BACKLASH HOLLYWOOD | Masaru Ito

This is a project to develop and establish an “ISAMU KATAYAMA BACKLASH” flagship store in the States.
BACKLASH is Japan’s leading leather brand, and now also has an enormous popularity among Hollywood celebrities. Since the owner and a designer of BACKLASH, Mr. Katayama, is one of my good friends, I have been participating in this project from the start, such as seeking a location for the retail outlet. After looking around a number of available properties in Hollywood, Venice Beach and Beverly Hills, we finally chose a single-family house with a garden/yard in West Hollywood where you can find a row of stylish and trendy boutiques.

This property borrows heavily from a 1930s-style. We decided to keep this look and emphasize the contrast between the nostalgic exterior and the modern interior.
We have renovated the interior of this residential-use property. As a Japanese brand, we have adopted a minimalistic approach with the interior design. Floors are gray tile and walls and ceilings have a mortar finish, highlighting the differences in textures, yet consisting of simple forms.
Mr. Katayama and I visited many antique stores located between San Francisco and Los Angeles and picked up only the items that we really liked. We placed only a minimum number of furniture and fixtures in the store in order to create a simple but quality feel.

When we looked around antique stores, we were also attracted to a pair of heavy stone columns. We placed these columns at the entrance of the store as an iconic gate to BACKLASH. These columns help to create a magnificent atmosphere and bring an uplifting feeling to the customers.

Although we struggled with a load of problems, including compliance with various US regulations and obtaining permits during early stages of this project, we believe that we have created a space that successfully reflects the concept and perspective of BACKLASH.