In just nine years, Gentle Monster has morphed into a veritable giant of the global sunglasses market, worn by the biggest stars and applauded at the world’s fashion weeks. Founded in 2011 in Seoul by Hankook Kim, Gentle Monster immediately seized on the potential of sunglasses as the ultimate fashion accessory for bold styles. No longer simply functional items, eyeglasses and sunglasses have now supplanted handbags and shoes as the pinnacle of luxury. Deeply attuned to this trend, the Korean brand continuously pushes its creations to the next level as it produces models that approach the level of art. While in the Asian market, Gentle Monster prefers oversized models for a clientele eager to shape a smaller face, in Europe and the United States, the brand playfully experiments with more unusual forms. Strangeness and unconventional beauty form the core concerns of the house, which takes care to reflect this DNA throughout all of its storefronts. Indeed, each shop features its own unique layout that always seeks to integrate contemporary art and design into the customer experience. In the age of online shopping, Gentle Monster demonstrates that a brand’s image is also determined by its outlets, which must be reworked to adapt to new modes of consumption and rising consumer expectations. Just like in an art gallery, the installations and artworks on display change regularly to coincide with each new collection of sunglasses. After a collaboration with Ambush, the brand revealed its 2020 campaign under the title of “Fearless: Facing the Unknown”, photographed by Hugo Comte. It presents the five new “Flatba” models in acetate – extremely oversized round sunglasses – and the “T-Optical” line of optical glasses in lightweight titanium. The latest project from Gentle Monster? A wild attempt to create a brand of artistic desserts that look just as good as they taste. These trompe-l’oeil pastries in the shape of candles, soaps or faces are sold exclusively at Mars Café in Beijing.

***