Forever 21 Has Opened

By now I am sure this is not new news to anyone but for those of you who did not know or missed it Forever 21 opened their first flagship store in Japan yesterday in the heart of Harajuku - in fact right next to competitor H&M. The store is a full-5 floors covering 530sqm with the street level dedicated to their Twelve by Twelve line. The opening was, as it always is in Japan a very, long, long line. The line was so long that it wrapped around the street past the Softbank store (the still not as long as the H&M opening nor the Apple iPhone release), still it was a beautiful day weather-wise and shopping-wise. How long did you have to wait in line?

Chanel Opens Beauty Store in Tokyo

Today, Chanel opened their first beauty store in today. The 1,506-square-foot shop in Aoyama is the largest Chanel beauty boutique in the world and will showcase Chanel's makeup, skincare, and fragrance products. For today's opening Chanel released a limited-edition Tokyo-exclusive makeup collection. Did you get yours?

Abercrombie & Fitch is Finally Going to Open...Or Are They?

Abercrombie & Fitch's long awaited Asia debut is finally happening on 15 December 2009. Their first shop with 970sqm floor space will open in Ginza 6-chome and occupy the first 11 floors. Will they really come this time? Only time and the economy will tell. What do you think?

For What You Wear Underneath

On 20 March Rock Your Hearts, a new lingerie select-shop opened in Parco part 3 in Shibuya. The shop is 53sqm and will include home wear, accessories and of course…lingerie. Among the brands are a number of overseas brands as well as new and emerging bands which will have a nature, eco (the current buzz word in Japan) and a slow living theme. This is good news for lingerie loving-costumers in Japan as they are forecasting 50 million yen this year with more stores to follow soon (I never did think there were enough lingerie shops in Japan.) How do you market and merchandise eco, nature and slow-living lingerie, I would like to know. Any ideas?

Japanese Denim

For years American and Italian denim was viewed as premium and the place to go for brands to have their jeans produced due to their durability and design respectively, though now that’s starting to change with Japanese denim earning more respect and gaining a stronger market share. This push starts in Okayama, the denim heartland in Japan where innovative designers and factories produce high quality jeans with a strong attention to detail and design. With jeans being sold in Japan retail and factories in Okayama being used for outsourcing, Japanese denim is getting its due.

Finally some good economic news!

The renewal of Shinjuku Lumine Est has paid off as sales have jumped 30% since the renewal from ¥26 billion before reconstruction in 2006 to ¥39 billion today – a ¥13
billion jump in just three years and the renewal is not even complete yet. From the former My City (do you remember it?) to a renewal with 20 new tenants, some making their first debut inside a fashion building, 80% of the space as been renewed with new stores include Freak’s Store Women’s Shop, Feria, Girls Doors, and Yoshii & Rienda.

Need More Loveless?

Sanyo-Shokai has opened the 3rd Loveless store. The store located in Fukuoka is 430sqm and is the first not in Tokyo (the other two high-end Loveless select shops are in Aoyama and Daikanyama). Using different merchandise than the Tokyo stores the Fukuoka Loveless store targets men and women in their 20s and 30s with a more accessible range of designers. This new store in Fukuoka as well as the another new Loveless opening in Osaka is good news for leading designers who are looking for more and better exposure in the Japan.

New GAP store update

The Hulic-Sukiyabashi building given up by Louis Vuitton which would have been their new flagship in Ginza is being developed by the GAP into a 12-storey building, opening in 2011 with rental office space on top floors and 2000sqm of sales space in the store below – the biggest GAP store yet in Japan. Next year will be GAP’s 15th anniversary in Japan and they continue to invest heavily, with another new store opening in Harajuku opposite Harajuku station in the space formerly occupied by Comme ca. It will consist of 2,000 sqm and will replace the current store at Meiji Dori to go along with their 114 stores. The new stores will include the GAP Body and Personal Care lines which will be launched in Japan this year.

Have you been invited to Gilt?

On 12 March Gilt Groupe launched a Japanese version of their exclusive online shopping club Gilt.com. I say exclusive as the preferred way to gain membership is through invitation by a current member. The web site is similar to Friends & Family Sales/Sample Sales we you can typically purchase designer goods at a discount of 50% - 70% off. Each sale lasts 36 hours and features items hand-selected from the designer. Each item has particular attention to the detail of the design, history and a review, a popular feature to-date. The site proved immensely popular in the US and for their Japan launch they offer mobile sign-up as well as PC. So far the designer sales in Japan have been Emanuel Ungaro for women followed by Just Cavalli, Ballantyne and Paola Frani. With men’s from 18 March for designer Neil Barett. Gilt Groupe says it is forecasting 1 million members in Japan within five years and sales of ¥50 billion. If you are a member and you invite someone who joins and makes a purchase you will receive $25 worth of Gilt Groupe credits, so what are you waiting for…invite me!

Forever 21 Update

It’s getting closer, the opening of Forever 21 in Harajuku on Wednesday 29 April – a holiday no less – good for lining up and shopping. If you do not already know, Forever 21’s first shop in Japan will be right next to H&M, it will be interesting to see how Forever 21’s opening will affect H&M’s sales especially since Forever 21’s price points will be the same in Japan as the US meaning comparable to H&M in Japan. The store will be 5 floors covering 530sqm with the street level dedicated to their Twelve by Twelve line. If you cannot wait for the opening 3 weeks away you can visit Forever 21’s web site which launched in Japan on 20 March. And if you can wait click online event to get your 10% off coupon for shopping at Forever 21. Enjoy and see you there!

Nigo to step down from Bathing Ape

This just in...Nigo, who founded Bathing Ape in 1994 and turned BAPE into a street wear empire is stepping down as president and director though he will still remain designer and continue his collaborations with Pharrell Williams and Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream brands. End of an empire or a new beginning - what are your thoughts?