Gucci's new home in Tokyo is the first store built specifically to house the Italian superbrand. Last week, Gucci opened the doors of an eight-story glass-and-steel flagship store in Ginza.
Incorporating four floors of retail space, a cafe and a gallery, as well as 3,700 sq. meters of offices, the building is not only Gucci's first architectural creation, it is also the first flagship to feature the house's new subtler, more understated store design.
The fresh look fits in with a new direction for the ubiquitous brand, which celebrates its 85th anniversary this year. Since guru of glam Tom Ford quit as the brand's chief designer in 2003, Gucci has been striving to build a new identity. Now, with Italian Frida Giannini (formerly an accessories designer for the house) having found her feet as creative director, it has settled into a less in-your-face take on Italian extravagance.