The Closure of Liquor, Woman & Tears Led to a New Vision for Harajuku Main Store

Motohiro “poggy” Kogi of UNITED ARROWS is the acclaimed director and buyer of "Liquor, woman & tears," a shop that sadly closed this spring. His discerning curation, spanning street style, high fashion, and luxury brands, established it as a leading destination for a generation raised on club culture and music.

—It was a shame about the closure of Liquor, Woman & Tears (LWT).

“The head of department told me it would be difficult to keep LWT going, and I desperately wanted to avoid that, so I presented various survival strategies. UA's experimental shops are expected to show results within two years. LWT managed to meet its budget in the last six months, but…”

—In a way, did failure become a stepping stone?

Yes, I suppose so. When I first launched LWT, my focus was on the impact the store had on the market. After making an impact, I lacked the focus on the core aspect—how to translate that into business. Through the LWT experience, I finally understood what is truly important for a store. I feel indebted to the company for letting me run LWT, an experience I wouldn't normally have, and I want to repay that.

UNITED ARROWS' Classic Style and Its Mentors

—What were your thoughts observing Harajuku from Aoyama?

It’s like this: in the early days of UA, albums had only two or three songs, and we all said, “Let’s make it ten songs.” Now, albums have about 100 songs, but with 100 songs, it becomes unclear what the album is trying to convey, and who it’s for. I believe it’s important now to narrow it down to ten songs.

—So, ten songs represent the classic style?

When I was put in charge of LWT, I felt my mission was to do something different from UA itself. We moved increasingly towards a refined aesthetic that deviated from the menswear mainstream, but then I encountered figures like Verbal, who looked great in flamboyant outfits at clubs, and realized there’s always someone better in fashion. At the same time, I observed a shift where young people going to clubs started wearing leather shoes or becoming interested in ALDEN. This made me rediscover the strength of UA's core classic style. So, when I discussed the name "& SONS," which is common in Europe and America, with Yasuto Kamoshita (UNITED ARROWS Creative Director), he approved.

Both Mr. Kamoshita and Mr. Kurino are enthusiastic fans (laughs). I've heard many stories about their youthful exploits, and both were quite wild in the 80s. So, I felt that pursuing a more enthusiastic approach in the Men's Building was the right direction.

A Message from Stylist Koichiro Yamamoto

—What was the initial renovation plan?

The initial grand design was to make the entire building "UNITED ARROWS & SONS." The concept was to have the basement floor as "THE SON," embodying the current zeitgeist; the first floor, "A son's future father," featuring street-inspired suit styles; and the second floor, "From father to son," showcasing UA's origins.

—That changed, and it became the floor concept for the basement, correct?

Yes. We will condense a composition, different from LWT, into a single floor.

—What about the interior design concept?

I love established stores. The Harajuku Main Store building itself is a superb design by Ricardo Bofill. For the interior, while incorporating current trends, I want to base it on the antique style of popular New York shops, blending it with vintage elements drawn from established stores in Rome and Florence.

—I'm looking forward to it.