As one of Tokyo‘s premier shopping destinations, leading fashion brands go the extra yard to gain a foothold here. Needless to say, ISSEY MIYAKE has had a presence here for quite some time, operating a boutique on Gasuto dori. As of late, the Japanese fashion house has upped the ante, renovating the existing store while also opening an additional retail space down the block. Dubbed ISSEY MIYAKE GINZA 442, named after its address, the store occupies three floors of a modern high-rise structure, and features an interior design by acclaimed Tokyo-based architect and longtime collaborator Tokujin Yoshioka. The premises walls and ceilings are dipped in an immaculate white hue and paired with concrete flooring, creating a light and airy atmosphere.
Furnishings are few and simple, comprising furnishing and fixtures crafted from recycled aluminium and using special techniques. The newly opened ISSEY MIYAKE 442 store carries a wide range of ISSEY MIYAKE lines, including ISSEY MIYAKE, IM Men, Pleats Please, Homme Plissé, A-POC ABLE, Bao Bao, Issey Miyake Parfums, and Issey MIyake Watch. The existing store, called ISSEY MIYAKE 445, has been revamped with similar design codes and now also boasts a ground floor gallery space called Cube. The gallery’s inaugural show, entitled IKKO TANAKA ISSEY MIYAKE No. 6, explores works by acclaimed graphic designer Ikko Tanaka (1930-2002). This store stocks the ISSEY MIYAKE lines 132 5., ISSEY MIYAKE me, Haat, and Ikko Tanaka.
Designed by Tokujin Yoshioka
Images © ISSEY MIYAKE
Photography: Masaya Yoshimura