UNDERCOVER’s New Hong Kong Store Goes Heavy on Art
Featuring a design speakeasy and original works by founder Jun Takahashi.
Summary
- UNDERCOVER opens a new storefront in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong
- Highlights include an original oil painting and “GRACE” sculpture by label founder Jun Takahashi
- The store also debuts “Jun’s Room,” an intimate, speakeasy-like space anchored in Takahashi’s design sensibilities, from everyday wear to furniture
UNDERCOVER just opened a new location in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong. A perfect marriage of fashion and art, the space distills the creative crossroads of founder Jun Takahashi in what he dubs his “most complete store yet.”
Doors opened last week and in the spirit of the ongoing fair season, the art did not disappoint. The launch was marked by a performance by freshly-debuted ambient group AOIZO, alongside a rare, live doll-making performance by Takahashi himself.
The latest edition to his “GRACE” series, the new sculpture, now on view in-store, takes the form of an alien-animal-human hybrid, ethereally monstrous and ornamented with Victorian-style garments. Takahashi premiered the first “GRACE” doll in 2008 as part of the UNDERCOVER SS09 RTW collection. The character has since become a cult mascot for fans of the label, getting the spotlight in several of its own books and exhibitions.
Playing off the performance, the interior of the Repulse Bay location unfolds with a certain sculptural sensibility. Design elements by French artist William Guillon and Belgian designer Valentin Loellmann are put into conversation with Takahashi’s own archive of ephemera and artworks; a winding display of Star Wars from his personal collection traces the interior before culminating in a large, cinematic oil painting painting that anchors the back wall.
Past the porch in the back is “Jun’s Room,” as an intimate “glimpse into [Takahashi’s] private universe.” Curated with his longtime friend TK, the room gathers objects and items that shape his life and practice, from furniture and personal design references to everyday outfits. “I’ve poured all my personal tastes into this space,” the designer-artist said. “As I get older, this shop reflects the mature side of who I am today.”
The store also introduces limited pieces, including a four-piece lineup of leather jackets, tapping into the UNDERCOVER’s punk roots. Each are emblazoned with the brand’s “CHAOS AND BALANCE” mantra, GRACE and GILAPPLE motifs and graphics in white, all hand-painted by Takahashi. Check out the space for yourself at 109 Repulse Bay Road.
For those looking for more artworks from the legendary UNDERCOVER founder, several collaborative pieces by Takahashi are now on view at otherthings by THE SHOPHOUSE, as part of Alia Sugawara’s Konketsu (混血).
