Spring green carpets and plush couchettes fill Gucci’s dazzling new boutique in Osaka’s Umeda district, where bright lighting shows off the luxury brand’s latest collections. But after passing through an unmarked white door nearly invisible against the back wall of the men’s section, my eyes adjust to a sudden dimness.
This shadowy entryway serves as my welcome to Gucci Giardino Osaka, the fashion house’s second Gucci Giardino bar.
Upstairs, the dramatic space is outfitted with wine-colored leather sofas, seductively back-lit red walls and woven bamboo fixtures adorning two wide pillars. The atmosphere feels moody, chic and delightfully louche — more beguiling villain’s lair than the cheerful cafe ambiance of the original Gucci Giardino in Florence.