A Breath of Fresh Air: New UCCA Store Now Open

The first thing you notice is the smell. Cool, refreshing and tart, the peach-infused air breezes by you before you’ve even entered the premises.

It goes on to trail you around the store: as you’re examining the quaint tea sets, trying on the avant-garde clothing or winding up the mini music boxes. The usual 798 crowd of disheveled tourists and arty locals are out in full force, everyone able to admire the playfully curated selection of Chinese-designed wares in equal measure.

Lest you be confused, this 300-square-meter space is not replacing the original UCCA Store, now reserved for selling books, posters and exhibit-related souvenirs. Instead the UCCA Design Store will function as a platform showcasing local creativity, a move that will finally give their exclusive designer collaborations the spotlight they deserve.

Top sellers like Gao Yuan’s delicate jewelry and Zhang Da’s Boundless collection are back, along with fun new additions from retro handbags by Rfactory (from around RMB 600) to face paint (RMB 95) and temporary tattoos (RMB 28-98). Shoppers on a budget will be pleased to find many unique accessories in the RMB 70-120 range, including business card holders and iPhone “tattoo” cases. For those itching to splurge, limited-edition items are also available, with several dresses and homewares upwards of RMB 4,000.

Go on. Get a good whiff, and inhale deeply. The perfume may not last, but the impact the shop has on the retail scene will.

Indulge in: iPhone rib-cage claw cover (RMB 880)
Also try: BNC, Good Goods Commune

UCCA Design Store
Tue-Sun 10am-6pm. Dashanzi Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术区尤伦斯当代艺术中心

Photos: Tiffany Wang and courtesy of the UCCA