Tokidoki, the L.A.-based streetwear brand famous for its Japanese-style anime artwork, debuted its first L.A. store last night at a party celebrating the new location.
The 500-square-foot outpost, which sits next to Agent Provocateur on Melrose Avenue, is an explosion of cartoon-y color and characters, juxtaposed with slick residential accents such as white Corian countertops and rich walnut floors.
The shop’s back wall (with a hidden door) is one huge glossy mural depicting the Technicolor artwork of creative director Simone Legno. And everywhere you turn, there’s more eye-popping fun: the brand’s subversive toys (think bunnies with machine guns), skateboards, embroidered trucker hats, luggage, sunglasses, and — of course — t-shirts galore.
L.A. exclusives include tees ($28) and trucker hats ($38) emblazoned with anime diamonds, bullets, cold hard cash and an “I [skull-and-cross-bones sign] L.A” message. The store also carries 50 of the zany, limited-edition Tokidoki Karl Lagerfeld dolls (only 1,000 were made.)
“This is a major endeavor,” said company ceo Ivan Arnold. Even with a recession on, “we knew it was the right thing to do,” he added. “We wanted to complete the experience for people. Retailers buy into the brand, but they don’t really buy into the brand. This is the 360-degrees of Tokidoki.”
Legno, an Italian artist who was tapped by company co-founders Arnold and cfo Pooneh Mohajer-Arnold in the early 2000s as the cornerstone of the brand, said the Tokidoki aesthetic has changed over the years. “I throw personal experience into my artwork,” he said. “When I was young, my artwork was a mix-up of Japan, with cherry blossoms and kimonos. When I moved to L.A., it’s so glamorous…I started doing diamonds and bullets.”
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store was great, merchandise was cool and i love TOKIDOKI. only horrid part was the bad customer service. cashier had some weird emo stare.