South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster targets the European market with the opening of a flagship store in Le Marais, one of Paris’ trendiest neighborhoods.
Following the successful opening of a space in 10 Corso Como (Milan), Gentle Monster opened the doors of its first European flagship store in Paris. The store spans two floors in a former residential building at 132 rue Vieille du Temple. Loyal to their futuristic and design-forward aesthetic, Gentle Monster’s newly debuted space offers an integral sensory experience where contemporary art, architectural design and fashion blend harmoniously.
Gentle Monster Paris: A sensorial experience
Gentle Monster continues its global expansion with the inauguration of a Paris flagship store. Set in the trendy Le Marais, the two-story shop welcomes visitors to a space designed by Gentle Monster‘s in-house design team in Seoul. The first floor features an avant-garde sculpture titled The Giant Head Kinetic Object. The artwork, created by the brand’s in-house robotics lab, explores the philosophy of the human psyche. It features three large faces that move and express human emotions through “the mutually aware movement of the pupils.”
On the second floor, Gentle Monster exhibits a star-shaped kinetic object that plays with the lighting to create a gleaming effect. Per the brand, the piece symbolizes the “brilliance, individuality, emotions, and inner identity that reside within humans.”
A step towards international growth
The Gentle Monster Paris flagship is IICOMBINED’s latest move toward internationalization. The group, which also houses beauty and fragrance brands, has set an ambitious strategy aiming to reach international markets. With trendy product launches and high-profile partnerships, IICOMBINED has reinvented the game for South Korean accessory and beauty brands.
In early September, the group opened a conceptual store in Seoul titled HAUS NOWHERE, a retail space for its brands Gentle Monster, Tamburins, ATiiSSU, Nudake and Nuflaat. The inauguration event brought together international stars and ambassadors, including Tilda Swinton, Felix, Karina, Hunter Schafer, FKA twigs and Anne Curtis.
Meanwhile, Gentle Monster has remained under the spotlight with successful product releases. Their first line of 2025, a jewelry-inspired collection, generated over $13 million in Media Impact Value within the first week, according to Launchmetrics. “The brand leveraged multiple Thai celebrities to promote the launch,” shared the data company. Per their tallies, Win Metawin ($897K), Gun Atthaphan Phunsawat ($695K) and Nattawat Jirochtikul ($626K) took the lead with social media posts promoting the collection.
The brand’s latest collection, “Bold,” featuringTilda Swinton in the campaign, enjoyed similar success. Moreover, Gentle Monster has made international headlines through a Google partnership geared at developing the Android XR smart lens initiative. The tech giant reportedly invested $100 million, which represents a 4% stake in the eyewear brand.
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Gentle Monster Paris
Gentle Monster and IICOMBINED’s international efforts find new footing with the opening of a flagship in Paris. By merging art, architecture and design, the eyewear giant introduces it’s first major retail space in Europe with a three-story shop that redefines the shopping experience. You can visit Gentle Monster Paris flagship at 132 Rue Vieille du Temple in Le Marais, every day between 10:30 am and 19:30 pm.
