On September 10, 2003, the men's annex was renamed Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building (hereinafter, Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building ) and restarted operations. Dai Kamiyama (pictured right), who was the sales manager for bags and luggage at the time of the opening, Yasumasa Futamura (pictured center), who was the leather goods buyer, and Yosuke Kagami (pictured left), who was only in his second year with the company, look back on the period from the eve of the opening to the present day.

Everyone ran towards the same goal on the eve of the opening.

Creating a new Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building that transcends existing boundaries.

Kamiyama: I returned to Japan in 2002 from my assignment in New York. At that time, the men's clothing industry was in a tough situation, and everyone was desperately trying to figure out how to get customers to buy. One unforgettable episode was when a senior colleague would call out to customers at the top of the escalator to ask them to stop by their assigned floor, but then he started doing the same thing on the descending escalator. I was surprised that he was calling out to customers as they were leaving.
—The Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building project started at precisely that time. The goal was to become the "world's No. 1 men's fashion store." It was an incredibly grand and elusive theme.

Kamiyama: To be honest, I didn't have a clear image of how to approach merchandising at first. Young, adult, senior. We eliminated the traditional department store men's clothing department structure and created new floors based on different tastes.


Futamura: We didn't have time to be intimidated. No, perhaps it would be better to say we were roused. Having a goal clearly changed our mindset. Don't lose to women's clothing, don't lose to last year—we were driven forward with passion, knowing we had no choice but to do it.
Kagami: I joined the company in the last year of the new building (for men). I attended a briefing session about the remodeling project, and my boss asked me, "Do you understand (the goal of this project)?" I honestly answered, "No, I don't," because I had no idea. My boss continued, "Where do you shop?" I answered, "Barneys (New York)." He replied, "What we are trying to create is a store like Barneys that you would want to go to." With just that one sentence, my vision became clear.


Kagami: Back then, the gentlemen's service staff took turns guiding customers to the elevators. This was because the escalators were being replaced as part of a remodel. It was also at this time that I learned that riding elevators for too long can make you dizzy.


--Could you tell us about the steps you took to get the company started?

Futamura: We started out feeling a sense of crisis because men's clothing sales were continuously declining. We listened to our customers' voices, materialized their requests, and thoroughly implemented the product range and services they wanted. From there, our motto became "We want to make Japanese men look stylish" and "We want to create the world's No. 1 Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building ."

Kamiyama: That said, I couldn't let my guard down until the very end. After the remodel, I was assigned to the men's bags and luggage department, but back then, men's bags were the kind of item that customers would typically buy after the dress shirts and ties. There were few stores whose displays we could use as reference, so even after the lineup was decided, we continued to experiment.

The shop was a stark contrast to the highly-regarded men's shoe store, which had received much praise beforehand, so there was a lot of pressure. We worked right up until the last minute the night before opening to set up the sales floor. To be honest, the anxiety outweighed the sense of accomplishment. But my boss said, "It's fine." I'm sure deep down, my boss thought it wasn't much different from before. But he still encouraged us. That's how he brought the team together.


Futamura: Products, environment, and service. When these three elements come together, you truly feel that we are at the world's highest level. Back then, we were all running full speed ahead towards the same goal.

Kagami: We definitely shared the same values.

Two turning points

—Through tireless efforts before dawn, the traditional department store men's clothing section was transformed into " Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building ." What cannot be overlooked in this process is the careful selection and arrangement of classical items that embody a man's discerning taste, and the construction of a world view by designers and creators that express cutting-edge fashion.

Kagami: Of course, it wasn't a smooth voyage. There are two turning points that are particularly memorable for me. One was the Lehman Shock in 2008. My boss saw the sales floor and reprimanded me. "Don't just stock cheap items," he said. Without realizing it, I had been swept along by the times and had become defensive. That was the moment I tightened my belt.

Another significant change was the 2014 remodel. With suits in a downtrend, there was debate about whether department stores still needed them. My boss at the time stepped in to stop the trend. He thoroughly analyzed the numbers and found a solution: the made-to-measure department. That's how Made to Measure was born. Up until then, the made-to-measure zone had typically been located in the back of the floor, but we secured the best location, right at the top of the escalator.

By constantly readjusting the axis whenever it seemed to waver, the classical music grew into a strong, robust structure.

Timeless classics and a minimal selection of products.

Kagami: I bought these EDWARD GREEN Everdon shoes I brought today in 2003. They say that good quality shoes are meant to last a lifetime, but is that really true? These shoes prove it. The lining was quite worn out, so I had them repaired, but the soles were only repaired by replacing the heels and toes. I still haven't had them resoled.

"A lifetime investment" doesn't just refer to durability. As you can see, the more you wear them, the more the upper gains color and luster.

And then there's its universality. The 888 last (used in this model) features a square toe, but it possesses a beauty that could be described as the golden ratio. A classic that will be loved across generations—and Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building has been developing this not as a single point, but as a whole.


Futamura: "To see how far we can go in realizing the product lineup that 'you'll definitely find at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building .' Even after opening, we conducted test marketing focusing on things like 'cool,' 'interesting,' and 'surprising,' and I was happy to hear customers say, 'As expected of Isetan!'"

Amidst all this, I listened to customer feedback and realized that suspenders were once a product with little demand. Believing that men's attire should be about attention to detail, I expanded our selection of suspenders. By offering a wide variety of colors and patterns, sales increased several times over. Customers were paying attention after all.

I created what I believe should be true leather goods for ISETAN MEN'S . I made a memo cover and a fountain pen case using cordovan leather. I recall selling a notebook cover that originally cost only a few hundred yen for around 20,000 yen…


Futamura: This product was created in response to requests from discerning male customers who wanted to be particular not only about their shoes, wallets, and belts, but also about their stationery in business settings. It's a product from about 20 years ago, but it still retains its luster. I hope to pass it on to my children and have them use it in another 10 years.



-- Speaking of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building I've always been impressed by their forward-thinking proposals.

Kamiyama: If I may say so myself, the organic cotton cardigan we created with Sideslope in 2009 would be a good example of that.

The previous year, 2008, was the year when efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions began under the Kyoto Protocol. However, this was not an era where eco-friendliness was a purchasing motive. It didn't immediately translate into results, but the Green Mark (the logo embroidery, which was originally red in the special order version, was changed to green to visually appeal to the brand's worldview) has since become established as one of the inline categories.



—Your boss once said he wanted to create a shop that you would want to frequent, Ms. Kagami. Has that dream come true?

Kagami: Yes. Most of my wardrobe is made at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building .


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