subject: Nobody Cares About The Japanese Luxury Big Influx Of Cheap Clothing Robust In Much [print this page] Japan has a major luxury brand's largest single market. Now, when they shop or quietly to avoid or delay taking the occasion, two near the low end just to enter the Japanese retail business has dished out an ambitious expansion plan, which is Hennes & Mauritz, and Forever 21.
The two companies sell inexpensive trendy clothing uphold the "fast fashion" concept, new to the shop every day. Japanese brands in superstition, they reflect the company's successful concept of the profound changes in consumption that consumers will not give priority to the value of the brand.
Forever 21 is a privately held company, in April when it first opened a store in Harajuku. Chief Financial Officer Larry? Meyer (Larry Meyer) said the company planned for the next 9-12 months in Japan to open 2-3 stores.
Meyer said in an interview, this is a high cost store, we will continue to invest; mature consumers, a good retail environment and the overall size of the market becomes consolidated with the Japanese company makes most promising market.
At the same time, H & M on Saturday in Shinjuku is to open its first full "concept" stores, selling men's, women, children, and will launch Choo (Jimmy Choo) brand new series of shoes. The September 2008 the Swedish retailer currently stationed in Japan, where a total of five specialty spots.
Every weekend, Forever 21's flagship store in Harajuku, the former always Paiqichanglong. Shop clamor, four-year-old up and down the Older women also, and 18, 1,880-year-old girl to price yen (about 20 U.S. dollars) and 2,980 yen for glitter mini skirt hem of "fight" for something .
Meyer said that, frankly, the Japanese girl in Harajuku, the fashion has a more sensitive than other things, the feeling, you can not see in other markets where this phenomenon is unique to Japan.
Forever 21 stores in the excitement of the scene and located in Omotesando big European luxury goods boutiques in sharp contrast. In the Champs Elysees of Tokyo called Omotesando's downtown area, one to suffer a big store wants to come in Europe, and occasionally some people to patronize only to see it.
Bank of America Securities - Merrill Lynch (Banc of America Securities-Merrill Lynch) in Tokyo, said retail analyst Hidehiko Aoki, the Japanese consumer values are changing, they had worried about the quality costume inexpensive means times, but not think so the.
Meyer said that, given the current low consumer confidence, luxury has been out of fashion a; as in the U.S., Japan, a group can not afford the luxury but I hope that the trend of people chasing a low price, it makes this market recession has been growth.
H & M sales in Japan has grown from 198 million in the fourth quarter, SEK (about 2,830 million U.S. dollars) steadily increased to 239 million in the second quarter. Sales in the third quarter fell to 167 million kronor, because of the summer of reasons, most retailers will be the third-quarter results are often weak.
Aoki said that female office workers who either bonuses shrink, or not get overtime, so they no longer had generously; people in the clothing, miscellaneous items such as spending less, to spend some more basic lifestyle choice on, such as purchase of books, eating out, buying equipment and television.
