Tokyo’s Chicest Intersection Gets Some New Faces

Omotesando and Aoyama are two of the biggest shopping destinations in Tokyo, home to flagship stores of top fashion labels and unique building designs by renowned architects. The neighborhood already shines bright as is, but now the Champs Elysee inspired street is drawing even more of the world’s leading fashion brands to bedazzle the sidewalks with massive storefronts, attracting new demographics and reaping the benefits of considerable foot traffic.

The area around the intersection at the top of Omotesando where it meets Aoyama is in the midst of a facelift. Major fashion houses such as Givenchy, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Celine, and Zadig and Voltaire have opened or are set to open stores there this summer, upping the ante and putting Tokyo even higher on the list of the world’s best shopping destinations. So whether you are admiring the visual merchandising as a window shopper or forking over the big bucks for today’s top designer duds, the glamorous stores are worthy of a tour. After your fashion fever cools down a bit, you may even feel inclined to stand in line for some Kukuruza popcorn or Max Brenner chocolate fondue, which are currently all the rage at nearby Omotesando Hills.

Givenchy

Located in the One Omotesando building, this three-story store was designed after its flagship in Paris on rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The French luxury house planted roots at the mouth of Omotesando when it opened here just two weeks ago. The Tokyo store is currently the only freestanding one in Japan, and is part of a 26-store retail expansion in Asia.

Address: 3-5-29 Kita Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Céline

Also located in the One Omotesando building adjacent to the Givenchy store, this is Céline’s only flagship store in Japan. To celebrate the renewal of the two-story boutique,which will be reopening on May 31, a limited collection of bags and leather goods will be available to the public. Python leather designs from Céline’s upcoming fall collection will be released exclusively at this location, including the widely popular travel tote.

Address: 3-5-29 Kita Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Balenciaga

Across the street from Nanette Lepore in Aoyama is the new Balenciaga flagship store, which opened at the end of March. The 160-square-meter space is filled with two stories of ultra modern silhouettes and a variety of the quintessential Balenciaga City handbags.

Address: 5-1-2 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Alexander McQueen

Right next to Balenciaga in the same building is an Alexander McQueen store, currently under construction. Positioned nearby the iconic Prada building and with other neighbors including Comme des Garçons and Moncler, the large storefront, which is scheduled to open this summer, will be in good company.

Address: 5-1-3 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Zadig & Voltaire

This French fashion label already has a presence in Tokyo, but a new shop is due to open this Summer in Aoyama, making its casual chic, ready-to-wear offerings more widely available to the brand’s fans in Japan. The store will be located right next to 3.1 Phillip Lim and behind popular hangout Nicolai Bergmann.

Address: 5-5-4 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo