The K-pop luxury eyewear brand Gentle Monster just opened its first flagship location in New Jersey at American Dream Meadowlands in East Rutherford.
The brand’s dramatic avant-garde eyewear designs worn by Travis Scott, Billie Eilish, and Beyoncé (to name a few) get as many headlines and buzz as Gentle Monster’s experiential retail stores.
With New Jersey marking its sixth flagship in the U.S. and 41st worldwide, Little Monster CEO, Creative Director, and founder Hankook Kim creates each location as an individual artistic extension of the brand. Locations use combinations of art and technology for immersive storytelling, using 3D installations, kinetic sculptures, and other artistic elements.
Part of its brand signature is that no stores look alike, with each flagship or popup telling a story that’s unexpected, immersive, and gets people talking, snapping, and sharing.
Three white bison are the focal story design element at Gentle Monster American Dream Meadowlands, located on the second floor, in the luxury wing dubbed The Avenue. The bison — looking very much like they could have stepped right off the prairie — are set among facades of artwork and metal objects.
It’s a serene, minimalist, arty scene, where the rarest of rare bison — the white bison (less than 1 in 1 million bison births) — “roam” among art, sophisticated eyewear, and unexpected elements, like a giant eyeball.
Kim’s collections and collaborations are often limited, exclusive runs, with wide-ranging experimentation — Tokyo streetwear label Ambush, French fashion house Maison Margiela, and multimedia franchise Overwatch.
“This store is a must-see, featuring eclectic art installations and their famous eyewear, celebrated for its innovative and fantasy-inspired designs,” said Bryan Gaus, senior VP and general manager of American Dream.
“We’re excited to open our new flagship at American Dream. The curated environment is a perfect fit for Gentle Monster as our brand has always been fixated on creating a memorable and unique experience for our customers,” Gentle Monster Managing Director Michael Lee said in a statement.
