Nepenthes New York

Nepenthes was founded in Japan in 1988 by Keizo Shimizu. It began as a distribution company to bring then hard-to-find US goods, such as vintage Ralph Lauren and New Balance sneakers, to a growing Japanese consumer base. Since then, Nepenthes has grown to become a major fashion conglomerate with retail outposts in Japan and New York. The New York store first opened as a multi-brand boutique in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood. The current iteration of Nepenthes New York now sits in the Garment District and operates as a one-stop destination for the Nepenthes’ family of brands, including Shimizu’s cult label Needles and Daiki Suzuki’s Engineered Garments. Nepenthes NY frequently collaborates with other brands, and the store itself stocks a highly curated array of labels.

The company’s original vision to bring together differentiated and select product offerings has resulted in a sprawling world of expertly crafted Japanese items. The store spans footwear, coveted collaborations, such as Nepenthes x Needles and Nepenthes x Engineered Garments, and cult brands like South2 West8 and EG Workaday. A collaboration with Nepenthes is a coveted co-sign that indicates a dedication to balancing heritage, quality, and innovation.