COCO CHANEL said, “My life didn’t please me,so I created my life.” I said, “City is nothing but a life container; life is pleased when one’s in his or her tempo; and fashion is about playing with max and match.”

OIAM Boutique is located in the center of the French Concession on Wukang Road, Shanghai. The road flanked by chinar is permeated with tranquil and elegant French life atmosphere. Mix and match is her personality. The three-story modern-style house of about 600 square meters fulfills the function of shopping, recreation and workshop. It’s either public, private or somewhere in between. Mix and match is her tonality. The exterior low-profile and retro looking and the interior modern and exaggeration forms an eclectic contrast. It’s dynamically switched between the conspicuousness on 1st floor and gentleness and elegance on 2nd floor. The fashionable sharpness and the retro mildness are fully demonstrated here, flamboyant but not ostentatious, distinct but restrained.

Different from general boutiques, the first floor is transformed from a private exhibition space to public space, integrating café, bar and showcase. The garage is transformed into an temporarily exhibition space. Then the ceiling of the staircase is opened to bring natural light. In the 1st floor, A pure white flower wall will be replaced and recreated by different local artists season by season. Other spaces can be flexibly utilized, such as showcasing or throw a party.

On the whole, the theme of the first floor is bold and avant-garde. Even its details manifest modern and fashion, such as the branch-type chandelier behind the iron fence, the Dalí red lips Sofa, the Philippe Starck golden gun lamp and the most surprising touch of the vault door for the bathroom. However, everything is hidden behind the greens. Only the neon light will meticulously outline the enchanting urban life silhouette in the evening.

On the second floor, its function wanders between display and living room. The soft white window gauze builds a comfortable and gentle shopping experience. You can flip through VOGUE sitting in the Wegner shell chair or have small talks, slumping in the peacock blue vintage sofa in the VIP room. The golden mat glass behind the white gauze can change the interior atmosphere according to the season.

On the third floor is a spacious and comfortable fashion workshop and office. People working there are all young, modern and restless stylists who pursue an open and free office environment. A long table meets with all kinds of demands such as working, tailoring, meeting and party. Varied tools can be placed on the perforated plate on the wall. The terrace embraced by the shadows of chinar together with several scattered body fit chairs allows them to switch between work and leisure.

On the third floor is a spacious and comfortable fashion workshop and office. People working there are all young, modern and restless stylists who pursue an open and free office environment. A long table meets with all kinds of demands such as working, tailoring, meeting and party. Varied tools can be placed on the perforated plate on the wall. The terrace embraced by the shadows of chinar together with several scattered body fit chairs allows them to switch between work and leisure.

Being conspicuous doesn’t have to be pompous; instead, an introverted appearance can be installed. Being vintage doesn’t necessarily look old; rather, avant-garde can be fused. Functions don’t have to be fixed but flexible. Mix and match is a design perspective , a kind of life aesthetics and a new space context.

Design Studio:

NONG STUDIO

Chef designer: Chasing Wang

Design Team: Neal Zhu, Lin Wei, Maple Jiao, Yuli Liu

Photographer: Wenjie Hu