Following the opening in 2020 of its largest retail space in Japan‘s Kansai region, at the Shinpuhkan shopping centre in Kyoto, cult fragrance brand Le Labo has inaugurated a second and even more ambitious venue in the city. As if to align itself with Kyoto‘s revered cultural stature, Le Labo has inaugurated a retail space and café in a historic machiya or townhouse. Situated a stone’s throw away from Kamo River in the heart of the city, the townhouse was built in 1879, and was once home to a renowned sake brewery. , but has seen a meticulous renovation which has fully honoured the building’s architectural legacy. The settings, created by Le Labo‘s in-house design team, feature walls comprising of both old and new wooden beams, plasterwork, newly made furnishings with a vintage touch, all paired with a newly laid stone floor in some sections on the ground floor. Here, the store and a vegan café – only its third worldwide – are situated, right next to a courtyard.
One floor up, shoppers will find a fragrance organ which showcases essential oils used by a perfumer, signalling Le Labo‘s artisanal legacy, and a so-called Craftsman Room, an open atelier which celebrates the fusion of perfumery and local craftsmanship and sees a rotation of showcases. Mind you, the inaugural show by calligrapher Manabu Kamo just ended. Using kuroya washi, a traditional handmade paper originating from the city’s paper-making district, Kamo’s calligraphy embodies the fluidity and structure of delicate balance, depicting the tranquility of the Satoyama landscape and the complexities of daily life, and works were shown across the premises. The new Le Labo store carries the brand’s full range of fragrances, home scents, body and bath products, and grooming products and lifestyle items. The menu of the adjacent Le Labo café lists various coffee concoctions, teas, and a selection of tasty vegan pastries. © superfuture
Le Labo
206 Shimokicho, Shijo Umaru 2-chome
Kyoto 604-8016
Telephone +81 75 7083905
Daily 10am-7pm
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