My girlfriend and I recently returned from a holiday in Japan where we walked for what felt like hours on a particularly humid Summer’s day – all in the name of fashion.
Armed only with a tattered Superfuture map and my girlfriend’s ‘intuition’ our destination was a phantom collaboration store curated by Rei Kawakubo in the Omotesando district of Tokyo.
We eventually found the space after much lame gesturing and even lamer Japanese only to find that it was closed due to an upcoming collaboration (the blacked out windows should have given it away). And as I look at the reason that I walked for hours in the scorching sun, to no avail mind you, I can’t help but smile. It would have totally been worth the wait…
The Japanese are masters of all aspects of retail (from customer service to store design) and Rei Kawakubo’s collab space is certainly no exception. Her Comme Des Garcons flagship store in Tokyo is inhabited by the type of kooky art teacher types who compliment her wonderfully deconstructed attire perfectly. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Louis Vuitton in Japan, Kawakubo has designed six one-off bags to be sold exclusively in the store, as well as creating a retail shrine to the French luxury stalwart. Kawakubo says of the collaboration: ‘These are party bags to celebrate the 30 years of Louis Vuitton in Japan. it has been a remarkably exciting opportunity for me to have been able to participate in Louis Vuitton’s traditional design and heritage.’
