2015
When it comes to L.A.’s top shopping destinations, few are as iconic as the ivy-covered Fred Segal boutique in West Hollywood. Since it’s opening on Melrose Avenue in 1961, the retailer has become synonymous with laid-back California cool, touting a curated, high-low mix of designers that resonates with locals (read: celebrities) and travelers alike.
Now, after 50 years on the SoCal circuit, Fred Segal is setting its sights toward Asia—opening its first international outpost in Tokyo’s Daikanyama neighborhood.
Following the store’s debut on Friday, Fred Segal C.E.O. Paul Blum says the reception “has been outstanding.”
“There is obviously a place in the Japanese retail environment for a lifestyle concept like Fred Segal—a dynamic experience combining fashion, food, and fun,” Blum says.
As with the brand’s other locations, Daikanyama was conceived as a mixed-used venue. Housed within Log Road Daikanyama—a new pedestrian shopping complex set in a converted railway site—the store is broken out into three distinct spaces: Fred Segal Man, Fred Segal Woman, and the Mart at Fred Segal. New York-based creative firm Aesthetic Movement headed up the design, which features industrial materials and cedar to give it that uniquely L.A. feel.
At the men’s boutique, shoppers can expect to see labels like Valentino, Haider Ackermann, and Marni alongside Tanner Goods, Vans, and Levi’s, as well as private areas for custom suiting and, outside, a landscaped deck with a bar.
On the women’s side, exclusive collaborations with Oliver Peoples, Toms, Delphine Delafon will be ones to watch. Also worth checking out is the downstairs beauty bar (focusing primarily on organic brands) and a future salon-spa.
One of the store’s biggest draws, however, is undoubtedly the Mart. Drawing upon Fred Segal’s storied approach of melding food and retail to enhance the shopping experience, the Mart brings a taste of the West Coast to Tokyo.
Case in point: the debut partnership with Blue Star Donuts, the popular Portlandia company known for its brioche recipe and signature glazes and fillings. “Lines for the donuts stretched the length of the property and beyond,” says Blum. “I could not believe how patient the customers were—it was a big hit!”
Also a huge success: an official Fred Segal food truck (parked outside the store), which will dole out classic, seasonal American fare like street corn, hot dogs, and Coca-Cola.
Katie James is an assistant editor at Travel + Leisure.
