Palace plants its Tri-ferg in mainland China
Co-founder Gareth Skewis has been travelling to China for two decades — building personal familiarity with the culture, the skate scene, and the consumer long before any retail commitment. Palace quietly built a WeChat presence in the market before a single store existed on the mainland. Hong Kong came first, in February 2026 ...and now Shanghai.
This opening didn't come out of nowhere
Location as Positioning
Zhangyuan puts Palace alongside Louis Vuitton and Dior in a revitalized heritage complex — without pretending to be them. The garden-inspired interior and in-store-only "Shang-Hi!" capsule follow the established playbook from Seoul and Tokyo: make the city the product, reward the people who showed up.
Authentic skate credentials in a luxury compound. Palace has held that balance better than most. China's consumer is sophisticated enough to notice if it shifts.
Skate and related apparel in China is growing steadily
...from a low base, but with real momentum. The Olympic effect accelerated mainstream awareness. Palace isn't chasing that wave. It's positioning for the consumer who already knew the brand before the store existed.
