1.Prologue
The select shops based in Shibuya/Harajuku that I’ve covered in this series so far are mostly targeted towards twenty and thirty-somethings, but today I’m writing about shops catering to well-to-do shoppers in their thirties and forties.
The most prominent example is Barneys New York, which first arrived in Shinjuku in 1989 under license to upscale fashion retailer Isetan. In addition to that Shinjuku store, it currently has a flagship store in Ginza, and stores in Roppongi, Yokohama, Kobe, and Fukuoka.It continues to be very popular among discerning men and women with plenty of disposable income.
The most iconic high-end select shop of Japanese origin is perhaps Wako, which stands on the Ginza 4-chome crossing. Its famous clock tower has long been a symbol of the store—which opened as Hattori Tokei Ten (now Seiko Holdings Corporation)—as well as the neighborhood as a whole.
As a work of architecture the building is familiar to any Japanese, but relatively few have ever stepped foot inside. In terms of floorspace the store is not particularly big, and the offerings are more about quality rather than quantity. It is a purveyor of the finer things in life.
They say that any young Tokyo socialite of true social standing gets her trousseau from Wako.
High-end select shops
2.Barneys New York
Barneys New York was founded in 1923 as a luxury department store that interpreted European fashion and lifestyle through a uniquely New Yorker lens.
In the 60s it became a known quantity among male consumers as a high-end suit specialist, and then in the 70s it became one of the world’s biggest men’s wear stores after it introduced Giorgio Armani to America. That same decade it also started up a women’s department. In the 80s it deepened its ties with the world of art, commissioning artists to design displays and decorations, as well as putting on pop-up art galleries. It continues to be a favorite shopping destination of American celebrities.
In 1989 Barneys Japan was founded in partnership with Isetan, and the first Barneys New York store in Japan was opened in Shinjuku in 1990. Currently the brand is a subsidiary of Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd., with six locations in Tokyo and throughout Japan (not counting outlet stores).
Under its motto “Select, don’t settle", Barneys offers a selection of custom ordered products from famous brands, as well as collaborations with up-and-coming designers. It also has a popular lineup of refined items from its private label, including neckties and tote bags.
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Barneys New York Ginza Store
Barneys New York Roppongi
3.Wako
Wako is an ultra high-end department store located along Ginza’s main thoroughfare that is famous for catering to the Imperial family. It was founded in 1881 as Hattori Tokei Ten (now Seiko Holdings Corporation), mostly selling imported watches and other accessories. Today it offers the finest watches, jewelry, products for women and men, tableware, and more, selected from Japan and around the world. It also has its own private collection of Wako watches, Wako bridal wear, and more. The Neo-Renaissance style building is topped by a clock tower, which is beloved by the Japanese as a symbol of Ginza.
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Ginza Wako
There are a number of select shops for discerning shoppers along Aoyama-dori and Kotto-dori. Here are some of my favorites.
4.STRASBURGO
This store offers a selection of brands that are distinctly Italian, distinctly French, distinctly British, distinctly American, etc. It was founded in Osaka in 1990, expanded to Tokyo in 1997, and currently operates 12 locations around the country. You’ll find only the best of the best, including suits from Italian fabric maker Lardini, neckties from Italian fabric maker Kiton, and shoes from English luxury leather shoemaker Edward Green. Strasburgo also has a number of in-house brands, including their vintage-chic casualwear line &WORKS, a line of superior products meant for special occasions called ICHORAI, and comfortable yet stylish designs for avid travelers from JOURNEYMAN.
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STRASBURGO Minami-Aoyama Store
STRASBURGO Ginza Store
5.TATRAS & STRADA EST Minami-Aoyama
This store is comprised of Tatras—a high-end down jacket brand run in a three-way partnership between companies in Italy, Poland, and Japan—and a select shop retail concept it runs, called Strada Est. “Strada” means “road” or “way” in Italian, while “est” means “east”. It puts forth a lifestyle vision characterized by Italian and other European high fashion brands tailored for Japanese consumers. You’ll find Tatras down jackets—a favorite item of choi-waru oyaji (middle-aged men with the heart of a bad boy)—on the basement floor.
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TATRAS & STRADA EST Minami-Aoyama
6.British Made
This select shop brings traditional British craftsmanship to discerning Japanese shoppers. It offers signature products from long-established British brands, including bridle leather bags and accessories from Glenroyal, quilted jackets from Lavenham, and leather shoes from Church’s, and neckties from Drake’s. The classic designs have stood the test of time, and each item is the real deal—the kind you’ll want to pass down from parent to child.
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BRITISH MADE Aoyama
7.Vulcanize London
Vulcanize London is a Japanese select shop that aims to recreate the shopping experience of a traditional British shopping arcade. It sells handcrafted luggage from Globe-Trotter, made from vulcanized fiberboard and other materials, as well as stationery from Royal Warrant holder Smythson, contemporary British men’s style from Hackett London, umbrellas from Fox Umbrella, and other modern luxury classics from the U.K. My favorite is Smythson, which is known for its diaries and notebooks, but also sells great leather accessories. The other day I purchased one of their dark blue wallets. The store in Aoyama has an in-store cafe, serving up handmade British pastries like muffins, scones, and apple pie.
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VULCANIZE LONDON AOYAMA
8.Epilogue
Today department stores have become a dying breed in the retail industry, but at one time they were popular select shops in their own right.
Up through the 80s, department stores were places that spotlighted the latest brands and designers and established styles and trends. Takashimaya and Mitsukoshi, in the Nihonbashi neighborhood, were the place to go for European brands, while Isetan was at the forefront of fashion. Seibu Department Store was the only place you could buy Ralph Lauren.
However, starting the 90s, department stores began to lose their creative steam, and shifted (regressed) to a business model where they rented out space to major apparel retailers.
And that made sense from a business perspective—in the short term, at least. But lowered risk also meant that department stores lost their distinctive luster and air of excitement.
After the economic bubble burst, other retail businesses took advantage: select shops stepped up, and shopping malls backed by considerably more financial resources began expanding. Department stores lost any brand value they had remaining.
As a result, various rival department stores were left with no choice but to join forces and undergo mergers to keep their businesses alive.
After the turn of the century, department stores have had to shutter many of their locations in provincial cities throughout the country.
Even the Seibu Department Store, which stands in a prime location by the bustling Shibuya Station area, always seems to be near empty.
Meanwhile, the Isetan Men’s building in Shinjuku is constantly trying new and interesting things with its retail space, and is a place that you can count on to open your eyes to some new brand or designer.
Over in Ginza, shopping destinations like Ginza Six and Tokyu Plaza Ginza are also not content to rest on their laurels. However, the placement of shops and the layout and design of the retail spaces leaves something to be desired (it feels like a series of disconnected spaces, with each shop doing its own thing). It makes the shopping experience a little less exciting.
So the question is, will department stores be able to get their groove back?
