Founded as a startup in 2011 in South Korea, Gentle Monster has rapidly expanded globally, with stores in the United States, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, among others. Gentle Monster in China opened its first store in 2016, and as of December 2024, it has over 20 flagship stores, solidifying its position in the eyewear industry.
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Gentle Monster is largely known for being delicate and wearable (“Gentle”) and for its attitude and individuality (“Monster”), a duality reflected in its unique shopping experience. Its stores focus more on the experience, reflected through its massive, artistic sculptures and architectural elements, and less on the products themselves.
What makes Gentle Monster appealing to Chinese consumers?
Eyewear products suitable for Asian features
Gentle Monster’s products are “for Asians by Asians”. They are designed to suit Asian facial features and were founded by Hankook Kim, who in fact doesn’t have a background in eyewear. Kim was managing English language camps when his initial ideas about Gentle Monster came to mind. He recognized a gap in the eyewear market, where most mainstream luxury brands primarily catered to the facial features of Europeans and Americans and didn’t consider the diverse facial structures of Asians. Thus, Gentle Monster’s products introduced a range of oversized glasses and low-fit bridges tailored to Asian facial features.
Who are Gentle Monster’s target consumers in China?
Gentle Monster in China primarily targets the younger generation, especially those who are value self-expression and do so loudly. With an average product price of approximately USD 260, it creates exaggerated frame designs and bold color combinations, highlighting that the glasses aren’t just functional but stylish.
How does Gentle Monster in China build its brand presence?
Digital marketing strategy
Gentle Monster uses social media, such as Weibo and Xiaohongshu, to raise awareness about its new products, collaborations with celebrities, and store experiences and encourages engagement among consumers. From January 1st to November 1st, Chinese consumers discussed about Gentle Monster on Weibo the most, with 82% of conversations happening there. This was followed by Xiaohongshu and then Douyin, making up 3% and 15% of conversations, respectively.
High-profile collaborations and endorsements
Gentle Monster’s prominence is further enhanced by its use of co-branding in China. It collaborates with high-profile celebrities, intellectual properties, and other brands in various industries, including the fashion. For instance, it has collaborated with a fighting game called TEKKEN 8, Jennie from Blackpink, luxury fashion brand Moncler, and designer and artist-curator Henrik Vibskov. Through these collaborations, it has attracted a wide range of consumers with different preferences and interests and built new and avant-garde experiences.
Immersive retail: Gentle Monster’s signature in China
In a time when e-commerce dominates the shopping habits of Chinese consumers, the brand stands out for its offline experience. The founder believes that retail spaces should not only facilitate shopping but also authentically convey the brand’s ideology.
Therefore, each of its retail stores worldwide boasts a distinct aesthetic style, resembling more like art installations than traditional stores. Attention to detail in window displays and interior decor creates visually striking environments, earning them the monikers of “selfie heaven“ (自拍神店) and “landmark trendy stores“ (地标潮店) on Chinese social media platforms.
“Future Humanity” flagship store in Beijing
For example, the flagship store in Beijing’s Chaoyang District adopts the theme of “Future Humanity (未来人类).” The space portrays an imaginative narrative of humans traveling through wormholes between Mars and Earth. Visitors encounter traces of wormhole energy within the environment, while dynamic installations inside vividly portray the effects of this energy on humans and objects. Such design immerses customers in a sci-fi reality, allowing them to experience the brand’s futuristic and innovative spirit firsthand.
However, in the eyes of some, the art space within the brand’s store has become the protagonist, relegating sunglasses to a supporting role. But, rather than viewing this as a misplacement of priorities, it’s more akin to the brand’s experimental approach to marketing its artistic values. Elevating brand value through art spaces and prioritizing fashion over function, the brand explores new avenues in consumer engagement.
Beyond eyewear: Gentle Monster and its bakery branch Nudake’s campaign in Shanghai
IICombined, Gentle Monster’s parent company, also owns two other brands very different from the eyewear industry: NUDAKE in the F&B industry and TAMBURINS in the beauty industry. However, despite their differences, they do have one thing in common: the artistic and luxurious experience. Not only do their retail spaces have artistic installations but the products themselves are like pieces of art.
NUDAKE’s desserts, for example, have dramatic designs, immediately captivating a vast array of curious consumers visually. For instance, the GENTLE MONSTER HAUS SHANGHAI retail space opened in Shanghai on September 30th, 2021. Nudake, located on the first floor of HAUS SHANGHAI, is centered around the theme “MAKE NEW FANTASY! DESSERT OF YOUR DREAMS,” aiming to awaken visitors’ taste buds with whimsical artistic desserts. Within this space, lively mechanical horses coexist with diverse collage media art, creating a floor overflowing with Nudake’s spirit of fantastical imagination.
From eccentric desserts to futuristic retail spaces, it’s evident that Gentle Monster in China constantly strives to stimulate consumers’ senses with unique concepts and tastes, offering a plethora of peculiar aesthetic experiments.
What do you need to know about Gentle Monster in China?
- Founded in 2016 to cater to Asian facial features, Gentle Monster has also gained significant attention on social media. By collaborating with top celebrities and experimenting with new concepts, it has become known as a trendsetter in China.
- The brand targets China’s affluent Gen Z with personalized, avant-garde designs. Its offline stores offer unique, art-inspired experiences, distinguishing the brand in China’s eyewear market.
- Gentle Monster in China builds brand presence through digital marketing, high-profile collaborations, and immersive retail experiences, emphasizing artistry and innovation.
- iiCombined, its parent company, also owns NUDAKE, a dessert brand, and TAMBURINS, a beauty brand. Despite being from different industries, the three brands stand out through their bold artistic experimentation.
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