To cut the ribbon on its reopened Ginza store, Miu Miu honored both the past and present with a quintessentially Tokyo kind of night—one that unfolded in three spots across the city. To pay tribute to the ever-alluring archetypical Miu Miu girl on her home turf, the label presented the Miu Miu Jazz Club; an experiential evening inspired by the many women who have helped shape the Japanese jazz scene.
The affair began in the current moment at the Ginza flagship. Fans eagerly lined up across the street and on either side of the glass doors awaiting brand ambassador and K-pop star, Wonyoung of Ive. Her arrival was heralded by the synchronous screams and raising of cameras, as onlookers clamored to get a closer look at the style star—who was dressed in a fetching Panama cotton crop top and skirt set—before a squad of security guards ushered her up the pale blue velvet stairs. (The furor lasted just a moment, but footage still continues to spread like wildfire on social media, as is expected these days.)
Once inside, guests received an exclusive preview of the new Miu Miu Upcycled collection, one day ahead of its official launch. Collectively, they admired the white cotton vests and miniskirts embellished with glass beads, while wearing looks that were just as chic. Think: handkerchief tops and sequined mermaid skirts, apron dresses, and slingback kitten heel loafers. As DJ Nina Yamada spun jazz records by the likes of Carl Hancock Rux, the crowd enjoyed flutes of Laurent Perrier and sparkling Saicho darjeeling tea as they reclined on velvet sofas beside green hydrangeas in glass vases.
After sunset, the group was ferried from the modern-day fashion party across the city to Dance Hall Shinseiki, where they were immediately immersed into local culture. Opened in 1969, the dance hall had been transformed into Miu Miu’s take on a cabaret club meets kissaten (a Japanese tearoom or coffee shop from the Showa era.) Red velvet curtains, mirrored walls, and small coffee tables with cotton-shade lamps further evoked the kind of jazz kissa beloved in post-war Japan—to the point where one could easily imagine the clouds of cigarette smoke that would have once drifted through a similar room.
Whiskey highballs and espresso martinis floated freely as Lily, a multi-instrumentalist and vinyl DJ from the vintage record shop Ella Records, set the mood. Later, Reiya Terakubo took the stage for a lively set that blended classic jazz and funk with house, hip-hop, and R n’ B.
With little warning, Hiromi, the acclaimed Japanese jazz pianist and composer, appeared to perform a spellbinding thirty-minute set. Her fingers flew nimbly across the keys, the tempo and dynamics ramping up and down, sometimes light as air, other times explosive, as she rose, stamping her feet or pounding her fist along the keys, still hitting each note with exacting precision that left the once-raucous crowd speechless.
The night drew to a close next door at the Tokyo Kinema Club, a former cabaret turned live music venue. Singer-songwriter Arlo Parks, who also flew in for the occasion, delivered an incredible display of artistry; her voice filling the intimate space and uplifting the buoyant crowd as they sipped Champagne and yuzu cocktails.
No matter their backstory, each woman who was spotlighted over the course of the night—from Wonyoung to Hiromi to Arlo Parks—radiated the same independently authentic spirit that makes a Miu Miu girl so singular.
