Balabala has introduced its eighth-generation store concept with the opening of a new site in Suzhou. Centred around the theme of “growing together,” the new design aims to engage a new generation of parents and their children through an immersive retail experience.
Developed in partnership with Dalziel & Pow, the store introduces a fashion-led environment that blends child-friendly elements with a more textured spatial language. The concept will be rolled out across Balabala’s global retail network, including locations in China, the Middle East, and South East Asia.
Designed in response to China’s increasingly digital and design-conscious millennial parents, the space features a mini catwalk zone, allowing children to explore personal style in a playful and expressive way. Giant pedestal lighting and colour-blocking elements contribute to an interactive and dynamic shopping experience.
The new format continues a long-standing creative relationship between Dalziel & Pow and Balabala, which began in 2009. The redesign reflects the evolution of the brand’s retail identity in line with the growing expectations of younger families seeking more than just functional retail spaces.
Tim Gravelling, Creative Director at Dalziel & Pow, said: “Our 15-year partnership with Balabala has always been centered around the core idea of inspiring children to express themselves. The new store design not only reflects the brand’s ambition to advance into a fashionable lifestyle but also continues its original focus on the children’s group. This is not only a shopping space but also a fashion catwalk that inspires imagination allowing parents to enjoy the fun of shopping while igniting the infinite creativity of their children.”
As China’s largest childrenswear brand, Balabala operates nearly 5,000 stores and caters to children from infancy to adolescence. The updated design supports its broader aim of blending lifestyle, fashion, and everyday utility for young customers across multiple scenarios.
