With a sizeable demographic of affluent and savvy shoppers, Tokyo has long been a haven for luxury brands, both homegrown and from overseas. And while many have a permanent retail presence, especially in the plush shopping grounds of the Japanese capital, some brands, such as BYREDO, go the extra yard to keep their following mesmerised. The Stockholm-based fragrance and accessories brand has just inaugurated A Midwinter’s Tale Café, an ephemeral installation which celebrates the launch of its 2026 Midnight Tale holiday collection at StandBy, an event space smack in the middle of Harajuku‘s maze of streets. So, the holiday collection is inspired by Scandinavian winter traditions, and the installation itself takes cues from the Dalarna province, situated northwest from Stockholm. It’s a part of the country which has a strong folkloric tradition with local arts and festivities.
Mind you, the venue has been entirely transformed, and now features a façade that’s partially clad in timber and dipped in Falu red, a hue which adorns traditional houses across Scandinavia, and paired with white-painted gables and trimmings. Inside, shoppers find a homey setting with traditional timber furnishings where to sit back and enjoy a drink and a bite. Overhead, a myriad of suspended stars adds a touch of festive magic to the cosy setting. Next to the Midnight Tale collection, the BYREDO‘s pop-up installation offers an additional range of products from fragrances to beauty, home, and beyond, including items from its eclectic Byproduct line. And yes, as the A Midwinter’s Tale Café moniker already implies, this is also a café, offering StandBy‘s menu, in addition to specially sweets created in collaboration with Nagoya-based conceptual food artist Mayu Wakamatsu (open through Nov 3). © superfuture
A Midwinter’s Tale Café
StandBy, 5-11-1 Jingumae (Harajuku)
Tokyo 150-0001
Daily 11am-7pm
Publishers Note
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