SEIBU KL is the second SEIBU store outside Japan after the one in Indonesia opened last year. Photo: SEIBU
SEIBU, the luxury Japanese department store proudly opens its door at The Exchange, TRX, marking a significant milestone in the retail landscape of Malaysia. The Japanese department store occupies four levels and is 265,000 square feet in size; making it the first department store in Malaysia to showcase an impressive collection of over 700 luxury, international brands.
The ‘Wadaiko’ drum performance marked the official opening of SEIBU KL. Photo: SEIBU
Takahashi Katsuhiko, the Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, Datuk Alfred Cheng, chairman of SEIBU KL, Datuk Khadar Merican, chairman of SOGO KL, Datuk Andrew Lim, Deputy Chairman of SOGO KL, Mitch Wilson, project director for The Exchange TRX and head of retail for Lendlease Malaysia, and Nobuharu Yutani, managing director of SEIBU KL officiated the opening ceremony with a resounding and auspicious ‘Wadaiko’ Japanese drum performance and the breaking of the ‘Kagami-Biraki’, a sake ceremony symbolizing a new and prosperous beginning for the SEIBU store.
Ambassador Katsuhiko, along with other VIPs, commemorated the launch of SEIBU KL with the breaking of the ‘Kagami-Biraki’, a sake ceremony symbolizing a new and prosperous beginning for the Japanese department store. Photo: SEIBU
Together with its partners, the collective investment in Seibu is in excess of RM150 million with the objective to create a top tier shopping destination in Malaysia. Seibu is set to provide employment opportunities for a thousand-strong workforce.
Notably, more than 100 international brands are making their debut in the Malaysian market exclusively at SEIBU. Among these esteemed brands are Fred, a Parisian brand, Damiani, Niessing, Pierre Hardy, and a host of other renowned names. Significantly, over 200 are making their debut in a department store setting. As the first luxury Japanese department store in Malaysia, there are in excess 110 Japanese brands at SEIBU.
SEIBU KL is home to the largest selection of luxury shoes and bags in a department store. Photo: SEIBU
“SEIBU has the largest Beauty Hall in Malaysia. We are also home to the largest selection of luxury shoes and bags in a department store and carries a fine selection of luxury jewelry brands, setting a new standard for department stores in Malaysia. This is the first department store to present a vast collection of contemporary fashion brands catering to the young and trendy. To further elevate your experience, our food hall is an epicurean delight, offering an enormous variety of delicious Japanese foods,” said Yutani.
In addition to innovative and new merchandise, SEIBU has brought in new ideas in collaboration with Hiroko Takahashi, a renowned designer and artist from Japan who has worked with some of the biggest global names like Apple, Fendi and Adidas. Hiroko will design a special fashion collection for SEIBU. In addition, she has designed Seibu’s staff uniforms, store packaging, gift items and other contemporary elements. This is another first for a department store in Malaysia.
SEIBU KL is designed by UK architects HMKM and Cardy Papa, known for creating award-winning department store designs globally. The design concept, which places a strong emphasis on luxury, expertly combines elegance and vibrancy to create an atmosphere that sparks a sense of joy and exploration throughout various sections including Fine Jewelry, Beauty Hall, Fashion Showcase, Shoe Salon, Food Hall, Homeware, and Children’s Wear.
