Asics will open its Asics Harajuku Flagship on October 6 in Tokyo Harajuku district. This store will be the brand’s largest retail store in Japan.
Asics Harajuku Flagship is located on the intersection of Meiji Street and Takeshita Street, popular amongst fashion-conscious shoppers in Japan and from around the world. The store will be Japan’s first flagship store to showcase the integration of three brands, Asics, sports lifestyle brand AsicsTIGER, and outdoor brand Haglöfs under one roof. All three brands will be featured together in the elevated retail space to present the sophisticated lifestyles through sports and fashion product offering for a wider variety of shoppers.
The store consists of two retail spaces connected by a corridor, entering from Meiji Street will feature both Asics and Haglöfs based on the design concept embodying the Asics’ philosophy, Sound Mind Sound Body, featuring a warm and organic material palette. The store will not only function as a runner’s hub, but will also accommodate yoga and Pilates sessions. Entering from Takeshita Street, the space is dedicated to AsicsTIGER which combines the Asics heritage and urban street culture.
Motoi Oyama, Asics President and CEO, said, “In an age of quickly-evolving customer tastes and shopping channels, directly-operated retail stores are becoming increasingly important in presenting our brand’s global view and as venues for direct communication with our customers. Asics plans to open more such flagship stores in key cities throughout the world and present Asics’ new image, while also expanding our contact with not only athletes but also our customers who enjoy sports as part of their everyday lifestyles. We hope this will contribute to raising exposure for Asics around the world.”
Asics Harajuku Flagship will offer several new and unique experiences for customers with innovation overseen and developed by the Asics Institute of Sports Science. An in-store service includes the new Asics FITNESS LAB*, a scientific measurement service especially for female customers. Also includes an Asics Custom Apparel Service ** and Asics FOOT ID*** leveraging the brand’s strength based on intelligent sport technology.
The store will be equipped with new technology on tablet POS registers allowing store staff to check inventory in real time for customers. Also, Airport Delivery Service will be offered to customers visiting Japan for their purchases to be delivered directly to either Haneda or Narita International Airports.
*Asics FITNESS LAB – The new program to help especially female customers achieve ideal body condition will be based on scientific perspective. The program has been developed utilizing intelligent sport technology overseen by the Asics Institute of Sports Science. Trained staff will interview customers to understand their exercise routine and uses the latest devices to accurately assess three dimensional body size measurement and body composition measurement. Together with analysis of walking gait, standing posture and muscle mass, the staff in charge will translate the results to suggest appropriate training methods and detailed advice on the movement, as well as the appropriate products to achieve their goal. The customers will be charged 3,000 YEN for body scanning only and 6,000 YEN for the full package. Price includes tax.
**Asics Custom Apparel Service – The new service will produce bespoke long tights with hip and knee support, offering each customer’s specifics based on three dimensional body shape measurement. For a fee of 20,000 YEN including tax, within approximately four weeks the product will be produced and delivered to the customers.
***Asics FOOT ID – The program consists of a three-dimensional foot measuring service and gait analysis service, utilizing the algorithm developed by the Asics Institute of Sports Science. Besides measuring the accurate size of the testers’ feet size, the program will analyze the characteristics of the testers’ running style, including their knee twist and pronation type, the inward rolling motion of the foot upon landing impact. Based on the results, the highly trained staff will advise on the optimal shoe, taking into consideration their running profile and routine.
Photo courtesy Asics
