Tod’s in Tokyo: Technology meets tradition

Walking along Omotesando in Tokyo is like being in luxury fashion heaven, with both streets housing the most famous international fashion brands. But one building stands out and that is the Tod’s building. Where other fashion houses opt for ultra-modern and high-tech features that seem cold and unwelcoming or just plain intimidating, the Tod’s building is a breath of fresh air, a welcome change from the sea of black-and-gray, concrete-and-steel structures that dominate Omotesando. Looking at the building from the opposite side of the street, you cannot help but be overwhelmed with the ingenuity and design of the structure. Renowned and multi-awarded Japanese architect Toyo Ito, who counts the Sendai Mediateque, the Brugge Pavilion in Belgium and the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London as some of his famous works, created the building, keeping in mind Tod’s great attention to detail and craftsmanship and preserving the natural landscape of Omotesando as his primary inspiration and goal. "All the production steps strongly reflect the love of nature," claims Ito, who used materials such as stone, wood and leather to create this masterpiece of a building.

The building, which is the first Tod’s flagship store in Japan, has seven floors, with the first three floors appointed as the retail boutique, the fourth and fifth floors used as offices, the sixth floor utilized as an event space and the seventh floor housing the private meeting room and a roof garden.

The building, which has six sides, gives the impression of a silhouetted row of elm trees. Following the natural structure of a tree, the ambiance at the upper levels differs from the lower levels. The complex pattern is expressed with glass inserted into the openings of the concrete structure. The glass inserts become smaller and numerous as you look up the building, mimicking the branches at the top of the trees that line the avenue.

The natural light flowing into the building from every direction generates a relaxed feeling within all of the floors. "The opening of the Tod’s headquarters in Tokyo was one of our priorities in a country we consider to be very important. Architect Ito’s project combines tradition and high quality in the best way: the same elements which have always distinguished Tod’s," says Tod’s founder Diego Della Valle.

The building boasts impressive numbers: The biggest among all the Tod’s buildings/stores, it has a total floor area of 2,550 square meters; 20,000 workers were employed to construct and finish the building, including 10 to 12 Italian craftsmen flown in from Italy to cut and sew all the leather display shelves and the massive entrance door during the last three months. The total cost of the project: US$100,000,000. Della Valle said that "this new project is a strong signal of our commitment to our ambitious plans in the Japanese market, and shows how profoundly Tod’s is rooted in this country."

The Tod’s building in Omotesando was formally inaugurated last December 10, with a two-day party that was attended by Japanese celebrities and a who’s who of international fashion, including Domenico de Sole and media representatives from all over the world. To mark the occasion, Tod’s exclusively created the Mink bag and the new D bag in the most luxurious material – bougainvillea ostrich leather enhanced by a tiny D-bag charm. Only seven pieces of the D bag were produced, with prices ranging from about $4,700 for the small version and $7,350 for the large version. Currently, there are 14 Tod’s boutiques all over Japan, located mostly in department stores and one outlet in Gotenba. The first one opened at Isetan in Shinjuku in 1997. As of 2004, Asia is responsible for 11.8 percent of worldwide sales.

"I just can’t get enough," was how I felt about the spring/summer 2005 collection of shoes and bags. Although the autumn/winter was more varied, the new line is simply short and sweet, as the saying goes. The Venghe bag, which comes mainly in leather, zebra-patterned pony skin and snakeskin, is made in delicious colors like sunflower, lime green, paprika, orange, chocolate brown and vachette and features a buckle made from "venghe" wood. A personal favorite of mine, it is available in different sizes, including a tiny evening pochette, the bag that Halle Berry was photographed carrying at the recently concluded Golden Globe Awards and that Scarlett Johannson and Gisele Bundchen toted to the Oscars. Making a comeback in a softer silhouette is the new D bag made famous and named after Princess Diana. It is the signature bag of Tod’s and this time comes in three vibrant colors in three different sizes.

The Charlotte bag is a great companion for the sporty type with its edgy and unusual shape in glittering silver and gold snakeskin. The outside slanting pockets are ideal for carrying keys, mobile phones and the like. It is small but holds a lot of stuff.

Then there is the retro-inspired shoulder bag, young and funky with ethnic zebra-print details and a canvas base. Its contrasting paneling in lime green, sunflower, white and chocolate brown makes it a perfect match for this season’s wardrobe. Prices for the bags range from about $800 to $10,000.

If you are one of those ladies looking for the Ferrari of Italian bags, search no further because Tod’s has got the Corniche and MOC lines along with other limited designs to choose from. Located on the third floor of the Omotesando branch, one can pick from several color swatches of crocodile skin to have a custom bag made especially for you, as long as you don’t mind the three-month wait and the US$7,900 to US$13,700 price.

Tod’s shoes are not just about moccasin and closed leather pumps. This collection is refined, sexy, feminine and simply adorable, perfect for warm summer days when you want to show off your tanned legs. The Degas ballerina shoes, which come in gold and other bright summer colors, exemplify the perfect evolution of Tod’s design concept. Its soft leather and supple sole makes it practical yet modern and beautiful, a must for this season.

The strappy high-heeled sandals called Mignon criss-cross delicately over the toes up to the ankles in a subtly sexy way, while the Zeppa sandals in canvas and suede with similar wraparound straps are a casual yet elegant alternative for lunch, brunch or afternoon tea with your family and friends. The Matisse flat sandals in lime green and red with the stylized T in exquisitely forged metal rounds out the collection. Prices range from $400 to $2,000.

If you want to start your children early in the tradition of quality Italian designer shoes, there is a Junior collection available for the first time at the Omotesando branch.

In the last year or so, Tod’s expanded its line to include accessories like hats that roll up in a snap, made of canvas with colorful leather details, soft suede belts that have the sinuous T-shaped buckle, and metal cuffs/bracelets in precious and luxurious leathers, crocodile, lizard, python and pony in the hottest colors. If that is not enough to whet your fashion appetite, they also have CD holders, notebooks and wallets in calf leather, key chains in sterling silver, travel bags, silk scarves and colorful beach towels.

The piéce de resistance is the velvety soft leather Giacca or jacket in paprika and ice that features white rubber pebbles at the elbow and contrasting stitching around the zippers and seams.

After being shown around the building and given a detailed account of the product lines, I came away from Tod’s breathless and with a renewed respect for their business. I realize they don’t mass-produce or machine-make items like bags, shoes and leather accessories – all Tod’s products are a labor of passion and love. They are creations put forth by teams of talented designers day in and day out, with each material selected carefully for its quality, tanned to the right colors and hues, handmade by experienced craftsmen, cut and sewn piece-by-piece from body to pocket to zipper to handle – the whole process sometimes taking weeks to finish. There is a sense of pride that goes with each item and the moment you feel it or try it on you just know the difference. No wonder they command such prices. Tod’s truly is the perfect ambassador for the "Made in Italy" label.

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In the Philippines, Tod’s is located on the ground floor of Greenbelt 4, Ayala Center, Makati City, open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For inquiries, call 757-6292.