Visit Malaysia’s First Luxury Japanese Department Store at TRX

With Christmas and the New Year around the corner, a place to visit is SEIBU, the luxury Japanese department store that recently proudly opened its doors at The Exchange, TRX, marking a significant milestone in the retail landscape of Malaysia.

His Excellency Takahashi Katsuhiko, 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, Mr. Mitch Wilson, Project director for The Exchange TRX and head of retail for Lendlease Malaysia and Mr. 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 symbolising a new and prosperous beginning for the SEIBU store.

SEIBU is good for our economy and our Malaysian workforce too. 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 work force.

Walk into SEIBU and you will certainly be impressed. It 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.

What was noticed was that there were many new and exciting brands we have not seen in Malaysia before. Later we found out that more than 100 of these 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 of 110 Japanese brands at SEIBU. “SEIBU has the largest Beauty Hall in Malaysia. In addition, SEIBU is also home to the largest selection of luxury shoes and bags in a department store and carries a fine selection of luxury jewellery brands, setting a new standard for department stores in Malaysia. We are 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,” exclaimed Yutani!

SEIBU has also 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.

UK architects HMKM and Cardy Papa, designed SEIBU KL. They are 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 Jewellery, Beauty Hall, Fashion Showcase, Shoe Salon, Food Hall, Homeware, and Children’s Wear.

SEIBU is guided by its tagline “What’s new? Be Surprised,” and serves as a place of inspiration in shoppers’ lives. This is achieved through SEIBU’s steadfast dedication to curating great merchandise and brand experiences, featuring a distinctive fusion of Japanese craftsmanship and ‘omotenashi,’ which epitomises the highest standard of Japanese hospitality, pampering, luxury, and retail experiences for the Malaysian market. Anyone who steps into the new store can see that it embodies the spirit of Japanese excellence while catering to the refined preferences of discerning customers.

“We look forward to welcoming all shoppers to SEIBU. At SEIBU, we are not just a department store but a place for you to shop, eat, drink, socialise and even get some pampering! We aim to provide the best ‘omotenashi’ service in the Japanese way. We are not just retailing products, but we hope to create a platform for you to socialise with family and friends, and most importantly to create unforgettable moments and memories at SEIBU,” said Yutani.

A week before the opening, there was another spectacular event when SEIBU set the stage for an exclusive preview, hosting over 1,000 of Kuala Lumpur’s hottest celebrities, fashion influencers, style icons, exclusive shoppers, dignitaries from the Japanese Embassy, socialites, and members of the media.

Among the fashion luminaries spotted at the preview included Che Puan Shamim Farid, Azriel Ismail, Whulandary Herman, Chryseis Tan, Jack Gohr, Zhen Ning, Nadia Nasimuddin, Diani Lee and many others. The event was indeed exciting and well planned and those of us who were invited enjoyed the tantalising sneak peek into what SEIBU has in its repertoire.

Guests enjoyed walking around the store looking at the lovely items there. The way everything has been planned and laid out is superb and the overall feeling is one of satisfaction while enjoying the delight of shopping. Downstairs, there were inviting places to eat at or have coffee and snacks as well, and we must say that what is available is delectable. All in all, SEIBU is definitely a place to head to for a pleasurable, gratifying and enjoyable experience.