The POOL Aoyama's pop-up event, "The POOL Shinjuku," directed by Hiroshi Fujiwara, will be held at the Isetan Shinjuku store's first-floor "The Stage" from June 17th to 23rd. This marks the first time The POOL Aoyama has hosted a pop-up store outside of its own building.
In April 2014, JUN opened in a renovated space that was formerly an indoor pool reserved for residents of a vintage apartment building in Minami-Aoyama. It is a concept store that changes its merchandise with each new event. It quickly gained popularity as one of Tokyo's trendiest stores, and since its opening, it has focused on a single theme—white, floral, olive, vintage clothing (Once in a Lifetime), and black (Melanism)—for a set period of time. The style, which constantly changes and evolves the interior, signaled a new direction for fashion stores.
The pop-up store at Isetan Shinjuku, along with the Isetan Men's store, began preparations a year ago, and will primarily feature limited-edition and pre-release items. Items on display include an exclusive Isetan polo shirt (¥19,000) featuring a classic LACOSTE polo shirt with heat-sewn rubber-printed lines and a crocodile logo. Also available are a custom-made portable record player (¥26,000) from American digital audio manufacturer ION AUDIO. The assistant buyer at Isetan Men's, who oversaw the event, said, "Mitsukoshi Isetan's corporate message is 'This is Japan.' We've also long promoted high-quality Japanese-made products through our JAPAN SENSES campaign. We want to promote The Pool Aoyama, a trendy shop representing Tokyo, and the latest trends in Tokyo from the first-floor stage of the Shinjuku store, a landmark of Tokyo fashion." The Pool Aoyama announced in April of this year, just two years into its second year, that it would close in April 2016, stating that the project had "achieved its original objectives."