It’s no surprise its forward, minimalist design codes resonate well in the Land of the Rising Sun, and to serve the large following, Jil Sander has operated a steadily expanding string of boutiques and shop-in-shops in Tokyo and far beyond. The latest retail space to open its doors is in Kyoto, the very first in the city. Situated at Kyoto BAL, a multi-storey shopping complex in the heart of Kyoto and a hub of luxury brands, it occupies a spacious ground floor unit of approx. 192 sqm. (2,067 sq.ft.). The store boasts an understated design by the brand’s creative directors Luke and in collaboration with architecture practice Zimmer in Milan, featuring European travertine-clad walls, flooring, displays and shelving, offset by wall sections stuccoed in a pristine white hue and a beautiful Japanese-inspired ceiling covered in delicate timber slats. Mind you, Jil Sander‘s retail design concept is guided by a sensitive approach to design, finding an aesthetic balance in fusing the cultural heritage of the store location with the brand’s design codes and use of specific materials. The new Jil Sander store stocks men’s and women’s bags, accessories, jewellery pieces, and last but not least, the seasonal photo books that the prolific Meiers release in collaboration with different artists. In addition, and especially for the store opening, Jil Sander has collaborated with Kyoto Montsuki, a renowned local company specialised in using black dye for traditional Japanese fabric dyeing, on a version of Jil Sander‘s 7 Day Shirt.
Jil Sander
Kyoto BAL, 251 Yamazaki-cho, Kawaramachi dori, Sanjo-dori
Kyoto 604-8032
Telephone: +81 75 7441132
Daily 10am-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.
