The innovative Y-3 line, fruit of a collaboration between sports brand Adidas and fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto, has just announced the launch of its first ever standalone store in the UK.

Located in the heart of London, at 54 Conduit Street, Y-3 will open the doors of its new flagship on March 10th. To celebrate the occasion, Y-3 is having an in-store cocktail reception that evening, followed by a party at Paramount Bar on New Oxford Street, where both Yohji Yamamoto and Adida’s creative director Dirk Schönberger will be present.

Outfits from Y-3's Spring/Summer 2011 Lookbook

Combining sports and design, with an emphasis on form and movement, Y-3’s collections have a unique look that has proven to be quite successful. Since its creation in 2002, the contemporary sportswear brand has continued to develop and today operates stores in several major cities, including Tokyo, Beijing, Paris and Hong Kong. In the US alone, Y-3 has stores in New York, Miami, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Close-up of pieces taken from the S/S 2011 collection

As for the UK, Y-3 currently operates around 50 points of sale, some of which can be found at high-end department stores such as Harrods or Harvey Nichols. The opening of the London Conduit Street store represents an important milestone in the brand’s history as it will be Y-3’s first ever monobrand store in the country.

With a floor area of approximately 610 m² (2,000 sq ft), the new boutique is going to debut with the Spring/Summer 2011 collection and will carry Y-3’s full range of products including men's, women's and children’s apparel, footwear and accessories. Later in the year, customers should be able to get their hands on the brand’s Autumn/Winter 2011-12 collections, which were presented for the first time last month at the New York Fashion Week.

Video footage from Y-3's A/W 2011-12 show for men and women at New York Fashion Week
Counting on its unique blend of style and functionality, Y-3 has high ambitions for the future. In 2011, Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto plan to launch several other Y-3 stores in key cities throughout the US, Asia, Europe and for the first time in the Middle East. Furthermore, Y-3’s first global online store (www.y-3store.com) is also scheduled to open early March.

by Marina Felippe