Balenciaga unveils first retail space in Cancún, Mexico

Luxury fashion house Balenciaga made its debut on Friday in Cancún with the opening of its first store at La Isla Shopping Village. Spanning 580 square meters, the new store showcases the latest in Balenciaga’s men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections, along with an extensive selection of shoes, bags, accessories, eyewear, and jewelry.

Store design

The store design embraces Balenciaga’s Raw Architecture concept, an innovative approach that borrows elements of industrial, brutalist, and public space design. The concept is characterized by intentionally untreated surfaces, creating a unique, immersive shopping experience. 

The two-story structure features a glass-paned corner storefront, a matte black façade and a front-lit Balenciaga sign. Inside, customers are greeted by vast brushed concrete floors that mimic sidewalk tiles, while the walls and shelving units are crafted from folded metal and patinated concrete.

Additional design elements

Overhead, ceiling grids, varied lighting systems, and other visible technical fixtures contribute to the store's aesthetic. Completing the space’s warehouse effect are raw metal tables, hanging pipe racks, and a recycled leather bench.

Expansion into the Mexican market

The opening marks a significant expansion for Balenciaga into the Mexican market. Last month, it opened its first standalone store in Chicago, Illinois, while earlier this year, it debuted a three-floor flagship store in the newly rebuilt Toraya Ginza Building, a first in Ginza, Tokyo.