Tag Archives for " Fashion/Apparel "

Oct 07

FOCUS: Apparel Retailing FY2014: making the best of it

Apparel retailers entered FY2014 with a good deal of worry about just how long consumers would stay away from stores after splurging before the consumption tax increase. The good news was that for many the second half of the year was positive, and by the end of the year, losses had been recouped. As a […]

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Sep 14

TSI ties with Development Bank of Japan, readies M&A fund

TSI Holdings is one of Japan’s most establishment apparel houses, with links across government and industry, providing a support network that has helped it through the tumultuous years of merger and rationalisation. These links became more transparent last month when the Development Bank of Japan acquired a stake and became its key advisor on future […]

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May 15

Air wardrobes: sharing clothes and fashion tips online

The mountains of little used clothing and accessories piling up in the back of closets across Japan is suddenly an area ripe for exploration in the new online sharing boom. A new start up aims to help people clean-up, while another is offering rental services based on expert advice from stylists. There is even a […]

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Nov 15

Mash Style Lab: fastest growing fashion retailer slows down

Mash Holdings has been the fastest growing fashion retailer for the last two years, and has ambitious plans to expand further both at home and overseas. However, while it will double store openings this financial year, it expects sales to rise just 20%, not bad, but half the growth rates of 2012 and 2013. Japan’s […]

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Sep 15

GMS apparel sales shrink further but signs of revival

GMS share of the apparel market shrank last year, with sales down yet again. There is some glimmer of hope as the top chains expand private brand ranges, design better apparel floors, and in many cases, hand over space to specialty tenants, with some even making a profit. General Merchandise Store (GMS) chains continue to […]

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Jul 15

Baroque unveils global brands

Thanks to its Chinese shareholders, Baroque Japan is now gearing up for a new life as a multinational fashion retailer. Last month it showcased four new apparel brands aimed at both increasing market share at home and accelerating expansion in Asia, while also launching a new footwear chain. Baroque held a trade exhibition for its […]

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Jun 15

Ace: a travel solutions business

Ace is Japan’s biggest home-grown luggage firm, despite losing both Samsonite and Tumi over the last decade. As well as signing replacements, it is also investing heavily in its own brands with plans to globalise distribution over the next few years with the help of US subsidiary Zero Halliburton and Italian partner Pelletteria Clio. Ace, […]

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Apr 15

GU: sales of ¥100 billion this year

GU has grown from scratch to sales of ¥83 billion in seven years and expects to hit ¥100 billion this year. It continues to expand store numbers rapidly while working on new, more fashionable merchandising as it begins to expand overseas. GU, Fast Retailing’s second chain, is forecasting sales will hit ¥100 billion for the […]

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Mar 15

Trinity Arts growth continues

Japan has a host of fast growing fashion retailers. One of the most consistent is Trinity Arts which is using the large cash pile of new parent Adastria to rapidly expand existing chains and launch new ones, including for overseas markets. Trinity Arts looks set to continue its rapid growth of recent years. In FY2012 […]

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Feb 15

Cross Company to launch chain targeting US and Europe

Cross Company still delivers rapid growth but it is reaching a scale that could well slow it down if it doesn’t expand beyond the current model and narrow market. It knows this, and for the last two years has been working on a plan to create a new kind of fashion chain, one that is […]

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Jan 15

FOCUS: Specialty apparel FY2012-13: gaining further ground

The results for specialty apparel retailing in FY2012 were even better than 2011, reflecting higher spending on premium fashions as well as a general uplift in consumer demand. The top specialty apparel retailers outperformed the market, averaging 9.1% growth and now account for 35% of the entire apparel market – the top 20 alone own […]

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