Five years have passed since the store's renovation in September 2010. Ginza Mitsukoshi's cosmetics sales have significantly exceeded its original sales target of 5 billion yen, reaching 8.9 billion yen last year. Furthermore, the remodeling, which opens on September 16th, will significantly transform the store's cosmetics floor. What is behind this and what are the reasons? We spoke with Kinaka Sato, cosmetics buyer at Isetan Mitsukoshi. "First, with sales growing significantly, we needed to address environmental issues such as sales space. We also felt that in order to ensure customer satisfaction, we needed to reassess our brand lineup. In addition to a rich product lineup, we focused on creating a cosmetics floor where customers can always feel something new when they visit the Ginza store." So, what does "new" mean for Ginza Mitsukoshi? The key, she says, is "looking at Japan from a global perspective, Japan = Ginza, and the idea that it is the center of Japan." Indeed, Ginza is a representative district of Tokyo for many international travelers.

"The concept is 'a beauty total shop that promotes Japan to the world.' It incorporates the unique charm of Ginza while also incorporating the idea of 'this is Japan.' On top of that, we aimed to be a shop that can provide 'the most beautiful you've ever been to' to women, mainly in their 30s and 40s, who continue to pursue beauty."

Regarding the specific changes and what Ginza Mitsukoshi envisions as new, buyer Sato said, "Until now, the cosmetics floor, B1 (basement floor), consisted of makeup and accessories, but this time, all merchandise will be focused on cosmetics. We'll be making a big push for 'Japan Beauty,' showcasing brands that Japan is proud of and are Japan-conscious. This greatly expanded cosmetics floor is notable for the establishment of a 'Japan Beauty Select Zone,' which brings together and displays particularly trendy makeup brands from Japan, as well as a lineup of hair care items and home appliances. We also have a 'Global Makeup' zone featuring popular brands like BURBERRY and NARS, and JILL STUART, opening its first Mitsukoshi Isetan store in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with the aim of catering to those with a keen eye for beauty."

In conjunction with this renovation, the basement floor, which serves as the entrance from the subway, has been redesigned with a fragrance corner, doubling the previous sales space, based on the concept of "welcoming you with scent." A quarterly magazine that will provide the latest global beauty information is also planned to be published, and the cosmetics department at Ginza Mitsukoshi, which will be making new history, aims to be a cutting-edge sales floor where information and products intersect.