Located in Tokyo, north of Shibuya precinct, Harajuku Street is known for its unique sense of style.

Every Sunday, young people throng the street, and many are dressed in outrageous styles like gothic lolita (a combination of goth and Victorian-era fashion), visual kei (inspired by the make-up and hair of punk, rock and metal musicians) and decora (cutesy prints, polka dots and bows).

So when this Secret Shopper learnt that a store featuring Harajuku style is in town, I expected a flamboyant treat for the eyes.

Signature style

A public relations statement described the Harajuku Street Style store, which stocks 15 labels, as featuring the "edgiest of Japanese street fashion".

Edgy? There are no bold colours and no oversized, cutesy bow accessories and wigs characteristic of the Harajuku style.

Maybe I am being presumptous (research into Harajuku yielded photos of fun fashion styles), but if I had to put a name to the store's signature style, it would be vintage-preppy, not Japanese street fashion.

So rosebud prints? Nice. They may be the biggest thing in Harajuku right now, but they were so off my radar that it came off as jarring.

Prices range from $69 for a basic, casual top to the low $100s for a chiffon blouse or dresses.

Store layout

I had no trouble navigating the store. The racks are well spaced and properly lit. Kudos for that. But I wish there were more signs to indicate the Japanese origin of the clothes.

The fitting rooms are a let-down.

Pencil scribbles and shoe marks on the white walls of one room were a red mark in its report card. A section of the fitting room area also appeared to be under renovation when I was there - dusty, unused racks were simply dumped there.

Size matters

Many items in the store are marked "free size", which means they are for those who are UK sizes 6 to 8. If you're out of that range, you might have better luck elsewhere.

Service

When I asked a sales assistant what type of pearls were used in a necklace which caught my eye, she answered: "Ordinary pearls."

She also made no effort to remove the pile of price tags that lay on top of the glass cabinet displaying the jewellery I was eyeing even though they were clearly blocking my view. It was a pity as some of the pieces would have tempted me to splurge on them.

Verdict

Harajuku Street Style leaves room for improvement, especially if it hopes to attract fans to its flagship store due to open next year.

The store's interior could incorporate more Japanese flavour and vibe, for one thing. There could be more information on the 15 labels, especially since they were carefully chosen by Singapore's uber-street style brand 77th Street.

Currently, the pop-up store doesn't differentiate itself from the rest of Tangs. It should as it is probably one of the few spots that locals who aspire to dress like Harajuku kids can turn to.

Finally, the service standards need a real upgrade. Stores in Japan are renowned for their courtesy.

Where: Harajuku Street Style pop-up store

Where: Tangs Orchard, Level 4. The pop-up store will be there till end December.

When: 10.30am to 9.30pm on Monday to Thursday and Saturday. 10:30am to 11pm on Friday, 11am to 8.30pm on Sunday

History

The pop-up store opened early this month. It features 15 Japanese brands. It is a joint venture between streetwear retailer 77th Street and AWCG, a Japanese company which represents Harajuku fashion brands. A flagship store is slated to open next May.

This article was first published in The New Paper.