Gentle Monster

File:20240603 233358 Gentle Monster - Incheon International Airport 02.jpg]]

Gentle Monster employs 6 people to design its eyewear products and 60 people to design the store visuals.Elaine YJ Lee, The Evolution of Gentle Monster, Hypebeast, Issue 18, July 2017, p. 145-151 Its products are exhibited like museum pieces in "an immersive and experiential offline shopping experience."

For example, in May through August 2016 its New York City flagship store was turned into an underwater experience creates with aquarium designer Justin Muir and glass sculptor Ivan Lee Mora, influenced by the French film Le Grand Bleu.[https://hypebeast.com/2016/5/gentle-monster-grand-blue-installation Gentle Monster Transforms Its New York City Store Into an Underwater Oasis] Helena Yeung, Hypebeast, May 26, 2016

In February 2021, Gentle Monster opened a new space, Haus Dosan, to present the brand's direction in retail. Haus Dosan also carries cosmetics brand Tamburins and has on-site dessert cafe Nudake.{{Cite web|last=|date=2021-02-22|title=젠틀몬스터 '하우스 도산 (HAUS DOSAN)' 오픈, 새로운 공간 탄생에 셀럽 방문 이어져|url=http://biz.heraldcorp.com/view.php?ud=20210222000798|access-date=2021-05-04|website=헤럴드경제|language=ko}}

Each store's goal is to mimic a contemporary gallery containing life-sized objects and sculptures. For example, one of Gentle Monster's London stores has a Kung Fu theme with robots performing martial arts movements. Gentle Monster's first store in Korea features a lifesize ship.{{Cite web |last=Cox |first=Ollie |date=2023-08-15 |title=There's nothing gentle about the way Gentle Monster disrupted eyewear |url=https://culted.com/theres-nothing-gentle-about-the-way-gentle-monster-disrupted-eyewear/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Culted |language=en-GB}}

Serial entrepreneur Jae Wook Oh invested about $100,000 in 2012 and Gentle Monster began producing frames in Daegu, which had been a manufacturing hub for Luxottica, and China, since acetate frames are illegal to produce in South Korea.[https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/intelligence/how-gentle-monster-road-the-k-pop-wave-to-160-million How Gentle Monster Rode the K-Pop Wave to $160 Million] LAUREN SHERMAN, Business of Fashion, JULY 17, 2016 The brand's designs favor oversize frames much larger than Western brands' because its Asian clientele prefer to have frames that create an image of a smaller face.[https://fashionista.com/2016/04/gentle-monster MEET GENTLE MONSTER, A KOREAN BRAND CREATING EYEWEAR FOR EVERY FACE SHAPE]

NOËL DUAN, fashionista.com April 26, 2016

In 2013 and 2014, Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun wore Gentle Monster lenses on My Love From the Star, and this greatly broadened the brand's exposure to a mainstream audience.

In February 2016, the company's first US store opened on Grand Street in SoHo, New York City. Its second US store opened in downtown Los Angeles in October 2017.[https://www.highsnobiety.com/2017/10/11/gentle-monster-la-store/ Gentle Monster Opens New Store in Downtown Los Angeles] Renz Ofiaza, Highsnobiety, 11 October 2017[https://www.wallpaper.com/fashion/gentle-monster-downtown-los-angeles It’s harvest time at Gentle Monster’s new boutique in Los Angeles] JESSICA KLINGELFUSS, Wallpaper*, 27 October 2017 French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH invested $60 million for a 7% stake in the company in September 2017.

On average, a pair of sunglasses or glasses range from $200-$300 depending on frames, lenses, and prescription. However, prices fluctuate and may be as high as $500.{{Cite web |last=G. de Aros |first=Sofia |date=May 22, 2021 |title=What is Gentle Monster and Why Do Celebs Love This Korean Brand? |url=https://www.preview.ph/fashion/what-is-gentle-monster-a1994-20210522-lfrm}}

File:Gentlemonster 2020.jpg]]

Tilda Swinton collaborated with Gentle Monster in February 2017 in designing three sunglasses and appeared in an ad campaign video.[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gentle-monster-tilda-swintons-favorite-eyewear-label-opens-la-1044513 Eyewear Label Gentle Monster's Gallery Store Lands in L.A.] Ingrid Schmidt, 9/29/2017 The brand shows at New York Fashion Week.[https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/made-fall-2017-young-designers#6 Meet the New Guard Showing at New York Fashion Week] Vogue Fall 2017

Items are all limited edition, once an item sells out, the next return is not promised. Gentle Monster is the first luxury eyewear brand to cater to the Asian market.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=J. J. |date=2023-10-12 |title=Mastering the Art of Branding: Unveiling Gentle Monster's Design Strategy |url=https://medium.com/@_thefuturedesign_/mastering-the-art-of-branding-unveiling-gentle-monsters-design-strategy-a5b8e77c916c |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Medium |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=PROFILE: GENTLE MONSTER {{!}} CRASH Magazine |url=https://www.crash.fr/profile-gentle-monster/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=www.crash.fr}}

Gentle Monster attained a factory with Italian manufacturers who previously worked for famous brands such as Ray-Ban early during its journey in Korea to produce high-quality eyewear. Most, if not all, of Gentle Monster's eyewear is produced with chrome, titanium, and premium metals to produce glasses and sunglasses. The brand offers repair and maintenance with purchases, as well as customization to adjust to an individual's face.

File:Jun Ji-hyun in 2012 02.jpg with Gentle Monster sunglasses]]

In 2016, the brand collaborated with Danish designer Henrik Vibskov, Hood by Air, and Opening Ceremony. In 2017, the brand collaborated with Dutch furniture designer Marcel Wanders, the founder of Moooi. In 2018, the brand collaborated on an exhibition called Burning Planet with South Korean rapper, Song Mino of Winner.{{cite web|url=http://mbn.mk.co.kr/pages/news/newsView.php?category=mbn00007&news_seq_no=3650194|script-title=ko:젠틀몬스터, 송민호와 아트 콜라보레이션 '버닝플래닛' 오픈|date=October 4, 2018|work=Maeil Broadcasting Network|language=ko}}

In 2019, the brand collaborated with Chinese technology company Huawei and released smartglasses.{{cite web|url=https://www.designscene.net/2019/08/gentle-monster-huawei.html

|title=Gentle Monster Collaborates With Huawei on a Fashionable Smart Eyewear

|date=August 28, 2019|work=designscene}}

In 2020, the brand collaborated with singer Jennie Kim of Blackpink to release the Jentle Home collection,{{Cite web|url=http://www.gentlemonster.com/|title=JENTLE HOME CAMPAIGN {{!}} GENTLE MONSTER|website=www.gentlemonster.com|access-date=April 13, 2020}} and Chinese-Canadian singer and rapper Kris Wu for the release of the Gentle Wu collection.{{Cite web|url=https://hypebeast.com/2020/6/gentle-monster-gentle-wu-kris-wu-collection-info|title=Gentle Monster Introduces "Gentle Wu" Collection with Kris Wu|last=Leung|first=Ambrose|date=June 23, 2020|website=Hypebeast}}

In 2022, the brand released a second collection with Kim, called the Jentle Garden collection. A mobile game was developed in promotion of the collaboration, while pop-up stores were opened in five cities: Seoul, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai.{{Cite web|url=https://hypebeast.com/2022/3/gentle-monster-blackpink-jennie-jentle-collection-eyewear-installation-pop-ups|title=Gentle Monster and BLACKPINK's Jennie Launch Pop-Up Dreamscapes|date=March 18, 2022|website=Hypebeast|access-date=March 21, 2022}}

In 2023, the brand collaborated with Chinese singer Cai Xukun to release his Crystal Clear collection. An event app was developed for the collaboration which was available in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Dubai, Singapore, Japan, and the United States.{{Cite tweet|number=1647797668863934465|user=_GentleMonster_|title=GENTLE MONSTER X KUN. Gentle Monster presents the collaboration with global artist Cai Xukun. Participating in the #CrystalClear project as a director, KUN broadens his scope of work as an artist. Explore the #GENTLEMONSTERXKUN collaboration collection at http://Gentlemonster.com|author=Gentle Monster|date=April 17, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}{{Cite tweet|number=1647946665104650241|user=_GentleMonster_|title=GENTLE MONSTER X KUN @caixukun will be released on April 21st. The #GENTLEMONSTERXKUN APP event will be held in South Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan Region, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, Japan, the United States and Dubai|author=Gentle Monster|date=April 17, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}{{Cite web |date=April 17, 2023 |title=GENTLE MONSTER ✕ KUN Campaign |url=https://www.gentlemonster.com/int/shop/list/collaborations/caixukun |access-date=April 17, 2023 |website=Gentle Monster}}

In 2024, Gentle Monster collaborated with French luxury fashion house Maison Margiela on the "2024 Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster" collection.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gentlemonster.com/int/shop/list/collaborations/maisonmargiela|title=MAISON MARGIELA x GENTLE MONSTER|website=Gentle Monster|access-date=April 15, 2024}} Additionally, the brand released a third collaboration with Jennie Kim titled "Jentle Salon".{{Cite web|url=https://www.gentlemonster.com/int/shop/list/collaborations/jentlesalon|title=JENTLE SALON COLLECTION|website=Gentle Monster|access-date=April 15, 2024}} The same year, Gentle Monster collaborated with the video game Tekken 8, launching the "Gentle Monster x Tekken 8" collection inspired by characters from the game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gentlemonster.com/int/shop/list/collaborations/tekken8|title=GENTLE MONSTER x TEKKEN8|website=Gentle Monster|access-date=April 15, 2024}}

Additional collaborations include, but are not limited to Overwatch 2, World of Warcraft, D’heygere, Moncler, Fendi, Alexander Wang.

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Category:Sunglasses

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Category:South Korean companies established in 2011