A new space has opened on the 2nd floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building Creators, that will showcase various cultures, including the "music culture" and "skate culture" that underlie the creations, alongside fashion. A permanent DJ space will also be set up, and events are planned mainly on weekends, making it likely to become a hangout for culture lovers.

What is "COM," the new hangout for culture lovers located on the 2nd floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building ?

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"There's always something interesting happening at ISETAN MEN'S . It's a place where you can encounter new culture and information. We want to create that kind of environment. Ideally, Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building will become recognized as a new hub for culture and information dissemination."

These are the words of Jun Higuchi, buyer for the men's creators section on the 2nd floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building . Having overseen the 2nd floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building we asked him about the aims and intentions behind the renovation.


"When Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building opened about 15 years ago, I think the purchasing style was largely based on superficial factors like 'this brand/shop is popular' or 'this style is trending.' Since then, times have changed, and instead of one big trend driving everything, the values of each person who enjoys fashion have diversified, and it feels like we've seen a shift towards micro-trends. People find value in designers they can relate to, or in the background and style of a brand. I think these more internal factors have become more important."

The world is changing rapidly, driven by the development of e-commerce sites and various infrastructures. Naturally, this inevitably leads to changes in people's lifestyles and what they seek in fashion. This large-scale remodel is the result of re-examining the strengths unique to physical stores in line with these changing trends. The new statement is "As a man, and As a human." Across all floors of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , the aim is to further enhance each customer's personalized shopping experience by utilizing both digital and analog technologies and strategies.

"For this renovation, we've created three distinct zones on the second floor. These are linked to the backgrounds and influences of each designer and creator. For example, there's an area that brings together avant-garde and artistic designers who are influenced by film, art, or landscapes they've traveled to. There's an area that focuses on the 'spirit' of the designers, where their own philosophy and policies are strongly expressed. And finally, there's an area that connects to various cultures such as music culture and skate culture. We've broadly divided the space into these three zones."

In addition to these three editorial areas, numerous communication spaces have been newly created throughout the entire second floor. This is intended to leverage the unique strengths of a physical store by fostering closer communication with customers, and it takes various forms, from large counter tables to DJ booths.

"The second floor used to be crammed with many brands and products, and for better or worse, it was solely focused on 'buying things.' But now, you can buy almost anything from all over the world online. So, we want people to enjoy the act of 'shopping' itself, not just buying things, and to enjoy the time and space involved. To achieve this, we thought it was important to reduce the number of products and instead focus on close communication through dialogue. That's how the communication space was born."

We have launched a new initiative in collaboration with Spotify.

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On the second floor, numerous DJs have been making surprise appearances at the DJ booth since the first day of the soft opening, providing new excitement to shoppers. In the future, events are planned, mainly on weekends, and a collaboration with Spotify, the world's largest music streaming service originating from Sweden, will also begin.

"Spotify allows users to access music from all over the world, while also demonstrating its own unique curation and editing capabilities through official playlists and other features. It also uses a sophisticated algorithm to provide recommendations based on listeners' personal data. We strongly resonated with these aspects, which led to this initiative. In the future, we will create playlists linked to the brands and worldviews of the zone and distribute cards with codes for them. Our aim is for people to take home not only products but also culture."

One of Mr. Higuchi's future goals is "community building."

"We want the second floor to be a gathering place for fashion and culture lovers. A place where such customers can come together, interact, and create new movements from there."

The three eye-catching promotional spaces on the second floor were likely the result of considering what was needed to achieve that goal.

"Art Up" focuses on artists and artworks through its unique curation; "Pop-up" features the latest noteworthy brands; and finally, "Pavilion" showcases original content that combines creators with other creators or creators with artists. From these spaces, a variety of culture and information will be disseminated.

[Spotify | Vol. 1] A playlist for those who seek their own unique style, whether in fashion or music.

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The first playlist to commemorate this occasion is "IDENTITY Vol.1". It has a close relationship with "street" culture, which is a current trend, and "HIPHOP" is the keyword for this season's selections in this corner.

This playlist is perfect for those unfamiliar with hip-hop, offering an introduction to classic hits that will impress even hardcore hip-hop fans. It's a selection of smash-hit masterpieces, ideal for those who express themselves through fashion and pursue new challenges and their own unique style in music.

 

 

[Spotify | Vol. 2] 8 Playlists Handpicked by Male Creators

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In Vol. 2, Men's Creators has carefully selected eight playlists from the official Spotify playlists available. The sales staff on the floor will act as both "stylists" and "music concierges," offering not only fashion suggestions but also playlists tailored to each customer's preferences. Be sure to scan the Spotify code on the sticker distributed in-store and enjoy the playlists.

 

Text: Takazumi Hosaka (Spincoaster)
Photo: Hideyuki Seta

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Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 2nd Floor = Men's Creators
03-3352-1111 (main representative)
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