On September 10th, Barneys New York Shinjuku reopened its men's floors (floors 6-8). This year, the store underwent its first major renovation since opening in 1990, including a remodel of the women's floor in March. This reopening marks the revamping of all floors except the fifth floor.
The new men's floor follows the interior design of the Madison store in New York, featuring mirror-finished stainless steel, black leather-finished steel, and granite floors, completely replacing the previous woody space. All fixtures are uniformly positioned at eye level, allowing customers to see all the way to the back of the store at a glance.
The sixth floor offers suits from brands like Isaia and Belvest, as well as pants from brands like Jacob Cohen and PT01. Sales of high-end suits from international brands on this floor grew 200% year-on-year in August, and this renovation aims to further expand the suit zone's selection. The seventh floor is the designer floor, featuring collection brands such as Maison Martin Margiela, Comme des Garçons Homme Plus, and Casely Hayford. The eighth floor features Kenzo, Slow Gun, and Label Underconstruction, showcasing a mix of high-fashion and streetwear. Each floor features a different setup and torso color, showcasing the unique character of each floor. The most thoughtful design was given to the space in front of the elevators. "When the doors open, something strikes you. This is the place that conveys the strongest message to customers. We wanted to create a space that is truly unique," says Yasuhito Noguchi, Merchandising Director at Barneys New York Japan. The sixth floor features a corner with 600 pairs of pants, a long-standing favorite at the store. The seventh floor is home to shoes and bags from high-end brands like Balenciaga and Trussardi. All styles of Adidas by Raf Simons sneakers are available. "We believe there's a lot of room for growth in the general merchandise category, and we've been doubling our buying volume since Spring/Summer 2013. I don't think there are many shops with this volume of designer men's goods," Noguchi says confidently. The eighth floor is home to a denim section that Noguchi calls "indispensable." Core brands like 3x1 have been introduced.
Since the renovation, the women's floor has seen double-digit monthly increases compared to last year. Men's sales are also doing very well. "I think it's because we're doing the basics well. Buyers and shop staff work closely together, making sure we meet customer needs in terms of size, color, and more. We also have an XO (EXCLUSIVELY OURS) project, where we have partner brands create custom items to differentiate our offerings. Of the approximately 500 items, approximately 300 are men's items. A double-digit increase compared to last year is a must for the men's floor as well," he said.
Next year, the fifth floor, which houses authentic men's fashion accessories, is scheduled for renovation. "This is a key floor in the Shinjuku store. It has a large number of customers and sales volume. We are very much looking forward to opening it," Noguchi said enthusiastically.
