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Store Feature: Visvim's NYC Pop Up

New York Visvim buffs will consider this old news but for anyone who hasn't heard yet, there’s a temporary Visvim Pop-Up store in Tribeca on 180 Duane St.

The store's features include Visvim's main collection as well as WMV, the womens line designed by Kelsi Nakamura. Ofcourse, there is a wide selection of footwear available as well consisting of both sneakers and boots for men and women. This Black Friday also brought some New York exclusive pieces. If you want a more detailed look at what released you can check out HypeBeast. 

For those of us who are familiar with Hiroki Nakamura and his work, there is a mutual respect for the designer’s undying passion to have unparalleled craftsmanship as well as timeless detailing in all his products. In an interview with New York Times Nakamura addresses why he began the brand, “When I started the business, I asked myself what I wanted out of this, and I realized what I wanted was to create products that made me happy, I also wanted to build a brand that was timeless and borderless”. This attitude is directly reflected through Nakamura's methods in designing clothes as well as the selection of his spaces. 

In its early stages Visvim at first evaded public attention only being discussed amongst celebrities and high-end clientele but in recent years leading up to now, the brand has become more willing to share its creations to the fashion world. New York Visvim fans are of course energetic and excited to finally have a Visvim dedicated retail space but devoted enthusiasts that have been following the brand since its early stages may be feeling a little uneasy with the establishment of this pop-up seeing that this could be the start of Nakamura becoming too mainstream. This is due to the fact of Visvim being an incredibly difficult brand to acquire within the US and when it is it's usually only obtainable in bits and pieces from select stores, online secondhand marketplaces such as Grailed and eBay, as well as online retailers, many of which don’t even receive full collections. Nakamura is also known to be quite specific and purposeful in everything he does pertaining to his brand aside from design, ranging from the types of displays he has, to the location of each of his stores, down to having no music in any of his Japan stores (so that no attention is diverted from the clothes) just to name a few points of detail. With that being said, New York appears to have no specific connection to Nakamura or the brand and this pop-up can be considered as a bit random in a sense leaving some fans asking why all of a sudden a store in New York?

While interest in the brand continues to grow, die-hard supporters might be afraid that it's becoming less niche, however, as a Visvim fan myself I'm glad to see that Nakamura is finally looking to establish an even larger presence in the US. Personally, I think that the space is a great idea, 180 The Store actually serves as Visvim’s public relations and marketing center for the US, so it makes sense for them to host the brand in a space whom they have a close connection with. Essentially the pop-up is the closest we’ll ever get to a Visvim flagship without ever stepping foot in Japan so this is a great way to hint at what Nakamura might be cooking up next. Whether you think the store is a good idea or not its undeniably a great business move on Nakamura's part feeding his American audience while hinting at the possibility of a New York flagship. The space serves to be a friendly environment for both seasoned Visvim fiends who can get their fix on the vast selection of both footwear and exclusive garments as well as for newbies who are just getting acquainted with the brand for the first time. Whatever type of Visvim fan you are, we greatly encourage you to visit the space before it departs NY on December 14th. 


Photos by Kyle Acma