Tokyo Part 2 — Store design

tokyo_vm_edits_Doverstmarkets_5In my previous post on visual merchandising in Tokyo I covered windows and in‐store displays. This post is a continuation of my last one and focuses mostly on store design in Tokyo. For those of you who haven’t had a chance to look at my last post on visual merchandising in Tokyo, please check it out here. The store design in Tokyo is nothing short of exceptional, I completely fell in love with Opening Ceremony, and Kate Spade. Dover St Markets was also a major highlight. From my experience, when comparing the visual merchandising against the store design in Tokyo, I would say that the store design wins hands down. It feels like the Japanese use their store design to communicate their brand image more so than their window displays. It would be interesting to know whether one has a bigger impact on the consumer than the other, or whether they are relatively balanced in their levels of consumer influence? In saying that, obviously the best results would always be produced when store design and visual merchandising are working in conjunction with each other. But I wonder if they where separated, if a store only had one or the other, which one would prove to be more influential in a consumers decision to purchase? Practically impossible to measure I know, but the only reason I am pondering this is because I saw a lot of stores in Japan that where purely focused on store design with very minimal VM window and in store displays. But by all means take a look and compare for yourselves and let me know your thoughts?

tokyo_vm_edits_DoverstmarketsDover St Markets — Ginza

This is the no 1 must see if you are in Tokyo! The Dover st Markets is the epitome of fashion and design comprising of 6 levels of designer labels such as Comme des Garçons, Celine, Nike lab, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, A Bathing Ape and much more.                                 

Here are a few words about the concept and direction of Dover St Markets from Rei KAWAKUBO

I want to create a kind of market where various creators from various fields gather together and encounter each other in an ongoing atmosphere of beautiful chaos: the mixing up and coming together of different kindred souls who all share a strong personal vision.”

For more info visit http://ginza.doverstreetmarket.com/index.html

 

Opening Ceremony — Harajuku                                                                             Innovation at its finest. Most inspiring place to shop hands down.

 

Kate Spade — Aoyama                                                                                               Love, love, love this. And that dressing room is so good looking!

 

Prada Flagship — Aoyama                                                                                           This store is divinely futuristic.

 Yohji Yamamoto

 

The Gyre Building — Harajuku                                                                                  Comme des Garçons — The trading museum 

Maison Martin Margiela                                                                                                  Love the use of product in the grand piano, such a classy touch.

Indigo Camping Trailer

 

Isetan Department store                                                                                              Most definitely the best department store in Tokyo. 

 

The Disney Store — Shibuya 

Alice in Wonderland cafe — Shibuya                                                                            Also known as Alice in a dancing land cafe, this is a hidden gem, it’s an underground cafe, which you either stumble upon by falling down a rabbit hole or someone gives you some very specific directions as to where it is.  However their are 6 individual alice cafes in Japan so you might just have some luck finding at least one of them.

Tokyo visual merchandising displays Spring 2014

tokyo_vm_edits_4

Recently I had the pleasure of participating in a visual merchandising trip to Tokyo. Tokyo is regarded as the one of top fashion capitals of the world with many avant‐garde designers in its midst. Tokyo is one of the few places in the world where fashion trends are taken to the extreme with the likes of harajuku and baby doll girls. It’s great, everywhere you turn you see a different fashion style, the Japanese add a whole new meaning to the word ‘unique’! They think outside the box and have impeccable design aesthetics. I would highly recommend Tokyo as a must see if your passionate about fashion and design. The best districts to visit for visual merchandising and store design would be Ginza, Harajuku, Aoyama, Shinjuku and Shibuya. Omotesandō st in Harajuku is where all the designer fashion flagships stores are located, much like the 5th ave of NYC. Architecture and store design here are not to be missed! Off this street are also many little side streets which are filled with heaps of little vintage and harajuku type fashion stores. The Harajuku district was definitely my favourite place to explore during the trip I went back there about 3 times! Check out some pictures from my trip here below. Most photo’s have been taken in Harajuku and Ginza districts.

Shiseido


 

Chanel 

 

Tomorrowland

 

Wako department store

 

Louis Vuitton

 

Hermes — Ginza 

 

Hermes — Shibuya

 

Gucci

 

Lavin

 

Fendi

 

Ginza Core

 

Dolce & Gabbana

 

Polo Ralph Lauren

 

Dior

 

Uniqlo

 

Topshop

 

Printemps                                                                                        30th anniversary celebrations.

 

Blvgari

 

Kate Spade

 

Marc by Marc Jacobs

 

Moncler 

 

Chloe

 

ChloeIsetan Department Store

 

MCM

 

Pass the Baton

 

Ragtag                                                                                                                        The cutest floor directory board I have ever seen!