ONITSUKA TIGER OPENS FIRST U.S. STORE IN SOHO

Onitsuka Tiger has opened its first U.S.-based store at 276 Lafayette Street in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood.

The 1,100 square-foot space features floor-to-ceiling footwear displays and a hand-painted wall resembling a tiger graphic, a symbolic element of all Onitsuka Tiger stores.

The brick-and-mortar store will offer exclusive product only previously available at the brand’s international flagships, including Onitsuka Tiger ready-to-wear and accessories, a Nippon Made collection of Japanese-made footwear, and a children’s footwear collection.

“When we were presented with the Lafayette Street space, we thought it was the opportune moment to build out a thorough concept store completely in line with our other flagships across the globe,” said Ryoji Shoda, executive officer and head of Onitsuka Tiger Company of Asics Corporation. “We’re very excited to bring this experience to our existing fans, but also to our new neighborhood and customers.”

The advent of Onitsuka Tiger brand’s New York presence is part of a larger, newly implemented U.S. brand strategy that includes the brand’s appointment of Loris Spadaccini, region director of Onitsuka Tiger North America, and brand’s first U.S. office and showroom, set to open later this year in summer 2019.