From Shelves to Content Platform: What Did Hangzhou in77 Do Right?

The charm of business lies partly in its environment and partly in the content it can cultivate. Looking around the world, there are plenty of classic examples. Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, with its open-air luxury flagship stores, is deeply embedded in Hollywood culture, attracting global tourists as a pilgrimage site. The Marais district in Paris, filled with public and private art galleries, foundations, and a mix of history, culture, and countless small shops, forms a naturally growing labyrinth. The former is a top-down design legend, while the latter is a retro, organic growth. In comparison, domestic commercial spaces often play the role of urban fillers, facing more concrete challenges. There are too many places, too few brands, and the operational teams are constantly confronted with the impossible triangle of KPIs—big foot traffic, high repeat purchases, and large-scale coverage. Fortunately, our streets also embrace organic growth, but long-term industry innovation still requires leading players to drive it. One such example is Hangzhou’s In77, by West Lake. A few years ago, it was merely a large shopping district composed of several zones, serving both locals and tourists. However, in the past two years, its international fashion status has been climbing, and it has begun actively creating content, which is worth noting.Let’s start with the shift in fashion narratives, exemplified by the Hangzhou Lakefront International Beauty Festival 5.0 during this year’s National Day.

The Lakefront shopping area hosts two International Beauty Festivals every year, becoming a city-level event. In the past, consumers’ expectations were mostly centered around brand promotions during this event, but this year it was different. There was more emphasis on immersive experiences. For participating brands, it was an opportunity to break the “traditional refinement” and “countertop image” by stepping into an illustrated world and communicating with the masses.Starting with the booth design, In77 chose not to collaborate with traditional industry masters but instead worked with a niche artist who specializes in hand-drawn artwork, reflecting the current surge in AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content). The artist, Qu Yi, whose unique lines and color styles have earned her collaborations with The British Museum, Chinatown, and University College London, based the visual theme around her original work, Freedom. Inspired by Eden, the piece begins with an apple held in a giant hand, not the forbidden fruit from the Bible, but the artist’s own representation of “freedom”—presenting beauty products as an experiential ritual.Upon entering the champagne-colored archway, you are immediately immersed in a vibrant and youthful artistic atmosphere, as though you’re on the Champs-Élysées. This setting perfectly aligns with the peak of the “self-enjoyment” emotion of today’s society. Going beyond the traditional “shopping festival” framework, this event felt more like an artistic city-level event co-created by In77 and top brands.

The disconnect between reality and expectation is the surprise In77 aims to create.For the younger, more self-aware generation, picking apples in Eden also evokes the phrase, “Rebuild yourself.” You see, the impulse to consume starts with an aesthetic resonance. We have all become accustomed to the inertia of high-end brands—luxurious and sophisticated but often distant. However, in the international high-end market, decision-making chains are long, and standard actions like celebrity endorsements, blockbuster ads, and holiday gift boxes are the least risky and most internally acceptable. But as they say, an elephant doesn’t dance easily. Over-standardization inevitably suppresses innovation, leading to outdated perceptions. In77 didn’t attempt to change the DNA of the brands; rather, it provided them with a safe yet efficient “innovation laboratory.” Brands no longer need to build an event from scratch; they can integrate into the overall plans of events like beauty festivals or fashion shows, completing cutting-edge, artistic marketing experiments at relatively low cost and risk.On another level, commercial spaces now play the role of “art curators.” By supporting the most cutting-edge and experimental cultural productions, they imbue the entire area with spiritual core and fashion authority. This is an example of how businesses, in a fast-paced environment, pursue a balance and adopt a “slow” mentality and values.

The shift from offline channels to platforms marks a change in both fashion status and influence. At Hangzhou In77, you can clearly feel a transformation in its aura. On one hand, it still serves as the city’s landmark, welcoming guests from all directions. On the other hand, it has long moved beyond being merely a “selling space” to becoming a self-assured fashion curator—a place where brands and consumers can “talk aesthetics” and “discuss life.”This shift is not only reflected in the volume of brands that have moved in but also in how In77 redefines its relationship with brands and consumers as a “platform entity.” In the past, we were used to seeing international brands entering with their own strong aesthetics, with the commercial space playing a passive role as “offline channels.” But now, that traditional partnership is being disrupted.The key upgrade of the physical space—especially the transformation of the “Xizi Corridor”—is an essential step in these efforts. From connecting AD areas to immersive 4D visual displays combining art and technology, this transformation creates dynamic shows that attract top luxury brands like Boucheron, Bulgari, Piaget, and Tiffany. But what truly turns fashion into content is the high-profile events held year-round. For example, last year, the 2024 International Materials Fashion Show fused cutting-edge fabrics with local culture, showcasing Hangzhou’s unique fashion narrative and adding a new fashion card for the city.

In 2023’s 520 Valentine’s Day event, a partnership with contemporary artist AKA Uncle resulted in the Hey & Bye exhibition, filling the mall’s corners with healing-style art that warmed visitors. Similarly, the UPWARD public art installation by artist Huang Yulong, installed in July, challenged audiences’ perceptions of youth culture while attracting young people to engage with art. And this summer, the Jackson Wang exhibition, which went viral on Xiaohongshu, saw fans flooding the Armani pop-up booth, where youthful passion and fashion collided, making the brand space a more engaging social venue.The upcoming Intimate Audrey Hepburn exhibition this October promises to create another wave of aesthetic resonance within this commercial space. The real power behind In77’s influence comes not from “how many big brands it has introduced,” but from its ability to make fashion feel grounded in real life, allowing international brands to integrate into local culture. This shift from being “brand’s accessory” to being a content leader that defines “fashion lifestyle” is the core of its transformation.From “being chosen by brands” to “co-creating with brands,” and now to “actively drawing brands in,” In77 has made great strides in transforming into a fashionable landmark for the commercial area through highly sensitive fashion events and topic-driven brand interactions.

The meticulous operation behind this “commercial mental model” has made “shopping at Lakefront” a subconscious choice for Hangzhou residents. This “commercial mental model” was not built in a day. It is a result of In77’s keen insights into contemporary consumer emotions and its detailed operations. It understands that people don’t want a cold retail space but a destination where surprises and experiences await. This operational prowess is most evident in the renovation of Area D.Remember the iconic Victoria’s Secret store? It represented an exuberant, sexy high-street era. But in today’s world, where “emotional value” is key, In77 decisively transformed it into a luxury fragrance zone, shifting from a “shelf-centric” logic focused on maximizing square footage to creating an “atmosphere space” focused on emotional experiences. Stores are no longer isolated points; they form a “lifestyle living room” that collectively creates immersive experiences. Consumers come not to buy a specific product but to experience the surprises discovered in the process of shopping.This “sense of surprise” is continuously generated through frequent pop-ups, flagship stores, and themed exhibitions. Looking ahead to 2024 and 2025, In77 has become a “first-store harvesting machine,” bringing in a series of high-profile brand flagship stores, alongside numerous national first-stores and limited-time pop-ups. This keeps the shopping center alive with constant freshness. Behind these actions lies a diverse and high-quality brand ecosystem.

You never know what new brand, exhibition, or event you’ll encounter on your next visit—this uncertainty and uniqueness are exactly what make offline commerce irreplaceable.Today, many commercial districts talk about “iteration,” but most simply replace brands and refresh walls. What sets In77 apart is that its iteration “follows consumer needs.” It understands that consumers no longer want to be “pushed to buy” but want to experience art curation and slow-paced experiences. It knows that young people want “exclusivity,” so it introduces bespoke scents and first-store experiences. It understands that Hangzhou people can’t live without West Lake, so it connects the “Xizi Corridor” with the lake, giving the district a “city-like” atmosphere. In77’s transformation is a demonstration that, in today’s commercial competition, the battle is not about standalone buildings or the number of brands. It’s about a district’s coordination ability, ecosystem-building capacity, and continuous content generation ability.From a “shelf” to a “content hub,” this is the path Hangzhou In77 is currently practicing, much like Acne Studios’ unique architectural experience in the Marais district. What’s more advantageous is that In77, while encouraging “organic growth,” leverages its platform capabilities to scale content creation and ecological nourishment on a larger scale. This is also why head players in the industry need to take the lead in driving innovation.