It has been another busy summer for Itochu Shoji, with several new contracts signed and handed over to trusted subsidiaries and affiliates for day to day management. There are three new footwear brands, a Hawaiian clothing retailer, and an Italian bag brand. Itochu Shoji has signed a crop of footwear brands in the last eight […]
The big Japanese trading companies are key conduits in domestic apparel and fashion distribution. They supply yarn, buttons and other parts, clothing, accessories and footwear to most of the high street retailers, while also acting as distributors for hundreds of overseas brands. Their role is changing, however, as more foreign brands operate directly in Japan […]
As predicted for some time, Itochu has brokered merger talks between Familymart and Circle K Sunkus (CKS). As if the possibility of a merger between the number three and number four convenience stores wasn’t tantalising enough, Familymart may go all the way and merge with Uny, CKS’s parent company. Negotiations are ongoing, but failing a […]
Itochu Shoji may already be the biggest fashion distributor among the Sogo Shosha but it plans a renewed push in brand distribution both at home, where it sees a significant uplift from the tourist market, and across Asia. It is looking for brands across a broad range of segments. Itochu Shoji signed Dutch fashion label […]
The online fashion space continues to develop and diversify offering more opportunities for fashion brands and retailers to not only reach new consumers, but to do so in an ever more targeted way. Itochu-backed fashion coordination site, iQon, unveiled its own advertising service last month. Vasily, the operator of iQon, says it will be asking […]
The rapid growth in e-commerce is leading to huge demand for state of the art distribution facilities and support. With Amazon Japan leading from the front, all the major players, and even the smaller ones, are now expected to provide short lead times at very low cost to the final customer but the cost of […]
Strong sales at department stores and select shop chains mean demand for premium overseas brands continues unabated. This benefits not only the brands themselves, but also distributors, leading to a resurgence in activity, even among former dullards of the industry like Toray Diplomode. Others such as Look are going from strength to strength. Demand for […]
Itochu has more than 150 brands under management, with a portfolio management style akin to a music conglomerate, continually questing for new prospects. Its latest signings include Emanuel Ungaro, Eastpak, Hunter and Breuer, all on behalf of Coronet, which is becoming a major player in brand distribution once more. Itochu Shoji snapped up a few […]
Itochu Shoji is master licensee for a myriad of brands, but some are more successful than others. One of its biggest hits in the last few years has been Lanvin, which it signed in 2002 and which it has built up from a ¥15 billion a year business to ¥37 billion largely through a successful […]
