Completed Form of Impermanence Beautiful People, Japanese fashion atelier based in Tokyo showcasing their collection in Paris Fashion Week, opened their new store located in Nagoya, Japan. In Japan, Department stores continue to be the dominant retailer in the fashion industry, however, due to its intense and increased competition and ever so fast-paced change, consistent relocation and renewal are challenged and required. For that reason, we began our design process with 2 assumptions in mind, “Possibility to relocate” and “Necessity to transform”, which lead to designing and structuring the entire store with movable components. 

The representative material we used for the walls and fitting rooms was “LGS” (Lightweight Gauge Steel), a well-known material normally used in the framing systems throughout the interior wall structure. LGS material is our iconic material which we first introduced in Beautiful People free-standing in Tokyo, designed in 2019. By simply using just the “raw” and “unfinished” material as is without the decorative layers of polish, our design concept was to purse the approach of sustainability and consideration for materiality. At the same time, these LGS are placed side by side and only screwed together so that they can be easily disassembled and repurposed, hence completely reusable / recyclable for its next journey. In addition to LGS, this space is composed with recycled “Shopping Baskets”, something far from what we relate to high fashion.

 Shopping baskets are usually in supermarkets with a solid function; to put items in, however, it goes beyond. Needless to say shopping baskets are convertible to any height depending on how much you stack, changeable to any form of construction depending on how you accumulate, and movable to any location depending on layout. In other words, they can instantaneously deform. As with LGS and Shopping baskets, they both share the same function, the ability to disassemble and flexibility to relocate. 

At the same time, they are as is simple everyday materials without additional layers and elements added. These are “raw” and “existing” materials that have high purity of recyclization and functionality that can be used on to the next without reprocessing. In this dynamic where the cycle of scrap and build is becoming faster every day, rather than creating something new that are bound to be destroyed, shedding light and taking these “raw” and “existing” elements into design is ever so essential. Taking into consideration the cycle of sustainability and materialization with the concept that these stores will someday relocate and need to transform in some way, lead us to the path to designing a complete form of impermanence.