Tapping The American Dream
Ep Yaying, the Chinese highend womenswear brand, has opened its first U.S. store at American Dream, the mega retail and entertainment complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Located in The Avenue, the mall's luxury wing, Ep Yaying's store occupies the same corridor as Saks Fifth Avenue, Hermès, Saint
Laurent, Tiffany & Co., Dolce & Gabbana, Mulberry and Jonathan Adler, among other brands.
As the only Chinese brand in the section, Ep Yaying's debut will "bring a real sense of Chinese contemporary elegance to consumers in the U. S.," according to a statement from the brand.
The 3,200- square-foot store was designed by French architect Franklin Azzi, who also created Ep Yaying's concept store in Shanghai. Themed "Dialogue and Balance," the store design draws on traditional Chinese references and Western minimal forms. The long and narrow store space is divided into two sections, with slabs of precious natural jade and porcelaintextured rocks acting as dividers. Supported by black metal tubes, the rough stones create shelf space for Ep Yaying's ready-to-wear, accessories and made-to- order collections.
At the far end of the store, guests see a private chamber covered in wallpaper that emulates Chinese bird- and-flower painting. Shoppers can lounge on the section's imperial-yellow sofas while browsing the made-to- order dresses, which range from $ 1,800 to $ 7,000.
Last December, the label soft- launched the store with an opening party that drew the local Asian American community, including members from the China General Chamber of Commerce and Mulan Club.
Launched in 1988 as a small garment factory in Zhejiang province, the company launched a global expansion plan in 2019, focusing on South East
Asia, Australia and the U. S. Ep Yaying's first global store was launched in March 2019 at Suria KLCC, a premium shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia.
With a stable of womenswear and kidswear brands, including Ep Yaying, Daya+, Doublelove, N. Paia and Ep Yaying Kids, the company operates around 800 stores in the mainland China market.