Neolith in Shanghai Boutique | Neolith

Luxury wedding couture is a small, but highly competitive and lucrative market, where the retail experience is almost as important as the clothing itself. As such, brands within this space are continually evaluating the design of their boutiques to best communicate their fashion ethos to customers.

For Taiwanese wedding dress designer, Nicole + Felicia, materiality was the primary consideration when it came to the design of its flagship boutique in Shanghai, China in 2019.

Founded by sisters, Nicole and Felicia Chang, over the last two decades, Nicole + Felicia has established a global reputation for conceiving visually captivating clothes, using the finest fabrics.

The idea for the store’s look and feel was developed by Nicole + Felicia’s chief retail designer, Tangzhonghang. He wanted to create a minimalist but immersive atmosphere within the space, a backdrop against which the atelier’s beautiful wedding dresses would stand out.

Importantly, he wanted something which would evoke exclusivity and affluence but also be hard-wearing, low-maintenance, and easy-to-clean. The latter was a crucial requirement, especially in a country where hygiene is taken very seriously.

Testing several materials to no avail, he alighted upon Neolith®, the pioneering brand of sintered stone. The color definition and detailing of its patterns, as well its performance and resistance qualities, were exactly what he was looking for to complement Nicole + Felicia’s philosophy and clothing.

Neolith’s range of surfaces inspired by classical Italian marble impressed all those involved in the project, with the enduringly popular Estatuario Silk catching Tangzhonghang’s eye. He thus decided that it would be specified holistically within the boutique.

Overall, 240ft2 of 6mm Neolith Estatuario was specified for all surfaces, extending from the outer storefront across the whole interior.