This year BEAMS turns 40. If you’re not familiar with the Japanese retailer, even more reason to read on. In the four decades since opening its doors as a modest American Lifestyle shop in the Harajuku district of Tokyo, BEAMS has grown into a worldwide arbiter of forward-thinking cool. Central to the brand's success and influence is collaboration—this is why we’re interested.
BEAMS has teamed with seemingly every relevant brand in popular style culture, even in the outdoors space. Think Adidas and Nike, Arc’teryx and Nixon, The North Face Purple Label, Gramicci, Gregory, Wild Things, and even Brooklyn’s own Pilgrim Surf + Supply. Plus about 225 more. Each collaboration takes on an iconic piece or designs anew, putting a uniquely Japanese spin on everything from outerwear and footwear to gear like backpacks and rucksacks.
To celebrate the ongoing success of the now global retailer, Rizzoli is releasing a new monograph titled, “BEAMS Beyond Tokyo.” The 250+ page hardcover highlights the most notable collaborations with multiple essays and interviews with notable designers and photographers.
