Representing almost 40% of the brand’s turnover, you could very well say Japan is Paul Smith‘s most significant overseas market. Surprisingly, the British brand has operates around 200 stores in the Land of the Rising Sun, but still sees room for growth, especially in coveted shopping grounds such as Ginza in downtown Tokyo. Paul Smith has secured a prominent location on Harumi dori and a stone’s throw away from the flagship stores of Bottega Veneta, Giorgio Armani and Gucci, occupying 306 sqm. (3,294 sq.ft.) set across three floors. The company’s in-house design team has gone the extra yard to create an exceptional store, starting with a distinctive aluminium façade panels with a lenticular effect in green and blue, and a green marble base. Upon entering the store, shoppers find a setting inspired by French architect Pierre Chareau‘s iconic Maison de verre in Paris.
The setting is understated yet welcoming, featuring flooring of grey tiles, pristine white walls and glass panels as a backdrop for the brand’s accessories and jewellery pieces. Furnishings comprise a mix of a curated number of both vintage and custom-made pieces, such as Rosenthal‘s round table by Vico Magistretti and a Parker Knoll sofa. The basement sees a setting which is more or less similar, albeit alternated with timber wall panels and a comfy Mid-century modern seating arrangement that’s compatible with the impeccable Paul Smith suit offerings and made-to-measure service. The top floor is all white, except for a sales counter in soft blue and a bright orange fitting room. Large ceiling lights add to the slightly futuristic visual dynamic which aligns well with the young and sporty PS Paul Smith line that’s on display here.
Paul Smith
Ginza Chuo Building, 4-3-10 Ginza (Ginza)
Tokyo 104-0061
Telephone: +81 3 35645566
Daily 11am-8pm
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
