Old Dog, New Tricks

Takeo Kikuchi

Iconic Japanese menswear brand Takeo Kikuchi may have been in business since 1984, but the opening of their new and long-waited global flagship in Shibuya has confirmed their aesthetic is anything but old-fashioned.

In fact the look, feel and functionality of the Schemata Architects-designed space couldn’t be more modern, with clever built-in labour and time-saving details intended to enhance the shopping experience and transcend traditional retail culture.

While timber-framed sections of the store’s glazed façade can be opened to let natural ventilation into the 3-storey space, weary shoppers can be further refreshed by a mid-spree time-out in the relaxed pretty garden or in the seamlessly-integrated third-floor café. When it comes to fit-out, the store’s cool grey and raw wood-accented, industrial-chic décor offers the perfect backdrop to TK’s modern take on classic men’s tailoring, with tapered, ankle-grazing pant legs, cropped blazers, waistcoats, rich, textured fabrics and vintage-inspired accessories like slouchy caps and fedoras typifying the brand’s signature look.

When it’s time to pay, forget queuing at a cash register – instead purchases are made via any of the shop assistants roving the floor, how’s that for handy! The store of the future? We think so. Now, where’s that shop assistant...