The specialty store named “Isetan the Japan Store Kuala Lumpur” will open its doors in Malaysia this October. The store will open as the remodeled Isetan Kuala Lumpur department store located within Lot 10. The revamp of the department store is initiated by a local company set up by Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings and Cool Japan Fund Inc., a Japanese company with a goal to promote Japanese cultures to the rest of the world.
“Two and a half years ago when we just got set up, I met with Mr. Ohnishi, the president of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, and asked him if there was any possibility of creating an entire store themed after Cool Japan. We agreed that the Isetan store in Kuala Lumpur was the perfect location to kick off our collaboration project. Japanese culture is present in many countries, but our focus in on presenting the cool side of Japan to other countries. We thought that Isetan, an expert in Japanese fashion, would be the ideal partner,” explained Nobuyuki Ota, the CEO of Cool Japan Fund Inc.
The 11,000-square meter store space covering six floors will be designed by architect Noritaka Tange of Tange Associates and designer Yasumichi Morita, President and Representative Director of Glamorous co., ltd., both of whom handled the recent large scale renovation of Isetan Shinjuku department store, the flagship of Isetan Mitsukoshi. Most of the items on each floor will be products made in Japan and the interior will be imaged after a Japanese garden.
(Source: Fashion Headline Japan )