Japan news and archive

Uniqlo to open new, innovative prototype store at Maebashi, Gunma

Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo is opening a new store at Maebashi in Japan’s Prefecture Gunma this week, which will act as a prototype for other stores globally. Men’s, women’s, kids’ and babies’ wear will be available on a sales floor of approximately 2,500 square metres. A new concept with innovative design features, that are a first for the...

Fashion

Fast Retailing and UNHCR celebrate 10th anniversary of ‘Power of Clothing Project’

Japanese retail holding company Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. celebrates the 10th anniversary of its ‘Power of Clothing Project’ in collaboration with UNHCR, which encourages students to collect discarded children’s clothing in order to give them to refugee children in need. The project first launched in 2013, with a total of about 380,000 students...

Fashion Featured

Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo returns with an emphasis on local brands and craftsmanship

Since Japan began easing its Covid restrictions a year ago, the country has been in a continued state of recovery, attempting to breathe new life into its internal fashion industry. This was the central task of the AW23 edition of Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo (FWT), which returned to almost full capacity for the first time since the pandemic hit....

Podcast

Podcast: How brands can court luxury shoppers in Japan

The Asian fashion market has several countries with a strong penchant for luxury fashion, including Japan. The Japanese luxury consumer has specific needs that Christine Edman, executive officer of Japanese e-commerce platform Zozo, explains in this episode of The Business of Fashion podcast. Brands must have the patience to conquer the Japanese...

Fashion |IN IMAGES Featured

Marni unveils a colour-popping wardrobe in Tokyo’s Olympic stadium

On Wednesday, the luxury brand Marni flew to Japan to unveil its autumn 2023 collection for men and women. A travelling show based on the Resort model, in which the brand's emblematic codes - polka dots, bright colours and geometric lines - were exhibited, accompanied by a string orchestra. Marni’s autumn 2023 collection The event took place in...

Business

VF Corporation opens regional office in Tokyo alongside design collective

Fashion conglomerate VF Corporation has launched the new Tokyo Design Collective (TDC) alongside the opening of a regional office in the Japanese city’s Harajuku district. The office will be the new home of VF brands Dickies, Timberland and Vans in the region, as well as the TDC team. The mission of TDC is to merge Japanese product design and...

Business

Fast Retailing ups Japanese employee wages by 40 percent

Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, has said it will be revising employee remuneration, starting with upping the wages of its Japanese employees by as much as 40 percent. The move will cover employees from its headquarters and corporate departments, as well as employees working in stores, and comes as the group looks to remunerate each...

Culture

Tokyo exhibit showcases Dior's passion for Japan

A hit exhibition showcasing Christian Dior's work opens in Tokyo this week with a focus on the French designer's fascination with Japan and the country's influence on his pieces. "Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams" arrives in Japan after drawing huge crowds in Paris, London and New York. Opening Wednesday, the exhibition features 350 haute...

Fashion

Marni set to host show in Tokyo on February 1

Italian luxury brand Marni has reportedly confirmed it will be holding a show in Tokyo, Japan, to unveil its autumn 2023 collection. The label’s creative director Francesco Risso is said to have confirmed the news with WWD. In an interview with the publication, Risso said: “A year ago, I decided to stage a series of travelling shows with our...

Business

Eddie Bauer plans expansion in Japan

US leisure and outdoor brand Eddie Bauer is planning to expand in Japan. Therefore, the US fashion and media group Authentic Brands Group LLC (ABG), which acquired the brand last year, and Japanese retail group Itochu have entered into a partnership, as announced on Wednesday. Together, they aim to open the first freestanding Eddie Bauer stores...

Retail

Japan’s GU to open first US store

Japanese retailer GU has announced it will be opening its first store in the US, set to launch autumn 2022. The pop-up store will be located in Soho, New York, and will mark the brand’s first Western launch outside of Asia, coming as part of its further business expansion. Featured in the store will be a lineup of “on-trend” clothing and...

Fashion

Yohji Yamamoto launches new conceptual brand and project

Japanese design house Yohji Yamamoto has revealed a new conceptual project which will span collaborative collection launches and art initiatives, as well as a store opening. ‘Wildside Yohji Yamamoto’ will cover different genres, including fashion, art and interior design, and will see the label collaborate with other Japanese brands, such as...