A Matter of TASTE

TASTE is hidden deep in Shanghai’s Tianzifang area, a dense compound of small alleyways and shops on the edge of the French Concession. At once a shop space, gallery, café and restaurant, TASTE is the treasure trove and creative playground of owners Viko and Yutaka, a husband and wife duo whose combined backgrounds in photography and fashion design make their mark on every inch of the space. On the ground level of the shop, the deceptively small space holds a carefully curated collection of goods sourced from the owners’ travels around the world. Upstairs, a minimal display room leads visitors into a spacious café, a dramatic alcove, and an expansive lounge area set to become a restaurant in the near future.

TASTE深藏于上海法租界边上的田子坊，在这片密集的弄堂小巷和商铺间，大隐隐于市。既算购物空间、画廊，又作咖啡馆，餐厅，这里是藏宝地，也是Viko和Yutaka夫妻二人的乐园。作为这里的店主，他们拥有摄影和服装设计的背景，这个空间的一尺一寸都打着他们的个人印记。楼下的门面，出乎意料的小，但摆着店主们世界各地旅行中精心挑选出来的货品。楼上，穿过一个极简展示的空间，便是开阔的咖啡厅，引人注目的壁龛，宽阔的沙发区，这些将在不久的将来汇合成一个餐厅。

The concept of TASTE is playfully modeled on the idea of brainwaves, says Viko. Entering TASTE is meant to be like walking into a person’s brain. The space can be defined infinitely – it’s unlimited in its possibilities. The space itself is constantly growing and learning as humans do.

TASTE的概念玩味性地建立在脑波的主意上，Viko说。走进TASTE就像走进一个人的大脑。这个空间可以有无限种定义，无限种可能。它本身在不停地成长变化，犹如人类一样渐学渐进。

Coming from a family who loves antiques, Viko started collecting as a young child. Small objects and perfumes were especially attractive to her. After becoming a documentary photographer in 2009, she traveled around the world, bringing small objects from far-flung places. As her collection grew, she decided to open a shop so that these carefully selected treasures could be shared with more friends and outsiders. TASTE is the result: an ever-changing space filled with many curiosities, stories, and experiences.

来自一个古董钟爱者家庭的Viko，自小便开始收藏。小物件和香水对她来说总有特别的吸引力。在2009年成了一名纪实摄影师之后，她行走世界各地，把远方的小物件搬运了回来。随着藏品越来越多，她决定开一个店铺。这样，她就可以把这些经过细心挑选的宝贝分享给更多朋友了。TASTE就是这么来的，一个总在变化的空间，一个充满了奇珍异品、经历故事的空间。

Walking through the TASTE space, there are markedly distinct personality shifts in each room. Viko says, “For the new TASTE Space, we had this idea that it would be like a musical score. The first floor is weird and decorative, while the second floor is warm and light-filled. There’s a friendly and sunny coffee area. Finally there’s a quiet and solemn exhibition zone. The space gives surprises, which I love, and it’s a surprise for everyone.”

在TASTE，每个房间都有着各自独特的个性。Viko说: “关于这个新的TASTE Space，我们当时有这样一个想法，就是让它看起来像个乐章。现在，一楼古古怪怪，富有装饰性的；二楼是温暖的，灯光盈盈；还有一个阳光直射得到的、轻松友好的咖啡区。最后，我们还有一个安静、单独的展览区。这个空间常给人带来惊喜，这点我很喜欢，这种惊喜是为每一个人准备的。”

In the megacity of Shanghai there are few things which can’t be found; however, the collection at TASTE includes perfumes, cutlery, leather goods, and beautiful objects that have no functional use. One-of-a-kind things or product sourced from small international labels are clustered together, ranging from jewelry, coffee devices, stationary, money clips and wallets, to tailor-made scissors, rare scents and aromas, and unique ceramic pieces.

在上海这样的大城市，很少有你找不到的东西。尽管如此，TASTE充满了香水、餐具、皮具，还有一堆并没有实际用途的漂亮东西。来自全球各种小品牌的孤品，在这里汇集在一起，从珠宝、咖啡具、文具、钱夹钱包，到裁缝剪刀、稀有香氛，再到独特的陶瓷器品，应有尽有。

“I’m looking for creations which grab my eye, no matter where it’s from, who made it, if it is new or antique. I want to share these wonderful things with more people. That is the essence of TASTE,” says Viko Wu.

“我正在寻找的是能够抓住我眼球的东西，不管它来自哪里，由谁创作，也不管它是新的，还是旧的。我想把这些美好的东西和更多的人分享。这也是TASTE的本质。”Viko Wu说道。