because of its long-lasting endurance. Therefore due to his respect for the gift of nature, the architect carefully chose how to use marble and applied it through his furniture design “like jewels decorating a female body.” “This conscious approach to use natural materials resonates with ICICLE’s pursuit for a harmonious symbiosis between human and nature.” The architect has also ensured that LED lighting was used for energy-saving purposes, as well as integrating plants into the design of the store’s concept to create a natural landscape.

“When we use natural materials, we need to use the beauty that earth gives us in a conscious way…We live in a crucial time and sustainability is very important. We must try out best to be sustainable, even knowing that everything we do costs energy and material.”  

- Andrea Tognon

PHOTOGRAPHY | SUISICONG