Kiyo Workshop designs dual-brand fashion showroom in Seoul’s Sinsa-dong

In Sinsa-dong, a Seoul neighborhood synonymous with discreet luxury and cultivated taste, kiyo workshop has designed a showroom that brings together two distinct fashion identities within a single spatial narrative. Rather than staging a conventional retail interior, the project constructs an atmosphere where the philosophies of Beneater and Manner & Dapper are experienced intuitively, through material, proportion and restraint.

Beneater, associated with a refined sense of etiquette, and Manner & Dapper, grounded in enduring classicism, converge in a setting that privileges tactility over spectacle. The designers conceived the space as a quiet mediator between feminine and masculine codes, allowing both to coexist without hierarchy. The result is an environment that feels composed rather than curated, where garments are not merely displayed but situated within a coherent architectural language.

MATERIAL DIALOGUE AND SPATIAL BALANCE

Mid tone wood forms the backbone of the interior. Its warmth and subtle grain establish a classic foundation that resonates with the textures of tailored fabrics and structured silhouettes. The choice avoids ornamentation, relying instead on depth and tonal variation to produce a sense of calm continuity.

To counterbalance this warmth and to accommodate the duality of the brands, raw concrete surfaces are introduced. The concrete does not read as industrial, but as a measured counterpoint that tempers the softness of wood. This interplay generates a gender neutral atmosphere, neither overtly delicate nor overly austere. At the center of the showroom, a low display table crafted from dark patterned wood anchors the composition. Its restrained geometry and deliberate weight create a point of convergence where the identities of both labels meet without conflict.

RETAIL MEETS CAFÉ: A CONTINUOUS INTERIOR

The showroom shares its footprint with an independently operated café, a programmatic overlap that extends the idea of lifestyle beyond fashion. Instead of separating the two functions, the flooring runs continuously across both zones, visually stitching them together. This seamless surface reinforces the sense of a unified interior landscape rather than a segmented commercial venue.

The café distinguishes itself through subtle shifts rather than overt gestures. Clean white walls and a concrete bar counter define its territory. The counter, conceived as a minimal object, avoids visual dominance. Its pared back detailing ensures that it recedes into the background, allowing the clothing within the showroom to remain the focal presence. In this calibrated balance, architecture becomes a framework that supports experience, encouraging visitors to move fluidly between fashion and hospitality without perceptible boundaries.

Through material precision and spatial restraint, kiyo workshop transforms a retail commission into a nuanced study of coexistence. In Sinsa-dong, where taste is often signaled through excess, this project demonstrates that quiet coherence can be the most persuasive luxury of all.

Project Credit

Project name: beneater, mannerndapper Flagship Store
Location: 17, Eonju-ro 174-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Design firm: Kiyo Workshop / @kiyo.workshop
Photo credit: Han Sung Hoon / @hshm2357