I Want It, But Can't Have It : Japan's Fashion Market

Reading New York Times article on why Japanese clothing is so hard to get hold of and what’s being done about it, inspires me to continue my interest of reporting on Japanese Fashion Trends. Even though it is hard to get some popular labels only available in Japan, it will prove to be valuable in the long run. There are public officials making moves to help young designers and their labels to be marketed overseas. One of the main fashion trendsetters for Japan, Harajuku, is being targeted as a main marketing strategy for Japanese fashion. It has been my introduction to the Japanese Fashion scene. New York Times states that, "the Foreign Ministry dispatched a group of suit-clad officials to Tokyo’s hip Harajuku neighborhood to survey the latest trends, part of an effort to promote Japanese fashion overseas. After interviews with shoppers and sales clerks, the ministry came up with a battle plan: to appoint three young trendsetters as “ambassadors” of Japanese chic, charged with extending the industry’s reach overseas and piquing interest in Japanese brands." There is hope. The New York Times also reports that,"For the first time this year, the collection, renamed Japan Fashion Week, sponsored a splinter fashion event in New York to showcase Japanese designers, and it has planned another runway show in New York in mid-February." Many designers do not have the proper tools or know how to market their collections overseas. Read the entire article here.

Photo by-Erin G (flickr.com)