TOKYO — Japan is committed to taking a more prominent role on the international fashion scene, and to that end, the nation staged its fashion week Sept. 4 to 8, preceding fashion seasons in New York, London, Milan and Paris.
Japan Fashion Week showcased 44 brands presenting their spring 2007 lines here. It was the first time in more than 20 years — since the first collections here were organized by the Council of Fashion Designers, Tokyo — that it kicked off ahead of other fashion capitals’ weeks.
Japan Fashion Week was held mainly at the Tokyo International Forum. The group’s aim in holding collections even before New York was to focus “more attention on the Japanese fashion industry from foreign buyers and media, for higher recognition in worldwide fashion and eventually more opportunities for business,” said Nobuyuki Ota, public relations director for JFW Executive Committee, the organizing body. He pointed to the success New York’s fashion community experienced when the American collections were rescheduled ahead of the European runways, starting in 1999.
Related Articles
“It was a big success,” said Masahiko Miyake, chairman of JFW Executive Committee, referring to Tokyo’s event, noting that foreign attendance increased from the last round of collections and that reaction from overseas, especially Asia, was strong.
You May Also Like
JFW said 50 foreign buyers attended, up from 20 last season, and, perhaps more importantly, 130 members of overseas media came, up from 90 last time. About 440 Japanese buyers and 650 domestic media people attended.
Miyake said JFW had stepped up promotional and advertising efforts overseas to attract more foreigners.
Last year, show week here ran from Oct. 31 to Nov. 9. Despite the typical anxieties about being ready and getting fabrics in time for the earlier dates, key brands such as Mihara Yasuhiro, Theater Products, Mint Designs and DressCamp joined the new schedule.
Designer Han Ahn Soon said, “Under the new schedule, I can buy imported fabrics after the show. Previously, I had to go right before my show. Also, thanks to the promotion by JFW, I saw some buyers from overseas as well as had inquiries for our invitation.”
Industry sources said younger designers responded positively to the earlier dates, while some of the more established designers with stable domestic businesses, such as Jun Ashida, Yuki Torri, Yukiko Hanai and Miss Ashida, opted not to go early. Sources said these houses, which concentrate on the domestic market in terms of fashion preferences, sizing, textile selection, logistics and other factors, elected to hold their shows in a couple of months — the more traditional time slot. Those will be organized by CFD, Tokyo.
Though two decades have passed since the first Tokyo collections were held by CFD, Tokyo, “the time has come for Japan’s fashion industry to compete, or collaborate, with overseas industries,” said Ota, explaining the motivation for changing the schedule.
Buyers’ reactions to the new timing varied.
“I can picture a rough blueprint of buying by seeing the September shows in Tokyo, based on our own theme and buying plan,” said Yasuyo Kasahara, buying director of the trendy retailer Aquagirl here.
“It is difficult to see collections back in Tokyo when they take place after a monthlong buying trip overseas. So I agreed to the September show in Tokyo,” added Miyako Sekimoto, fashion director for Matsuya, a leading retailer here.
Cindy Ho, commercial director of resources and development for Villa Moda Lifestyle, saw collections from Objetstandard, Mihara Yasuhiro, Ato, Mint Designs, Ylang Ylang, Hisui, Ne Net, Mercibeaucoup, Sunao Kunihara and Ohya at JFW. She said she especially liked Mercibeaucoup, calling it “very young, dynamite and fresh to me among all the collections.
“We are also interested in Mint Designs, Mihara Yasuhiro and Sunao Kunihara. However, the Tokyo collections are not finished yet and we are still looking into some other brands,” she added.
Ho has attended JFW several times, and Villa Moda Lifestyle already has bought Mint Designs and Sacai, among others. She said she intended to return next season.
But another buyer lamented, “We cannot decide on our budget for the Japanese brands because it’s still too early.”
For the fall 2007 runway collections, JFW has chosen to host the week March 12 to 16, against its original idea of holding it in January before New York collections get under way in early February. These dates are after Paris shows conclude. Some presentations will be held before and after this period, JFW noted.
“We asked designers and most of them said they preferred March due to the short lead time for preparing textiles [in time for shows in] January,” explained Miyake. “Setting the Tokyo show schedule in September and March [allows makers half a year] of preparation time.
“For the next collections, for fall 2007, we will see more collaboration among the industries, including the materials manufacturers,” he added.
Last year, JFW was started with the intention of bringing the nation’s fashion industries together, to promote the advantages of Japan fashion within the framework supported by the government. JFW comprises runway shows, exhibitions and other fashion events.