Laforet

Laforet, commonly referred to as Laforet Harajuku, is a department-store, residential, and museum complex in Harajuku, within Tokyo’s Shibuya area. It opened in 1978 after being developed by Mori Building, the Tokyo property developer that later became associated with major projects including Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. The complex was constructed over part of the former Tokyo Central Church site; a newer church building was established behind it. At the time of its opening, Laforet was among Tokyo’s taller buildings and represented a mixed-use approach combining retail, residential space, and cultural programming. The name is a wordplay on Mori, whose Japanese name uses the character 森, meaning “forest.” Laforet is derived from the French phrase la forêt, also meaning “the forest.” The building is organized across six floors and two basement levels, with its retail areas divided into split or half-level zones. The complex contains approximately 150 shops and includes the Laforet Museum on its upper floor. Its retail offer has historically centered on fashion, accessories, lifestyle goods, and youth-oriented merchandise rather than on the broad, traditional department-store assortment associated with older Japanese department stores. Laforet’s early commercial performance did not initially match its architectural ambition. Its first interior was relatively conventional and restrained, and sales were weak during the first year. The developers subsequently brought in Ryotu Matsumoko of Ba-tsu to remodel the interior. The redesign made the store more youthful and visually assertive, replacing long, deep shop layouts with wider, shallower boutiques arranged so that customers could see across the sales areas from a central stairwell. This configuration helped make the building itself part of the shopping experience and improved the visibility of independent fashion retailers. The repositioning established Laforet’s durable relationship with youth fashion culture. Brands including Hysteric Glamour and Ba-tsu opened early boutiques at the complex, and Laforet worked with youth fashion magazines and clothing labels to stage fashion shows during the 1980s and 1990s. Although the building was not originally conceived specifically as a youth-fashion institution, its tenant mix, spatial design, promotions, and location in Harajuku allowed it to become an important platform for emerging and alternative Japanese fashion businesses. Laforet also became known for distinctive advertising. Early promotional imagery was created by the American artist and designer Antonio Lopez, but the initial approach was not especially successful. In the mid-1990s, advertising direction associated with Takuya Onuki shifted away from conventional campaigns featuring female models wearing store brands. Later imagery used more eccentric concepts, including the “Nude” brand’s depiction of Americans conducting everyday activities in underwear and images of dogs wearing denim. These campaigns reinforced Laforet’s identity as a fashion-cultural venue rather than merely a retail building. The complex’s success eventually created a structural challenge. Independent innovators that had helped define Laforet’s reputation were increasingly acquired or absorbed into more commercial fashion interests. As the retail environment became less experimental, Laforet’s fashion shows declined in prominence during the late 1990s. A new group of boutiques helped improve the store’s fortunes in 2006. Laforet remains associated with Harajuku’s youth culture, fashion retail, and event-led commercial programming, while its museum and mixed-use functions broaden its role beyond shopping alone.

Laforet was developed by Mori Building and opened in 1978 in Harajuku, Tokyo. The project combined several uses in one structure: department-store retail, residences, and a museum. It was built over part of the former Tokyo Central Church site, with a newer church located behind the complex. The building’s name reflects a linguistic pun: Mori means “forest” in Japanese, while Laforet is based on the French la forêt, also meaning “the forest.” At opening, Laforet was a notable high-rise presence in Tokyo and contained six floors and two basement levels arranged through split-level retail zones. Its top floor housed the Laforet Museum, giving the complex a cultural component in addition to its commercial and residential functions. The retail area contained about 150 shops, but the store did not immediately become the youth-fashion landmark for which it later became known. Its original interior was relatively conventional, and weak sales during the first year prompted a major reconsideration of the tenant presentation and customer experience. Ryotu Matsumoko of the fashion label Ba-tsu was brought in to remodel the interior. The revised design adopted a more youthful and edgy character. Long, deep shop units were replaced by wider, shallower spaces that were more visible from the central stairwell. This arrangement increased visual connection between boutiques and made movement through the building more theatrical. The physical redesign helped create conditions in which smaller, more experimental fashion labels could attract attention. Laforet’s later identity developed through its relationship with Harajuku’s youth culture. Hysteric Glamour and Ba-tsu were among the fashion labels associated with early boutiques in the building. During the 1980s and 1990s, Laforet partnered with youth-fashion magazines and apparel brands to organize fashion shows inside the complex. These activities connected retail with media, performance, and subcultural style, helping Laforet function as a discovery platform for new designers and independent labels. Advertising became another important part of the complex’s public image. Promotional work was initially associated with the American firm and artist Antonio Lopez, although that approach did not produce the desired response. In the mid-1990s, Takuya Onuki’s advertising direction moved away from conventional images of female models wearing fashion brands. Campaign concepts became more unusual and provocative, including the “Nude” brand’s presentation of Americans carrying out ordinary activities in underwear and imagery showing dogs in denim. The campaigns contributed to Laforet’s reputation for unconventional fashion communication. The model also generated a tension between innovation and commercialization. As independent brands that had helped attract attention were acquired or assimilated into more commercially oriented interests, the original experimental energy became harder to sustain. Laforet’s fashion shows declined in the late 1990s, reflecting that broader change in the retail and fashion environment. In 2006, a new group of boutiques helped reverse the complex’s fortunes. Laforet’s continuing significance rests on the combination of its Harajuku location, fashion-led tenant strategy, distinctive architecture and interiors, event programming, museum function, and long association with youth-oriented Japanese style.

• 2006

  New boutiques help revive performance

  [1]Laforeten.wikipedia.org

  A new roster of boutiques helps improve Laforet’s commercial fortunes and renews its fashion-led identity.

• 1999

  Fashion-show prominence declines

  [1]Laforeten.wikipedia.org

  Laforet’s fashion shows diminish in prominence toward the end of the 1990s as independent innovators become more commercialized.

• 1995

  Advertising direction becomes more unconventional

  [1]Laforeten.wikipedia.org

  In the mid-1990s, advertising associated with Takuya Onuki adopts more eccentric concepts instead of conventional model-and-brand imagery.

• 1990

  Youth-fashion programming continues

  [1]Laforeten.wikipedia.org

  Fashion shows and related partnerships continue into the 1990s, reinforcing Laforet’s role in Harajuku youth culture.

• 1980

  Fashion-show partnerships expand

  [1]Laforeten.wikipedia.org

  During the 1980s, Laforet works with youth-fashion magazines and clothing brands to stage fashion shows in the building.

• 1978

  Laforet opens in Harajuku

  [1]Laforeten.wikipedia.org

  Mori Building opens the mixed-use Laforet complex in Harajuku, Tokyo, combining department-store retail, residences, and the Laforet Museum.

• 1978

  Initial retail concept underperforms

  [1]Laforeten.wikipedia.org

  The complex’s relatively conventional original interior is followed by weak first-year sales, prompting a substantial retail-design rethink.

• Interior redesigned for youth fashion

  [1]Laforeten.wikipedia.org

  Ryotu Matsumoko of Ba-tsu remodels the interior with wider, shallower boutiques and stronger visibility from a central stairwell, helping create a more youthful identity.

A youth-oriented, fashion-led Harajuku retail and cultural complex that combines independent boutiques, distinctive visual promotion, events, and museum programming.

• Department-store retail · 1978

  Laforet Harajuku retail complex

  The main Laforet complex is a multi-level retail destination in Harajuku with approximately 150 shops across six floors and two basement levels. Its assortment is concentrated on fashion, accessories, lifestyle goods, and youth-oriented labels. The split-level layout and central stairwell make boutique visibility and circulation central parts of the shopping experience.

• Museum and cultural venue · 1978

  Laforet Museum

  Located on the top floor of the complex, the Laforet Museum gives the property a cultural and exhibition function alongside its retail role. It forms part of Laforet’s broader positioning as a venue for fashion, visual culture, and event-based programming.

• Fashion programming · 1980

  Fashion events and shows

  Laforet has used fashion shows, magazine partnerships, and collaborations with clothing brands to connect its stores with Harajuku’s youth-fashion culture. This programming was particularly associated with the 1980s and 1990s and helped make the building a platform for emerging and independent labels.

• 1995Nude advertising concept

  Japan

  In the mid-1990s, advertising associated with Takuya Onuki moved toward unusual visual concepts, including imagery for the “Nude” brand showing Americans carrying out everyday activities in underwear.

  Outcome. The approach helped distinguish Laforet’s advertising from conventional department-store fashion promotion and reinforced its unconventional youth-culture image.

  Source
• 1995Dogs in denim imagery

  Japan

  Laforet’s mid-1990s promotional work also used surreal or playful imagery such as dogs dressed in denim, part of a broader move away from straightforward clothing-model advertising.

  Outcome. The campaign style strengthened the complex’s association with quirky, visually distinctive fashion communication.

  Source
• 1980Youth-fashion magazine and brand fashion shows

  Japan

  During the 1980s and 1990s, Laforet partnered with youth-fashion magazines and apparel brands to present fashion shows within the building.

  Outcome. These events helped connect retail tenants with youth media and contributed to Laforet’s role in Harajuku fashion culture.

  Source

• 2006

  Refresh of the boutique rosterStrategy

  Background

  Laforet’s fashion identity had been weakened as some of the independent innovators associated with its earlier success became more commercially assimilated.

  Action taken

  The complex introduced a new group of boutiques.

  Aftermath

  The new tenant mix helped turn around Laforet’s fortunes and renew its relevance within Harajuku fashion retail.

  Source

• 1995

  Shift to unconventional advertisingStrategy

  Background

  An earlier promotional approach associated with Antonio Lopez was not especially successful.

  Action taken

  Advertising direction associated with Takuya Onuki shifted from conventional female-model imagery toward eccentric concepts, including underwear-themed “Nude” imagery and dogs in denim.

  Aftermath

  The change made Laforet’s advertising more distinctive and aligned it with the complex’s youth-fashion and alternative-culture positioning.

  Source

• 1979

  Repositioning through interior redesignStrategy

  Background

  Laforet’s original, relatively conventional retail environment was followed by weak sales during its first year.

  Action taken

  Mori Building brought in Ryotu Matsumoko of Ba-tsu to create a more youthful and edgy interior, using wider, shallower boutiques arranged around a central stairwell.

  Aftermath

  The redesign improved shop visibility and helped establish the fashion-led, youth-oriented identity that became associated with Laforet.

  Source

1. 1Laforeten.wikipedia.org
2. 2Laforet official websitelaforet.ne.jp