Louis Vuitton isn’t exactly known for subtlety. The French luxury fashion house founded in 1854 splashes its iconic monogram pattern all over much of its merchandise, sometimes at an absurdly large scale. So it’s not too surprising that the brand also went big when it came to the design for its new store in Osaka, Japan. Created in collaboration by architects Jun Aoki and Peter Marino, the store features a billowing translucent white facade inspired by the merchant ship Higaki-Kaisen.

According to Louis Vuitton, the flagship Maison Osaka Midosuji draws its dramatic visuals from this sailing vessel to recall Osaka’s history as a seaside town and embody the brand’s “signature Spirit of Travel.”
“Open on February 1st, 2020, the store is the imaginative result of a close collaboration between architects Jun Aoki and Peter Marino, who both share a long-standing relationship with Louis Vuitton,” reads an announcement by the brand. “This new four-floor store reflects Osaka’s heritage as Japan’s most important port and highlight’s the city’s growing role as an international travel hub…Guests gathered on January 29th to celebrate the opening, including Suzu Hirose, Takanori Iwata, Ebizo Ichikawa, Rola, Dean Fujioka, JO1, Dan Carter, Ai Tominaga, Aya Omasa, TAO, and Miki Ehara.”
The architecture of the store is certainly remarkable, and impossible for passersby to ignore. But what’s in...