Stone Island – Minami Aoyama, Tokyo
By Rachel Tooley | December 6, 2019Aiming to enhance its connection between international consumers within the Asian market, Italian premium menswear brand, Stone Island, opened a new flagship store in one of Tokyo’s most prestigious shopping districts in September 2018.
The independent building, located in the narrow side streets of Minami Aoyama, is designed with a Japanese Tadao Ando concrete box influence, where the exposed cement walls and oversized glass windows coincide with the classic Stone Island utilitarian aesthetic. Cream, stone and yellow accents bring the inside of the shop to life, with minimal décor and imagery to create a clean, sleek character. Oak accents compliment the neutral palette of the store, adding a warmer edge to an otherwise functional design. The store is developed of two stories, measuring 300 sqm.
A minimal approach to visual merchandising is apparent within the window displays of the store. The use of half mannequins with a calico neck contributed to the paired back nature of the outlet, an effortless way to make these staple winter pieces the centre of attention, to passers-by and shoppers alike.
In store there was a cool, relaxed vibe which put shoppers at ease, as they browse through the live collections. The current seasons range hung on rails beginning from each side of the entrance. Travelling along the walls of the store, there was a huge selection of AW 19/20 products available to try on and purchase. Several puffer jackets, overshirts, jumpers and sweats were featured in store, in a rainbow of colours which are trending for this seasonal winter period. Powder blue, burnt orange, pale khaki, olive green and black were some highlighted tones that lined the rails for this season. The upstairs featured further pieces from the AW 19/20 collection and a flat lay of the ‘Fishtail Parka in David TC’ in a sand colourway.
Stone Island’s Shadow Project collection is also situated on the ground floor, beneath the shadows of the staircase. The black painted corner and carbon rails/hangers segregate the collection from the usual range, using an interesting visual concept, playing on the idea of the ‘Shadow’ project.
The Stone Island Tokyo Flagship store is located at Minami Aoyama 5-5-4, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107 0062