As Promised - Lanvin's Spring Show in Tokyo

Wednesday night Lanvin once again showed their women's and men's spring collection at the Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo stadium. There were over 1,000 guest to see Tominaga, Ai open the women's show in a black dress with ruffled collar and one-sleeve-with a glove. The Tokyo show coincides with the renewal of Lanvin’s flagship on Ginza's main street. Japan represents about 7 percent of Lanvin’s sales in Japan and Lanvin is forecasting more increases in Japan and Asia despite poor market conditions for luxury goods.

9th JFW Wrap Up

The 9th Japan Fashion week is over and the results are in: The number of attendees decreased from 17,744 people last year to 15,311 people this year, though international media outlets covering the event grew from 212 in 2008 to 249 this year as well a big jump in international buyers from 19 last year to 125 this year - pretty good for a show that is still not unified in it's calendar and where most retail shops in Japan don't even buy and carry the designers showing.

Victoria's Secret

It's not secret anymore, Victoria's Secret will enter Japan. Over the last year if you asked anyone in the industry they would all tell you they are coming this year or next but they are all wrong as I have just learned Victoria's Secret will come to Japan in 2012 earliest. They will enter under Limited Brands, their mother-company and open retail stores and have a web, catalog and keitai presence and one can only hope - a Japanese Victoria's Angel too...

Dress Camp in Review

Friday evening was Dress Camp's Spring/Summer 2010 presentation. I was invited to view the collection through a friend, and though I had to stand in the back, I still had a better view then the 3 rows of guest in front of me and the gaggle of on-lookers behind me, behind the barriers who were not as lucky to get into the show. Marjan Pejoski, the designer behind Dress Camp used a multitude of colors and hues. For the women, his collection ran deep in pool and lounge inspired-ware with some very interesting takes on traditional designs. I saw puffy shoulders, as well as Spanish colored blouses and less - bikini bottoms with links to tops and beautifully-styled coordinates. For the men it was more luxury lounge with open tuxedo shirts, and a cape a draped over the shoulders that was cut like a jacket. My only dislike were the models, as most seemed to try to hard - the exception was one of the males and two of the women; one with attitude and one of just pure beauty. Overall the show was fun, light and playful with a laid-back edge. And the after party, well let me just say the wine plenty and so were the beautiful people. Thank you Marjan Pejoski for an excellent day before last collection.

Asics Does New York

Yesterday, the Japan-based Asics opened their first US Flagship store in New York. the 1,100 sqf unit is located at 51 West 42nd Street, across from Bryant Park, in a a the former New Balance store. The store will carry Asics footwear, apparel and accessories for men and women. Asics also unveiled it's proprietary Foot ID system, which performs a 3-D scan of a customer’s foot and obtains a gait analysis to help shoppers choose the right shoe. This is the 4th store worldwide for Asics, with the 3 others in London and 2 in Tokyo, with more in planning for the US and Europe as soon as possible. Expanding in the US and Europe will allow Asics to make up for sluggish sales in Japan and China and expand it's growth in their apparel line which makes up only 105 of sales in the US as opposed to 40% in Japan.

Lanvin

Next Wednesday night at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Lanvin will show their spring-summer men's and women's collections. The restaging of the collection shows just how important Japan and the Asia region are to Lanvin. The collection showing on an industrial-styled set will correspond with the renewal of Lanvin's Ginza boutique. The boutique is now 4,900 sqf and now offers custom-tailored suits for men. Continuing their growth in Asia Lanvin will open a new 2,900 sqf store in Shanghai in mid-November, a 2,800 sqf store in Singapore in January and a boutique in Beijing later next year as well as a flagship in Hong Kong.

Tom Ford in Tokyo

Last evening Tom Ford was in Tokyo at Shinjuku Isetan promoting his 2nd and newest store in Japan. The new store in Shinjuku Isetan is a shop-in-shop on the 8th floor among the tailored clothes section of the department store. Ford, who contends his brand is outperforming other men's brands during the recession because of Tom Ford being a new and growing brand has intentions to open a 3rd, stand alone flagship in Tokyo when a suitable location is located as well as launch his women's line when finance is secured. In the meantime fans of Tom Ford will have to make due wit his men's RTW line, skin care, fragrances and sunglasses available throughout Japan.

Japan Fashion Week

Yesterday began the 9th Japan Fashion Week (JFW) in Tokyo. JFW which ends on Saturday 24 October is positioned to be the main event for local designers and with
most large Japanese fashion-houses Comme des Garçons, Undercover and Yohji Yamamoto showing in Paris, and smaller brands N.Hoolywood and John Lawrence Sullivan showed their collections last month, many of the brands at JFW are relatively unknown - Though we all know all major designers start somewhere, so take a seat and watch the collections go by...

Another Brand Bids A Sad Farewell Too Japan

After Versace disclosed they would close their operations in Japan, now another brand is following suite. French Connection UK will close its 21 store in Japan within the next 9 months. As profitability is down French Connection Group PLC is looking for a new licensee for the FCUK in Asia. FCUK reported a loss in both retail and wholesale in the the first 2 quarters of 2009.

Burberry is Looking Ahead to High Profits in Japan

After establishing Burberry Japan K.K. earlier this year, Burberry expects to increase operating profits by around 6.5 million yen by March 2010. Burberry renegotiated and drew up a new agreement with its current licensees Sanyo Shokai Ltd. and Mitsui & Co. Ltd., with the new deal giving higher royalty payments and fewer years on the license. Burberry's agreement will now expire in June 2015 rather than 2020.

GAP International Collection

Yesterday, the GAP completed it's third show in a series of three of rotating global shows. The previous two collections were presented in New York and London. The three cities were chosen because of their status as international fashion capitals and centers of Gap’s worldwide market. The show in Tokyo was a collection of layered looks including floral dresses, patchwork scarves, deconstructed white denim jeans, cutoff khakis, mini-floral-print bikinis, denim blazers and platform espadrilles. In addition to the global collection, about 20 percent of the pieces shown will be exclusive to Japan, including denim overalls and fitted, tailored jackets. The next series of shows is slated to return to New York though GAP said another location in Asia is a possibility.

Signs of Life in the Fashion Economy

With the Paris shows over, it is a consensus the economy is slightly improving - and even with the Japanese economy still in the red many Japanese fashion buyers are buying more albeit safe choices of colors, fabrics, silhouettes, textures and trends. Some of the purchases from this year's shows for the Japan market are a peach-colored Janteloven Superdress, with a mid-thigh hemline particularly popular with Japanese shoppers this season as well as square scarves, in vibrant violet and citrus green. Looking forward to a colorful collection for next year Spring/Summer.

Yohji Yamamoto Inc. files for bankruptcy

Suffering from stagnant sales dues to an ailing economy Yohji Yamamoto Inc. has filed for bankruptcy, though hope may be near in the likes of Japanese investment company Integral Corp. who released a press release stating they will finance the restructuring of Yohji Yamamoto Inc.

Fast Retailing's Expansion Plan

To achieve annual sales of 5 trillion yen by 2020, Fast Retailing will go from the number one apparel company in Asia to the number one apparel company in the world having their expansion fueled by the thirst of consumers thirsty for high quality and low prices - by opening an average of 100 stores a year in China and Hong Kong as well as 100 stores in South Korea with other expansion in South East Asia; Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, Vietnam and finally Australia.

Arrivederci Versace Japan

With the Versace boutiques no longer representing the Versace brand image Gianni Versace SpA will close all their stores in Japan by the end of this year and review their business strategy. Versace in Japan has been struggling even before the recession as they took control of distribution and sold unprofitable units in an attempt to compete with Gucci Group and Giorgio Armani SpA. With the new CEO, Gian Giacomo Ferraris will come a new strategy in Japan and globally.

Uniqlo...On the Rise Again

Even before +J line launched, Uniqlo continued an 11-month trend (except for July) of sales increases - September 2009 saw same-store comparative sales in Japan increase 31.6% from an increase of shoppers of 22.6% who each increased their spending by 7.2%. With these numbers Uniqlo is right on track to achieve their sales goals of 5 trillion yen by 2020.

+J

Went into a Uniqlo in Nishi-Arai in Adachi-Ku Tokyo over the weekend to check out the J+ line and was surprised to find they do not sell the +J line there - according to a shop staff we asked "it is only being sold at big stores". Well, this Uniqlo was huge; selling women's, men's, kid's, and baby clothes as well as accessories and even shoes (on a lower level). I will try another Uniqlo shop soon and let you know if I have better luck finding +J. On another note, I did see the Uniqlo shoes and boots; they look low quality to go along with their low price - I didn't know you could fake crushed-velvet. The one thing I like about Uniqlo is the high quality of their apparel and accessories at low-cost. The shoes are low-cost and low-quality.

Update on the Japan Luxury Economy - An Opinion Piece

With sales still suffering in Japan, luxury brands are rescheduling and cancelling new store openings, not replacing out-going employees, not hiring at all and even laying-off employees...I mean restructuring. How must worse can the luxury market in Japan get? Well, if you consider the aggressive-expansion and over-saturation of the market in 2006-2007 things will get a lot worse, however this may not be a bad thing as strong brands will survive and the market will be back balance and luxury will take it's place once again as exclusivity only the very wealthy can afford. Comments?