Project | STOR[I]ES Publisher
H&M has unveiled its third store in Seoul. Designed by Skynoa and located in the city’s Seongsu district, it draws on the area’s industrial history and trendy image to guide patrons through a curated fashion story.
There was a time when many H&M stores looked identical to one another, regardless of their location. Under pressure from competitors like Zara, Primark and, more recently, Temu, H&M has had to shift away from its ‘cookie-cutter’ approach to stand out. In its newest Seoul location, the retailer – together with design studio Skynoa – demonstrates how references to local culture can offer a more unique shopping experience that resonates with locals and tourists alike. In the case of Seongsu, the so-called ‘Brooklyn of Seoul’, this means tapping into the area’s industrial history while building on its trendy image. By framing the building as a stage with ‘scenes’ unfolding one floor after the other, the design team transforms shopping into an immersive event. Even if customers walk out empty-handed, they have had an experience that they can’t get elsewhere, and this approach is one that will have people coming back for more, whether in Seoul or elsewhere.
H&M’s Seongsu outpost occupies a busy street corner in the Korean capital. Its undulating glass façade gives the illusion of a lightweight curtain. This narrative of concealment is further amplified using frosted glass, which offers only glimpses of the garments inside.
A bright red ampersand symbol marks the entrance to the store. Upon entering, visitors find themselves in a red foyer, which introduces the different ‘scenes’. On the ground floor, shoppers encounter an open-plan interior punctuated by concrete columns – features of the original structure. A sculptural clothing rack, made from old guard rails, complements the stripped-back, industrial aesthetic. Red accents reinforce the H&M branding throughout.
A staircase leads visitors up to the first floor, where lightweight translucent partitions form a walk-in closet. On the other side of the shop floor, a series of freestanding timber containers is clustered. Modular in construction, they group garments into curated ‘closets’. A woven art installation hangs from the ceiling – a reference to traditional Korean hanbok.
The uppermost floor centres around the fitting room, which is organized as a series of colourful, felt-lined booths. When closed, the booths form two floor-to-ceiling mirrors that face one another, transforming the space into an immersive runway. The remainder of the floor is dedicated to the display of garments curated by influencers and local social media creators. Lightweight timber rails and display plinths help create a relaxed ambiance, making sure shoppers feel comfortable and at ease.
