Retail Curation at 33WILL’s Konzepp: A Talk with Carlo Aquino

Walking up the steep hills of Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan precinct amidst the sweltering heat, I am growing slightly impatient and weary. The soles of my shoes now scuff the sun-drenched sidewalk as I wonder how much longer I must climb. Not much longer I guess, as I see the destination at hand: a yolk-yellow geometric display of an entrance that stands out in Hong Kong’s sea of monochrome asphalt grey. As I chug through the last remaining steps and finally enter the room, I am immediately greeted by a space with eclectic pops of color and character.  Carlo Aquino, 33WILL’s Style Curator, comes and immediately receives me. Ushering me to the centre table, I sit down to an array of magazine offerings just slightly in front of me. And so our talk begins on the concept of Konzepp, an experimental lab that is redefining retail space and igniting creative collaborations.

Konzepp is decidedly cosmopolitan, offering products from Korea, Singapore, Beijing, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan amongst others. The team curates a strong selection of Asian products with the intention of supporting quality Asian products. Looking through  the products after a while and you notice that there is no unified theme in the store, no specified array of goods that appeal to one demographic segment. Rather, wine glasses stand next to locally made Hong Kong honey along with Sockcerely Yours graphic print socks and unapologetically giant candy jars. “We get a mix of customers,” Aquino tells me. This shows through with the products that blur generational, cultural and gender product preferences. Pointing at the confectionary for example, he informs me that last week treats were handed to children as their parents carefully browsed through the store. And with products that are predominantly unisex or for women at the moment, Aquino is keen to introduce more menswear to the product mix and balance it out.

This hybrid retail approach extends to the rest of the shop as well. The centre piece table stands as a example of the store’s communal emphasis. Everyone, from customers, to collaborators, and the staff gather together for good old fashion dialogue: something web has failed to truly achieve and brick-and-mortar stores have mostly failed to explore. The effect is one where sales is not at the forefront of people’s minds, but rather a symptom of good storytelling that people can appreciate. What Aquino enjoys about this system is that there is dialogue between people at the table: people feed off of each other as they bounce ideas to and fro. In fact, Konzepp’s recent collaboration with Hong Kong menswear label Moustache was borne out of these. Such is the social nature of Konzepp that monthly gatherings are staple of the store: the retail counter uncovers itself to reveals hidden DJ equipment underneath.

When asked how Konzepp manages to find harmony through its multidisciplinary approach, Aquino answers almost instinctively. Since everyone comes from such a diverse background there is an instinctive code of respect that each individual comes from a different place and mindset. Moreover, each team member is allowed autonomy over a share of the portfolio whilst still allowing feedback. Pleasantly enough, the wide range of products seem to gel together quite poetically. As I leave the store behind and attend to the rest of my daily duties. I stop in front of one of the many Zara stores. And peering inside I see the usual display of racks and racks of clothing. The “Welcome to Zara!” hackneyed greeting line reaches me, and retail has suddenly become boring again.

Image Source: Daniel Kong