Flowcrete Heads East for Opening of McQueen’s Flagship Store

Luxury flooring manufacturer, Flowcrete Asia, has put its best foot forward with the opening of Alexander McQueen's flagship Eastern store in the heart of Beijing's fashion district.

The new store, which opened to a media fanfare, occupies two storeys and represents more than 4,305 square feet of the luxurious Sanlitun North Village shopping complex with super brands including Versace and Malson Martin Margiela to call on as neighbours.

The entire interior space of the new store gives the impression to have been carved out of a solid marble block with soft white lighting cleverly concealed within floating display units to show McQueen's couture pieces at their best.

The landmark project, overseen by Johnathan Akeroyd, Chief Executive for Alexander McQueen, has seen Flowcrete's seamless terrazzo material installed across both levels of the fashion boutique with a dramatic curved staircase, in the same material, connecting the two floors.

Flowcrete's epoxy terrazzo system, Mondéco, was chosen in a special blend of aggregates to compliment the surrounding interior. Incorporating mother of pearl chippings within the resin mix, the Mondéco system is diamond ground in-situ to reveal a smooth, flat surface that both shimmers and sparkles.

The hard-wearing material offers superior scratch and abrasion resistance to withstand the high levels of foot traffic encountered at the store while the seamless finish makes for ease of cleaning. The design flexibility offered by the Mondéco system also enables bespoke patterns and corporate branding to be swirled across the floor in a wide range of colours.

The system, which is often used as an alternative to terrazzo or marble tiles, has been laid in a seamless application, delivering a smooth transition between the floor and walls.

Speaking following the store's official launch Francis Tan, General Manager for Flowcrete Asia, said "This kind of floor finish creates exactly the right ambience required by high-end fashion houses in today's market of discerning shoppers."

"The final floor finish delivers a decorative, eye-catching surface, which demonstrates both the quality of Flowcrete's terrazzo materials and skill of the application team."

The new store, representing McQueen's largest in the world, opened its doors with a bang. The fashion elite joined VIP and celebrity guests, including McQueen Creative Director Sarah Burton, to toast the brand's success at a private cocktail party hosted on the shop floor.