In Japan, where a close shave is still a necessity for salarymen, Panasonic is trying to elevate the daily ritual with a pop-up store in the trendy Omotesando shopping district of Tokyo.
At the two-story street-facing Lamdash Lounge in Omotesando, with its red leather barber chairs and wood paneling, customers can try out limited edition versions of Panasonic’s high-end Lamdash ES-XLV9C electric shaver. Upstairs is a bar where female bartenders in white suits and white gloves serve rum cocktails. A photographer is on hand to snap a photo of the freshly-shaved customer enjoying a cocktail in a leather armchair.
“We want to change the shavers’ image from a daily use commodity to a luxury good” and encourage customers to derive pleasure from shaving time, said a Panasonic spokesperson.
This is the latest in a wider Asian trend of self-pampering products for the home, which in recent years has boosted sales of everything from massage chairs to face steamers for a home spa experience.
