Yemaek Design Group and Peculiar Concept create game-changing Black Elephant Design joint venture

Prologue: Two of Asia’s leading design companies, South Korean firm Yemaek Design and Singapore-based Peculiar Concept – both renowned for their travel retail experience and expertise – have joined forces to create a joint venture called Black Elephant Design.

The new business, which has dual bases in Singapore and South Korea, marries complementary strengths in its mission to create outstanding brand environments that engage emotionally with travelling consumers. {Seoul-based Yemaek Design Group comprises Yemaek Korea, specialising in cosmetics and fashion design manufacturing, and LEJnPartners, for visual merchandising and interior design}

Peculiar Concept Chief Executive Officer Raymond Noel and Chief Operating Officer Eugene Lim, Yemaek Design Group Chairman Lee Eung-jong and LEJnPartners Chief Executive Officer Jeong Sookyung spoke to The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie about a breakthrough alliance embracing a shared belief that great spaces are more than simply built environments. Instead, they are experiences that inspire, connect and leave an enduring impression.

This article first appeared in The Moodie Davitt Report Magazine (digital and print) that was published to coincide with the recent TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference.

Martin Moodie: What were the driving forces and strategic rationale behind this JV announcement?

Black Elephant Design: The joint venture between Yemaek Design Group and Peculiar Concept is driven by a shared ambition to create a stronger, more complete offering for brands seeking high-quality retail environments – particularly within the fast-evolving travel retail landscape.

At its core, the partnership brings together two complementary strengths.

Yemaek Design Group contributes decades of expertise in precision manufacturing, project execution and global-scale delivery. With established production infrastructure and extensive experience supporting international luxury brands, Yemaek Design Group also provides the technical reliability and operational depth required to execute complex retail environments consistently across markets.

Peculiar Concept contributes strong capabilities in creative direction, experiential design and customer journey development. With a focus on immersive storytelling and innovative retail engagement, Peculiar brings a forward-looking approach to brand environments that connect emotionally with modern consumers.

What were the key driving forces behind the joint venture?

We would say there were five, as follows:

1. Delivering a true one-stop solution

Clients increasingly require partners who can manage the full journey – from concept and creative development to production, installation and maintenance. This collaboration allows both companies to provide a seamless end-to-end solution under one unified structure.

2. Expanding within travel retail and global markets

Both companies share the ambition to strengthen their presence in travel retail environments such as airports, duty-free locations and global flagship destinations. By combining regional networks and expertise, the JV creates a stronger platform for international expansion beyond the APAC market.

3. Combining creativity with buildability

Great design must be supported by strong technical execution. The JV ensures that creative ideas are developed with real-world feasibility in mind, improving efficiency, reducing risk, and enhancing overall project quality.

4. Creating stronger value for global brands

Luxury and premium brands increasingly seek partners who understand both brand storytelling and operational excellence. By combining creative innovation with reliable production capabilities, the JV is well-positioned to deliver impactful, consistent brand environments across multiple markets.

5. Building a long-term strategic platform for growth

Beyond individual projects, the JV represents a long-term vision to establish a globally recognised capability in retail design and build strengthening competitiveness, scalability and industry positioning for both parties.

The fundamental attraction of most joint ventures is that the qualities each player brings to the party makes 1 + 1 add up to more than 2. How do you see the formation of Black Elephant Design in that context?

As we mentioned, each partner brings a distinct strength, but together they create a complete ecosystem that delivers far greater value than either could achieve alone.

Yemaek Design Group brings deep expertise in technical execution, manufacturing precision and large-scale project delivery.

With decades of experience supporting global luxury brands, a strong production infrastructure and a proven track record in retail environments, Yemaek Design Group ensures every concept is built with consistency, efficiency and uncompromising quality.

Peculiar Concept brings strength in creative strategy, immersive storytelling and customer experience design. With its capabilities spanning concept design, digital integration and experiential activations, the company transforms ideas into engaging brand environments that resonate emotionally with consumers.

Together, the synergy creates something more powerful:

• Creativity that is buildable
• Production that enhances design intent
• Ideas that are both inspiring and executable
• A seamless one-stop solution from concept to completion
• Stronger regional presence with global scalability

This partnership bridges the gap between imagination and execution – allowing brands to move faster, innovate confidently, and achieve consistent excellence across markets.

Because when visionary creativity meets proven execution, 1 + 1 becomes far greater than 2.

What are the JV’s key goals and aspirations, short, medium and long term?

Starting with the short term (0-12 months), we plan to:

• Establish a strong and seamless collaboration framework between Yemaek and Peculiar Concept, aligning processes across design, production and project execution.
• Deliver successful pilot projects in shop renovation and counter fit-out, particularly within travel retail environments.
• Present a unified one-stop solution offering to existing and new clients.
• Build market confidence by demonstrating the combined strengths of creative design and production excellence.

For the medium term (1-3 years), the focus will be to:

• Strengthen presence across the APAC region, expanding into key travel retail hubs such as airports, duty-free locations and other flagship retail environments.
• Grow our client portfolio with global beauty, fashion and luxury brands.
• Develop standardised workflows that improve efficiency, scalability and consistency across multiple markets.
• Expand capabilities in digital integration, customer experience and immersive retail environments.
• Build strong brand recognition as a trusted partner for end-to-end retail solutions.

In the long term (3-5 years and beyond) we wish to:

• Expand beyond APAC into global markets, establishing the JV as an international design-and-build partner for travel retail and retail environments worldwide.
• Be recognised as one of the key players in the industry, known for both creative innovation and reliable production capabilities.
• Continue investing in innovation, sustainability and new technologies to enhance customer experience and project delivery.
• Build a strong global network that allows consistent quality and service across regions.
• Create a long-term platform for strategic growth, partnerships, and industry leadership.

How is the newco structured?

The joint venture company, Black Elephant Design, has been established as a strategic partnership between Yemaek Korea’s Jason Lee & LEJnPartners’s Jeong Sookyung and Peculiar Concept’s Raymond Noel & Eugene Lim.

As we suggested earlier, it combines the strengths of both organisations into a unified platform focused on delivering integrated design-and-build solutions.

Black Elephant Design is structured to leverage the complementary expertise of both parties, bringing together creative design, technical development, production and project execution under one coordinated framework.

This structure allows the joint venture to operate efficiently while ensuring consistency in quality, communication and delivery across markets.

The formation of the company reflects a shared long-term commitment to collaboration, innovation and growth, particularly within travel retail and retail environments globally.

In terms of timeline, the joint venture was formed on 15 April following strategic discussions between both parties to identify opportunities for deeper collaboration and regional expansion.

The creation of Black Elephant Design represents a forward-looking initiative designed to strengthen capabilities, expand geographic reach and provide clients with a seamless one-stop solution from concept to completion.

One of the keys to any joint venture’s success is how you combine the two companies’ philosophies into one harmonious whole. Which, as history tells us, is not as easy as it sounds. Your thoughts?

We believe true integration does not mean losing identity – it means strengthening each other’s strengths to create something more complete and meaningful.

Yemaek Design Group’s philosophy is built on precision, reliability and excellence in execution, ensuring every project is delivered with consistency, quality and strong technical foundation developed through decades of experience working with global brands.

Peculiar Concept’s philosophy is driven by creativity, innovation and immersive storytelling, focusing on transforming ideas into engaging brand experiences that connect emotionally with audiences and enhance the customer journey.

The harmony comes from aligning around a shared purpose to deliver meaningful spaces where creativity and craftsmanship coexist seamlessly.

We aim to combine both philosophies through:

• Mutual respect for expertise – allowing design thinking and technical execution to inform each other from the earliest stage
• Collaborative processes – integrating concept, engineering and production teams to ensure ideas are both visionary and feasible
• Shared commitment to quality – upholding the highest standards across both creative output and final build
• Unified client experience – presenting a seamless, one-stop solution that simplifies the journey for brands
• Continuous learning mindset – embracing cultural and operational differences as opportunities to grow stronger together

Rather than blending into sameness, we aim to create balance – where creativity is supported by structure, and precision is elevated by imagination.

In doing so, the collaboration becomes more than a partnership; it becomes a platform for delivering consistently exceptional work across markets and industries.

Will Black Elephant focus exclusively on travel retail?

While the joint venture has a strong strategic focus on the travel retail channel, our services are not exclusively limited to the sector.

Travel retail presents a natural starting point due to both companies’ extensive experience supporting global beauty, fashion and luxury brands in airport environments, duty-free stores and high-traffic international retail locations.

These environments require a high level of coordination between design, production, logistics and installation, an area where the combined strengths of Yemaek Design Group and Peculiar Concept create strong value.

At the same time, the JV’s capabilities extend across a wider spectrum of retail and experiential environments, including:

• Department stores and flagship boutiques
• Pop-ups and brand activations
• Shop-in-shop concepts and counters
• Commercial interiors and retail renovations
• Experiential and digital-integrated brand environments

By leveraging both companies’ combined expertise in creative design, project management, production and installation, the JV is well-positioned to support brands across multiple channels, ensuring consistency and quality regardless of location.

Travel retail is therefore a key pillar – but not the sole focus within a broader vision to provide integrated retail solutions across regional and global markets.

How would you describe your combined geographic focus?

The joint venture’s geographic focus is strategically centred on the Asia Pacific region, where both Yemaek Design Group and Peculiar Concept already have an established presence, operational capabilities and strong client relationships.

Yemaek Design Group operates across key markets, including Korea, Japan and Vietnam, China (where it has its own manufacturing factory) supported by a global network of partners and export experience spanning more than 20 countries.

Peculiar Concept complements this reach with offices and project experience across Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Thailand, providing strong regional coverage and local market insight.

Together, the JV is well-positioned to support projects across major travel retail and retail hubs throughout Asia, including international airports, other duty-free locations and key metropolitan cities.

Looking ahead, the combined geographic strategy includes expanding beyond APAC into additional global markets, enabling the JV to support international brands with consistent quality, efficient project execution and strong regional expertise.

By leveraging both companies’ networks, resources and local partnerships, the JV aims to build a scalable platform capable of delivering projects seamlessly across multiple regions worldwide.

It’s certainly an exciting and ambitious play. In conclusion, sum up the magnitude and what you hope will be the industry impact of the JV creation.

The creation of this joint venture represents a significant step forward in strengthening the capabilities available to brands seeking high-quality retail environments, particularly within the evolving travel retail landscape.

By combining Yemaek Design Group’ s proven strength in production, technical execution and global project delivery with Peculiar Concept’ s expertise in creative design, customer experience and digital innovation, the JV establishes a fully integrated platform that bridges the gap between concept and completion.

This synergy enables brands to benefit from a seamless, one-stop solution that enhances efficiency, consistency and overall project quality.

As retail environments continue to evolve towards more immersive, experience-led formats, the JV is well positioned to support global brands in creating meaningful spaces that resonate with modern consumers.

The collaboration also strengthens the ability to deliver projects across multiple markets, supporting scalability while maintaining high standards of craftsmanship and design excellence.

Ultimately, the formation of this JV signals a shared commitment to innovation, long-term growth, and raising the standard of design-and-build solutions within the industry. By combining complementary expertise and expanding geographic reach, the partnership is expected to contribute positively to the development of more integrated, creative and future-ready retail environments worldwide.

This joint venture represents more than a partnership. At the heart of Yemaek and Peculiar Concept lies a shared belief – that great spaces are more than just built environments; they are experiences that inspire, connect and leave a lasting impression.

Driven by a passion to transform ideas into reality, this collaboration brings together the precision and reliability of world-class production with the power of bold, creative storytelling. Every project is an opportunity to create something meaningful – where design is not only seen but felt.

Together, we are driven to redefine the future of retail by crafting immersive environments that elevate brands and engage audiences across every touchpoint.

With a vision that extends beyond borders, we aspire to shape the global landscape of travel retail – becoming a trusted partner known not only for what we build, but for the experiences we create and the impact we leave behind. ✈