The four-level unit in Seongsu also features a selection of works from international and local artists.

SEOUL FOOD: Lacoste has opened its first Café Lacoste in South Korea, set in the new flagship in Seoul’s creative Seongsu district that the French brand unveiled Friday.

“Our continued development of flagships around the world reflects our ambition to strengthen Lacoste’s international presence and desirability, while offering increasingly distinctive brand experiences,” said Thierry Guibert, who returned as chief executive officer of the tennis-centric brand in October.

The Seoul flagship, he added, continues that momentum in a city “renowned for its creative energy and cultural influence.” Lacoste has more than 230 points of sale in South Korea and over the summer, took over the pool and outdoor lounge of the Mondrian hotel in Seoul’s Itaewon district.

Spanning more than 8,000 square feet over four levels, the new Seoul flagship draws on the area’s industrial heritage and historic brick buildings.

Occasionally dubbed the “Brooklyn of Seoul,” Seongsu emerged as a footwear hub in the 1960s, with major manufacturers and a dense network of cobblers and materials suppliers. In the early 2000s, it underwent a revitalization led by a major park project in the district and more recently, became a hot spot for pop-up and luxury brands.

The interiors play on terracotta tones that nod at once to the neighborhood’s brick walls and clay tennis courts, with white as a further reminder of the sport.

Taking pride of place in the store is a monumental installation of tennis racquets captured in motion by New York- and Mexico-based multidisciplinary artist Mauricio Alejo.

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