Acne Studios has introduced its relocated and expanded flagship in Tokyo’s Aoyama district, placing the brand at the intersection of fashion, architecture, and material craft. The three-floor store occupies a corner site in one of the city’s most design-driven neighborhoods, with an exterior clad entirely in pink-hued granite, a subtle but unmistakable reference to Acne’s signature color. Inside, fittings emerge as if carved from the same stone, creating the impression that furniture and architecture are part of one continuous surface.
Designed by creative director Jonny Johansson together with Swedish architecture studio Halleroed, the new Aoyama space continues the brand’s long-running exploration of retail as a cultural environment. Acne Studios stores are rarely just backdrops for clothes; they tend to operate as architectural essays, balancing the brand’s sharp minimalism with unexpected counterpoints drawn from local context. Here, the design borrows from the compact verticality of Tokyo retail, with two intimate upper levels, while below, a light-filled basement opens out into a calmer expanse wrapped in matte Japanese plaster. A preserved postmodern elevator links the floors, its geometry offset by a monumental staircase clad in the same pink granite as the façade.
Furniture and lighting bring in familiar collaborators. Max Lamb’s seating, upholstered in high-gloss pink patent leather or patchwork woven textiles, reads more like sculpture than furniture, while Benoit Lalloz’s custom strip-lighting punctuates each level with sharp precision. On the ground floor, a massive granite payment desk anchors the space, while stainless steel fixtures in the basement sharpen the contrast between raw materiality and industrial edge.
“Japan has always held a special place in both my heart and in the story of Acne Studios. We’ve been in Aoyama for 15 years now, and there’s something special about that area. It inspired us to create something that feels like a home — welcoming, open, almost like a creative school. We wanted it to feel more democratic, inviting,” says Johansson.
“We have always considered Tokyo to be one of the most fascinating cities in the world and have visited it many times since the late 90s,” says Christian Halleröd. “The city is home to the most interesting and experimental fashion brands, as well as a rich tradition of craftsmanship, food culture, art, and architecture. Therefore, we were incredibly excited when we were tasked with designing Acne Studios’ new flagship store in Aoyama, an area we love to walk through and draw inspiration from.”
To mark the opening, Johansson invited Japanese ceramicist Takuro Kuwata to create a series of vessels and to reinterpret key Acne Studios pieces. Kuwata’s ceramics, influenced by wabi-sabi imperfection and kintsugi repair, bring playfulness to traditional forms, while his collaborative capsule translates that energy into fashion through reworked Camero bags, trompe-l’œil denim, and leather goods in bold, irregular finishes.
