109 Shibuya Girls hanging around during this hot and humid summer 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Nft_CtG-RE

If you want to discover more of Japanese Streets Fashion, we organize www.tokyofashiontour.com for Fashion Professionals.

Enjoy  !

Tania

Enjoy the trendy Japanese fashion looks :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lxsYReFQTU&feature=share

Dear All,

The Rainy season seems to be over and Summer has arrived with the past few days over 30 degrees ! Still the Japanese streets remain pack of trendy people styling themselves for the Summer heat.

983 new pictures have been uploaded on www.fashioninjapan.com including some more CLOGS in the Season Report.

Before you go down to read the fashion magazines keywords, we would like to inform you that you can now also follow us on the free Instragram APPLI “JapanFashion”. These pictures are not found on www.fashioninjapan.com as they are snapshots that we take and post LIVE !

Following the success of our Spring season trends reports, we have wrap up the Summer trends reports, so in order for you not to miss the upcoming fashion trends from Japan, you can order it now.  Click here the detailed presentation, cost and report sample or copy and paste this link in your browser :http://www.fashioninjapan.com/2011_Tokyo_Spring_Report_Offer.pdf

The reports can be purchased individually (Apparel, Shoes, Bags, Men, Women) or as a whole according to your needs. We will deliver you the reports within 1 week.

Looking forward to your answer,

Best regards,

Order by email at Loic@fashioninjapan.com

LeBiz Tokyo – Fashion Consulting

loic@fashioninjapan.com |  tel : 81-(0)90-3680-0836  |  fax : 81-(0)3-5721-8486

Follow Tokyo Fashion Trends on :

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KEYWORDS FROM JUNE MAGAZINES

Women’s

BAILA

Outer : white cardigan, rain poncho, no collar cotton jacket,

Tops : soft shirt, stripe button-up shirt, white linen shirt, beige button up shirt, loose knit, stripe T-shirt, chambray shirt, long knit, long T-shirt, V-neck long sleeve T-shirt, tank top tunic, dolman jersey knit top, scalloped blouse, frill camisole, frill blouse,

Dresses : shirt one piece, knit one piece, stripe maxi one piece, satin stripe dress, floral print one piece, military one piece,

Bottoms : white cotton lace skirt, skinny denim, baggy denim, chino pants, flared skirt, white pants, dark indigo skinny jeans, wide leg denim, white cropped pants, frill jersey skirt, ribbon belt skirt, gingham check skirt,

Shoes : ballet shoes, men’s like lace-up shoes, beige leather shoes,

Accessories： square tote bag, check stole, canvas bag, chunky bangle,

Materials : cotton, linen, jersey knit,

Colors, patterns : white, beige, orange, polka dot, stripe,

Style : shirt style, loose chic style, big silhouette x trad bottoms, tucked in white shirt, beige x pink, rough x feminine, big silhouette shirt x stripe inner, white blouse x chino pants,

GINZA

Outer :

Tops : tunic blouse, white cotton blouse, frill sleeve blouse, print T-shirt, crotchet tops, stripe shirts,

Dresses : tie dye dress, maxi cotton dress, mini frill dress, polka dot dress, classic black dress, floral dress, lace dress, eyelet lace dress,

Bottoms : denim shorts, jersey sweat shorts, polka dot culottes, denim, cut-off denim shorts,

Shoes : rope sandals,

Accessories： mannish shoes, backpack, ethnic bag, silver and turquoise accessories, basket bag, canvas tote bag, feather earrings, python wallet, straw hat,

Materials :, cotton, linen, silk, jersey knit, cashmere, organza, cotton canvas,

Colors, patterns : flower, polka dot, stripe, check, lace, navy, orange, green, pink, vivid colors, cherries,

Style : outdoor style, beach style, ethnic taste, 70’s look, feminine, masculine, classic dress, sporty look, dramatic one tone, French chic, military,

and much more on http://www.fashioninjapan.com/

Men’s

JOKER MAGAZINE

Outer : military blouson, used wash denim jacket, shawl collar jacket, marine parka, nylon parka,

Tops : vintage check, ¾ length sleeve T-shirt x worker’s vest, photo print T-shirt, border T-shirt, denim shirt, plain pocket T-shirt, garage design T-shirt, vintage print T-shirt, native print T-shirt, T-shirt with embroidery, monotone print T-shirt, American character T-shirt, Henley neck shirt, native pattern vest, western check shirts, military shirts, football shirts, thin cardigan, roll-up sleeve buttoned military shirt, monotone polo shirt, white linen shirts,

Bottoms : black denim, chino pants, damaged denim, Ben Davis work pants, military pants, cargo pants, reversible chino shorts, military shorts, big print shorts,

Shoes : navy suede shoes, moccasin boots, chukka boots, trekking boots, leather sandals, espadrilles,

Accessories： canvas and leather tote bag, waist bag, print stole, stone accessories, native accessories, beaded bracelet, native bangle, leather necklace, brown leather key holder, leather wallet chain, vintage-like shoulder bag, 2-way Boston bag, camouflage bag,

Materials : jersey, cotton, linen, denim

Colors, patterns : stripe, native pattern, resort print, Hawaiian, marine motifs, blue, white,

Style : American casual, cool monotone style, layered look, marine taste, bright color check shirt x plain T-shirt,  dark tone check shirt x white T-shirt, military outer x white T-shirt, marine x work, marine x military,

SAFARI MAGAZINE

Outer : thin blue parka, military blouson, gray blazer, jersey blazer, plain jacket, check blazer, marine stripe jacket, linen jacket,

Tops : white V-neck T-shirt, grey T-shirt, black and white print T-shirt, vintage print T-shirt, musician print T-shirts, character T-shirts, photo print T-shirts, art T-shirt, multi stripe T-shirts, back print T-shirt, ethnic print T-shirt, pattern vest, print button-up shirts, chambray vest, short sleeve check shirt, stripe polo shirt, linen shirts, ribbed T-shirt, pin tuck dungaree shirt, monotone border shirt, worker shirts,

Bottoms : parachute pants, cargo pants, black pants, beach shorts, damaged denim, flower print shorts, color chinos, patchwork shorts, cargo pocket shorts, tartan check shorts, fitted denim, sweat shorts, grey denim, bleached denim, white denim, light blue denim,

Shoes : all white sneakers, espadrille type sandals, brown leather sandals, grey leather sneakers, retro sneakers, braided leather sandals,

Accessories： chunky black leather belt, cotton stole, leather bangle, tiered gradation sunglasses, silver wallet chain,  grey hunting hat, black and white mesh cap, bandana, leather tote bag, studded belt, leather boston bag, canvas shoulder bag,

Materials : cotton twill weave, linen,

Colors, patterns : natural colors, nude colors, blue, gray, white,

Style : surfer relax style, print T-shirt x cropped denim, beach casual, design polo shirt x cargo pants, American casual, military x sporty, denim x blazer, marine taste, resort style, preppy,

BEGIN

Outer : cotton madras check blazer, cotton vest, hooded shirt jacket,

Tops : denim western shirt, polo shirt, stripe long sleeve T-shirt, 70’s vintage T-shirt, check shirt, short sleeve oxford shirt, Disney character T-shirt, surfer T-shirt, leather yoke shirt, small print shirt, linen shirt, pocket T-shirts, corduroy western shirt, military shirt,

Bottoms : aloha shorts, chambray shorts, cropped pants, nylon cycling pants, denim shorts,

Shoes : suede beach sandals, deck shoes, buckle sandals, tartan check shorts, Bermuda shorts, slip on mesh sneakers,

Accessories： reversible bag, rope bracelet, pattern stole,

Materials : pile fabric, jersey knit, denim, linen,

Colors, patterns : Hawaiian, floral, blue, white, green,

Style : marine, blue on blue,

and much more on http://www.fashioninjapan.com/

Follow japanfashion on your iphone or android through Instagram - a fun & quirky way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures. Snap a photo, then choose a filter to transform the look and feel of the shot into a memory to keep around forever.

This is live tokyo fashion trends !

Loic

TOKYO (Nikkei)–Sales of short-sleeve and polo shirts have picked up as the government goes further than usual to promote casual wear for office workers this summer, part of energy-saving efforts that include cutting back on air conditioning.

At a fashion show on Tuesday, casual clothing chain Uniqlo Co. proposed new business attire that included polo shirts and chino pants. The Fast Retailing Co. (9983) unit aims to boost polo shirt sales by 50% and double sales of chino pants from the previous year.

Mac House Co. (7603) plans to stock 30% more polo shirts than last year. Major sporting goods retailer Xebio Co. (8281) is ordering an additional 130,000 polo shirts that can be worn in the workplace.

With thermostat settings expected to be raised this summer in light of a power crunch, a growing number of firms are revising their dress codes to permit polo shirts, for example. This year’s “Cool Biz” summertime energy-saving campaign promises to be more ambitious than in earlier years. Department stores and general merchandisers are also taking steps to tap demand.

Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd.’s (3099) Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo’s Nihonbashi district is revamping its lineup so that polo shirts take up more than 10% of the display area for dress shirts. Aeon Co.(8267) will stock about 200 variations of polo shirts and some 20 cotton pants this summer. At Takashimaya Co. (8233), sales of short-sleeve and polo shirts since late April are up 150% on the year.

At menswear retailer Aoki Inc., sales of short-sleeve shirts were up about 50% on the year in May. Despite concerns of a drop in suit sales due to the move to go casual, the Aoki Holdings Inc. (8214) unit anticipates that figures in this field will be unchanged from last year. Many customers are buying cool summer suits that can be washed at home, said a company official.

01/06/2011

Spring 2011 – Tokyo Trends Reports

Following to the earthquake in Japan, many of you have cancelled your shopping trip to Tokyo for this Spring season.

Meanwhile, the situation in Tokyo is back to normal now in the streets and stores. Consumers are back to their shopping spree and brands remains very creative and reactive to the main trends.

In order for you not to miss the upcoming fashion trends from Japan, we have prepared some trends reports that will help you to build your next Spring collections. Please see attached the detailed presentation, cost and report sample.

The reports can be purchased individually (Apparel, Shoes, Bags, Men, Women) or as a whole according to your needs.

We will deliver you the reports by end of May 2011.

Looking forward to your answer,

Best regards,

Order by email at Loic@fashioninjapan.com

Follow Tokyo Fashion Trends on to get Free Goodies :

http://www.fashioninjapan.com/lists/?p=subscribe

Coming Soon : Get Free Novelties from Japanese Fashion Magazines !

This news can be surprising because the drops in sales was not that large compared to the disasters linked to the 11/03 earthquake.

One thing to notice that I have learnt from fashion retailers is that the beginning of March has been very good, exceeding the sales forecasts until the earthquake.

Retail sales fell 8.5% from a year earlier in March to Y11.246 trillion, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Wednesday. It was the second-largest year-on-year decline since 1980, when comparable data became available. Sales posted their biggest decline in March 1998 due to the comparison with the high numbers in the same month a year before. In March 1997 there was a flurry of last-minute spending before the consumption tax was raised to 5% from 3% in April that year.

Sales at large-scale retailers fell 7.7% on year, after adjustment for a change in the number of stores. Convenience store sales rose 9.1% in March to Y711.6 billion on an unadjusted basis, with sales of non-food items such as tobacco, flashlights, and batteries, rising 22.2% from a year ago.

March department store sales nationwide fell 14.7% on the year to 462.4 billion yen, for the first decline in two months, the Japan Department Stores Association said Tuesday.

The decline was attributable to shutdowns and reduced operating hours due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, as well as to rolling blackouts by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501).

Sales at Tokyo-area stores fell 21.5% to 103.1 billion yen, for the first decline in three months.

Dear all Fashion in Japan Fans,

A very interesting news for all the Chinese people keen of Japanese fashion brands.

The Tokyo Girls Collection, one of Japan’s largest fashion events, will debut in China next month in a bid to capitalize on the growing popularity among young women across Asia of trendy Japanese clothing.

Tokyo Girls Collection 2011 in Beijing will be held on May 7 in the Chinese capital, marking the first time the show, which has a legion of fans in their late teens and early 20s in Japan, will be held overseas.

Under Z Group Co. obtained the licence to hold the event in Beijing from its operators — Fashionwalker Inc. and F1 Media Inc.

About 50 fashion models and celebrities from Japan, China and South Korea will walk the runways, sporting the latest items of 13 Japanese fashion brands such as Cecil McBee.

The success of the Tokyo Girls Collection is partly due to audiences being able to order items they see on stage by cell phone. Online cell phone shopping has yet to take off in China, so Under Z and other event organizers plan to establish a Web site for PC users so customers can place orders at home after the show. The event expects to draw 12,000 people.

www.Glamour-sales.com

After a post-quake lull, luxury site Gilt Japan sees near-record sales

Gilt Japan executives reacted to the Mar. 11 earthquake and tsunami in the same spirit of jishuku, or self-restraint, that characterized much of the country. For the week and a half following the quake, the online luxury retailer didn’t send the usual 9 p.m. e-mail blasts to its 600,000-plus members promoting “flash sales.” It held a fundraising sale to help with disaster relief, agreeing to match contributions.

When Gilt Japan resumed sending e-mail alerts on Mar. 22, Peter Glusker, its chief executive officer, was surprised at the response. “It was within a hair of being our best weekend ever,” he says of the days that followed. While Glusker won’t disclose sales figures, he says “the demand for luxury goods was incredibly strong.”

Gilt’s experience contrasts sharply with reports of post-quake spending abstemiousness. In the upscale Ginza shopping district, stores still struggle to woo shoppers—a challenge made tougher by reduced hours, halted escalators, and lights dimmed to conserve energy. Spring festivals have been canceled and the start of cherry blossom season has been marked by fewer raucous flower-viewing, or hanami, parties in local parks. Luxury goods purveyors from Tiffany (TIF) to LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton have braced themselves for sluggish spending at their stores in Japan.

Although major e-tailing websites experienced sharp traffic declines in the first days after the earthquake, Japanese consumers are shopping online again. Some, like Yokohama housewife Naomi Odajima, have been conservative. She ordered bottled water from Kyushu, a southwest island believed to be free of radioactive contamination from the crippled nuclear reactor in the northeast. She didn’t buy items like cosmetics or clothes, explaining, “I wondered if such orders might bother the overall transportation system.” Asako Kuroki of Tokyo, though, went online earlier this month to buy a watch for her father’s birthday and warm-weather clothes for herself. “It was easier and felt better than going into stores.”

Online shopping is a $5.5 billion market and represents about 3 percent of Japan’s domestic retail market. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) analyst Hiroshi Kamide says that, compared with department stores that have seen year-over-year sales fall by half since the earthquake, “online has gotten off quite lightly.” Yushi Shiozaki, a spokesman for Rakuten, Japan’s largest e-tailer, says it has largely recovered since seeing a drop in sales and traffic after the earthquake. “Sales and traffic have basically returned to the same level as before the disaster,” notes Shiozaki. “We think there is no jishuku in Rakuten right now.”

Rakuten has seen a surge in customers shopping for more energy-efficient appliances, water, and emergency supplies. Sales of fridge curtains that limit energy loss are triple what they were last year; cooling mattress covers have sold at 10 times the level a year ago. “The public is thinking of ways to save energy over the long term in anticipation of ongoing power supply issues,” says Shiozaki.

At Gilt, Glusker has been impressed by “people’s propensity to buy”—the site recently sold a 1.2 million yen, or $14,280 necklace—in these tough times, though the fact people are spending more time at home is surely a factor. (A sister site called Gilt City, which offers deals on services like spas, hasn’t done as well, says Glusker.) Other upscale sites such as Glamour Sales (GLS) report similar results. “Our sales were growing before and after the earthquake,” says Sabrina Watanabe, marketing director for GLS Japan. With fewer people visiting stores, Watanabe adds, suppliers now seem more inclined to offer products for sale online.

Like their bricks-and-mortar brethren, though, e-commerce players remain unsure about the long-term impact of the crisis. Misao Konishi, who heads public relations for Amazon Japan (AMZN), says trends are mixed. Sales of goods such as tents, lanterns, bikes, sneakers, and maps have increased since Mar. 11. But Konishi notes that “consumers are also becoming stricter about their spending and don’t seem to want to buy unneeded goods.”

Overall, consumers appear to be warming to the idea of shopping again, especially with some politicians calling on them to boost the economy. For Tokyo entrepreneur M. Audrey Sato, a veteran Gilt Japan customer, the lure of online is likely to remain strong as long as stores continue to curb their hours. “If I want to go to a department store after work, it’s almost impossible,” she says. And, like many consumers, Sato is drawn to the prospect of better prices and a lower-pressure environment at sites including Gilt. “I want to use this service more in the future.”

The bottom line: Japanese have started spending again at online sites as retailers contend with power shortages and reduced hours.

Loic Bizel comment : We can expect that the Japanese Department stores will increase their offer of discounted items, therefore reducing sharply their margins and their suppliers margins, in order to boost the sales.

As we have seen in the past few months before the 11/03 quake, department stores rely on bargains and tourists to maintain or increase their sales. As there are no more Asian tourists now, only bargain sales could boost their sales….

Still the optimism of Takashimaya’s President is interesting to read !

The consumption slump stemming from the March 11 disaster will dissipate in the second half of the year, Takashimaya Co. President Koji Suzuki told The Nikkei Tuesday.

Some have suggested that the department store industry could help ease expected electricity shortages this summer by closing stores on a rotating basis. But Takashimaya, one of the major players in the business, does not support such ideas because “it will hurt economic vitality,” Suzuki said.

Instead, the company will make a full effort to reduce electricity usage and see how the power supply situation pans out, he said.

Takashimaya’s preliminary existing-store sales for March plunged 16.8% year on year. But April sales so far are showing that the weakness has moderated to just a roughly 2% decline, buoyed by recoveries in sales of food and clothing.

“The sentiment among consumers to exercise self-imposed restraint (in consumption and leisure activities) is gradually easing,” Suzuki said, referring to the curbed spending in sympathy for disaster victims.

Takashimaya has no plans to change its investment plans, including a store opening in Shanghai in 2012, the president added.

Dear All,

Fashion in Japan will probably resume its operation within few days. In the meantime, if you want to donate money to the affected population of earthquake and tsunami, please contact your national Red Cross/Crescent society, which may have already launched fundraising campaign within your country.
If your national society doesn’t collect donation or you wish to send your donations directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society, please direct your fund to the following bank account. If you need the receipt of your fund, please state so clearly in the comment section of the bank transfer order. All the fund received under this account will be transferred to the Distribution Committee, which is formed around the local government of the disaster-affected prefecture and to be distributed directly among the affected population of earthquake and tsunami,

Name of Bank: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Name of Branch: Ginza
Account No.: 8047670 (Ordinary Account)
SWIFT Code: SMBC JP JT
Payee Name: The Japanese Red Cross Society
Payee Address: 1-1-3 Shiba-Daimon Minato-ku, Tokyo JAPAN

http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/relief/l4/Vcms4_00002070.html

Thank you once again for your generous offer. It is surely the source of encouragement for the affected population in Japan.

Best regards,

Loic

Will the fierce competition lead to a new business model for Osaka Department Stores ?

How brands will select which Department Stores to be in ?

04/03/2011

TOKYO (Nikkei)–Major department store operators in Osaka are opening new outlets and rushing to expand their sales floors in existing locations, driving expectations that their total floor space in the city will increase by more than 40% within three years.

This level of expansion would push the total amount of floor space in Osaka past the combined total for department stores in Tokyo’s Shinjuku, Ikebukuro and Shibuya commercial districts.

However, given that last year marked the 14th straight year of decline in the department store sector, competition is likely to descend into a war of attrition. The expansion spree could also lead to an industry realignment in the future, analysts say.

Bigger size, bigger profits?

Takashimaya Co. (8233) on Thursday reopened its entire Osaka store after temporarily closing to increase its floor space by 40%. It added more luxury brands to its product range, including goods by Louis Vuitton, and invested 45 billion yen to renovate the store by upgrading the floors devoted to men’s clothing, cosmetics and other products. The Osaka outlet, which generates more than 100 billion yen in annual sales, is one of Takashimaya’s flagship locations. The company hopes the expansion will increase the store’s annual sales by 27 billion yen.

The reopening of the Takashimaya Osaka store will be followed by the April 19 opening of J.Front Retailing Co.’s (3086) renovated Daimaru Umeda store. The company is expanding the floor space by 60% at a cost of 30 billion yen.

Meanwhile, the JR Osaka Mitsukoshi Isetan store — to be jointly operated by Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. (3099), Japan’s largest department store company, and West Japan Railway Co. (9021) — is set to debut on May 4.

Still expanding

The expansion race is expected to continue into next year, and possibly even beyond that. For example, H2O Retailing Corp.(8242) plans to rebuild Hankyu Department Store Umeda, the company’s top location in the Osaka area, by spring 2012. The revamp will provide the store with a total sales space of 100,000 sq. meters, making it the largest department store in Japan.

Kintetsu Department Store Co. (8244), meanwhile, also plans to expand the floor space of its main Abeno store in Osaka to a similar size by spring 2014, bringing the aggregate floor space of department stores in the city to 550,000 sq. meters, up more than 40% from the current level.

Feeling confident

Department store operators express confidence about the impact of this expansion of floor space. “It will invigorate the regional economy and expand the market,” said Ryoichi Yamamoto, president of J.Front group’s Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores Co.

Kunio Ishizuka, president of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, said the expansion will spur shoppers “to make the rounds of department stores.”

But industry analysts warn of the possibility of a department store shakeout hitting the broader Osaka area, including Kyoto and Kobe.

Given the huge sums department store operators are investing in their expansion drives — several tens of billions of yen each — whoever loses this race to attract consumers will be hurt badly. And when, perhaps years later, the outcome of the battle becomes clear, the industry may see a reshuffling, observers say.

Hi !

www.fashioninjapan.com has been updated today with the last winter pictures of this season ! Enjoy !

Our customized Fashion Trends Reports are also available, contact us now to know more about : loic@fashioninjapan.com

The fashion keywords for early Spring will be out soon but we are waiting for a warmer weather to link it to the pictures.

Best regards,

Loic Bizel

Tokyo 01/02/2011

Will Japanese Department Stores become Discount Stores ? What is for sure is that they can only see sales growth when products are on discount or when they are opening cheap brands shops like Forever 21 or Uniqlo !!!

Four of Japan’s five major department stores on Tuesday reported year-on-year growth in same-store sales in January.

Coats and boots sold well in autumn and winter clothing discount sales thanks to low temperatures nationwide.

Sales increased 1.7% at Isetan Co., 8.1% at Mitsukoshi Ltd., 1.3% at Takashimaya Co. and 1.1% at Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores Inc.

Sales at Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores Co. dropped 3.2%, as it attracted fewer customers due to snow and a remodeling project at its main store.

For more information about Japanese Market Trends, contact us : loic@fashioninjapan.com

Dear Fashion in Japan fans,

Winter came late this year but since the beginning of January 2011, it has been really cold in Tokyo and snowy on the west part of Japan. This Winter Trends in Japan have been very interesting with new original ideas for outerwear as well as shoes and bags.

This Winter Special Fashion Report focus on Fur Shoes, you can check it on : http://www.fashioninjapan.com/seasonreport/index.html

You will find also some more fashion retail oriented news on our blog : http://www.fashioninjapan.com/blog/ as well as on Twitter (http://twitter.com/FashionJapan), Linkedin / Japanese Fashion Trends group (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2469839 and on our FashionJapan Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=182027381363).

You will find hereafter the latest Fashion Keywords from Japan Fashion Magazines.

Happy New Year of the Rabbit !

Talk to you next month,

Loic Bizel

Fashion in Japan WINTER TRENDSLETTER

Women’s Fashion Keywords

GINZA MAGAZINE

Outer : black tailored jacket, trench coat, down jacket, knit coat, tailored coat, pea coat, wool down coat, masculine coat, leather jacket,

Tops : fur vest, volume knit, white button-up shirt, silk shirt,

Dresses : casual dress,

Bottoms : maxi skirt, cargo pants, 70’s flare pants, chino pants,

Shoes : loafers, leopard shoes, moccasins, color pumps, inner platform boots, casual boots,

Accessories：belts, fur scarves, beaded clutch, vintage taste, chain bag,

Materials : wool, cashmere, silk

Colors, patterns : pastel pink, polka dots, tartan check, nude beige, smoky color,

Style : masculine,   50’s glamour, preppie, marine, retro mood color blocking, city resort, tough and cool, preppy mood, sports, minimal, 70’s vintage, neo-traditional, impact color, ethnic,

VERY MAGAZINE

Outer : down jacket, khaki outer, beige trench coat, tweed coat, fur jacket, A-line coat, cashmere coat, grey outer, classical coat, duffel design coat,

Tops : knit, feminine detail top, baggy knit, cashmere knit, navy fur vest, grey tunic, navy cardigan, baggy knits, poncho knits, border t-shirt, cable knit cardigan,

Dresses : knit one-piece, tiered one-piece,

Bottoms : cropped denim, cargo pants, legging pants, corduroy pants,

Shoes : bold pumps, lace-up shoes,  khaki high boots, basic  loafers,  loafer pumps, bold pumps, red ballet shoes, sequin pumps,

Accessories：check scarf, tweed bag, fabric bag, fur decorated accessories, red check scarf, fox fur bag, fur stole, fur arm band, basket bag, scarf belt, charm accessories for bags, bijoux broach, chain wallet, pearl jewelry,

Materials : wool, cashmere, jersey, fur,

Colors, patterns : basic colors, grey, black,  grey + white, grey + gold, navy, 2 tone browns, mustard yellow, red, beige, black x white, camel,

Style : pretty traditional, preppy style, back to the basics, sweet mode, conservative, casual, basics, feminine bohemian, mixing fabrics, retro classic, rich casual, handsome casual,

Men’s Fashion Keywords

MEN’S NON-NO

Outer : military outer, workman like jacket, down jacket, pea coat, trench coat, khaki coat, tailored jacket, 2 layers outer, camouflage jacket, camel jacket, leopard blouson, leather x nylon down jacket, mountain jacket, chesterfield coat, quilted nylon reversible jacket, duffel coat, mountain parka, Shetland wool jacket, fleece jacket, knit jacket, black jacket, hooded jacket, collaboration jacket, leather riders, shawl collar coat, black down vest, 4-way mountain parka, 2-way blouson, hunting jacket,

Tops : navy v-neck knit, chunky wool sweater, thin cardigan,  grey hoodie, oxford shirt, plaid shirt, plain white shirt, thin border knit, waffle shirt, thick vest, down vest, long tops, layer 2 different pattern tops, jacquard cardigan, border inner, v-neck cut sew, gingham check shirt, paisley shirt, plain knit x check shirt, western shirt, long knit cardigan,

Bottoms : roll-up jeans, basic chino, army pants, wool pants, leggings x shorts, volume pants, sweat pants, tweed pants, check pants, pinstripe pants, corduroy pants, layered pants, coating denim, damaged denim, tapered pants, camouflage knickers, knit shorts,

Shoes : red sneakers, new balance sneakers, vans sneakers, check wool sneakers, native print cotton sneakers, suede boots, hunter work boots, high-tech sneakers,

Accessories： knit muffler, bandana folded in back pocket, volume scarf, military coat, shoulder bag, travel sling, boston bag,

Materials : nylon, fleece, wool,

Colors, patterns : red, Nordic pattern, navy, white, beige, black, khaki, brown, mustard, native patterns, animal, indigo x beige, argyle, camouflage,

Style : denim on denim, country taste, outdoor, one tone coordination, American casual, super layering, mixing different fabrics, sharp style, big silhouette,  British trad, sports taste,

MEN’S JOCKER

Outer : mix fabric riders jacket, pea coat, military blouson, down vest, Melton wool coat, MA-1 type blouson, duffle coat, 3 way blouson, wool blouson, fur trimmed military outer, down jacket, leather sleeved pea coat, slim fit trench coat, wool down coat, mountain parka, leather piping pea coat, Melton riders jacket, candy color down jacket, red madras check jacket, knit down vest,  quilted jacket, tube quilted down, M-65 jacket,

Tops : border cut sew, denim shirt, American casual t-shirt, check knit, colorful inner, native pattern cardigan, western yoke shirt, plain inner, Henley neck cut sew, corduroy vest, check western shirt, print t-shirt, border knit, zip-up parka, shirts with epaulettes, cowachin knit, fair isle pattern cardigan, V-neck cut sew, used taste t-shirts, photo print t-shirts, material mix t-shirts, loose neck t-shirts, thermal inner,

Bottoms : modern silhouette cargo pants, paint stained denim, corduroy pants, black jeans, chino pants,

Shoes : suede trekking boots, leather boots, high cut sneakers, suede boots, leather sneakers,

Accessories： canvas tote bag, chunky knit scarf, fair isle neck warmer, monotone scarf, military accessories, leather tote, outdoor style accessories, leather bag,

Materials : Melton wool, knits, cotton, leather,

Colors, patterns : blue, khaki x vitamin color, warm colors,

Style : simple and basic style, wild and chic style, down vest + check shirt + color t-shirt, leather blouson + cardigan + photo print t-shirt, pea coat + parka + border cut sew, monotone style, military blouson + denim shirt + American casual t-shirt, layered style, military outer x plain cotton scarf, leather outer x monotone gingham scarf, Melton coat x chunky knit scarf, down jacket x fair isle neck warmer, black Melton jacket x camouflage pants, natural and basic style,

Christmas Sales Failed to reach target.

TOKYO Retail sales fell 2.0% on the year to 12.74 trillion yen in December, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Sales at large retail stores, including department stores and supermarkets, decreased 1.2% to 2.04 trillion yen.

Same-store sales fell 1.8%, with those at department stores down 1.6% and those at supermarkets down 1.9%.

Sales at convenience stores rose 5.4% to 726 billion yen. Same-store sales at convenience stores advanced 2.8%.

For all of 2010, retail sales increased 2.5% to 135.67 trillion yen.

As we had anticipated, the small sales increase in October sales was just an “accident”… The Japanese department stores are down again. Let’s see if Christmas and early Discount Sales will help the sales in December. See below…

TOKYO –Department store sales slid 0.5% on the year to 555.6 billion yen in November, for the first decline in two months, due to the weather and fewer number of holidays compared with last year, the Japan Department Stores Association reported Monday.

In October, sales logged their first year-on-year rise in two years and eight months.

Clothing sales dropped 0.9%, while sales of art, jewelry and other valuable items fell 4.4%.

Association official Seichi Iioka told a news conference that the figure was nearly in line with that of the previous year when excluding such factors as the number of holidays and the weather.

“Sales are gradually bottoming out in the industry as a whole,” said Iioka.

Asked about the year-end sales push, the official said sales of women’s apparel and cosmetics are faring “better than in the previous year and continue to follow a positive trend,” adding that it all depends on how low temperatures get.

Meanwhile, sales to overseas visitors, which had been strong, dropped 2.5%, down for the second consecutive month, amid a drop in Chinese visitors on the back of strained relations between Japan and China triggered by the collision of a Chinese fishing boat with two Japan Coast Guard ships near the disputed Senkaku Islands.

Sales at department stores in Tokyo metropolitan area increased 0.3% to 142.9 billion yen last month, rising for the second straight month. The expansion was fueled by an increase in customers following the remodeling of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd.’s Mitsukoshi Ginza outlet.

TOKYO –As the end of the year approaches, consumers are loosening their purse strings and showing a willingness to splurge a little with their holiday celebrations.

“More people are spending a little extra to inject some fun into their everyday lives,” says an official at the Hakuhodo Institute of Life & Living.

At Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd.’s Isetan Shinjuku department store, orders for Christmas cakes are up from last year as more people plan holiday parties.

The pickup in spending has also benefited hotels. As of last Friday, the Shinagawa Prince Hotel was roughly 90% booked for New Year’s Eve, a 16-point increase on the year. Reservations for New Year’s Day and beyond are also brisk as families book multinight stays, according to a hotel official.

Improving incomes appear to be encouraging households to spend more to celebrate the holidays than in previous years. The average cash earnings pocketed per worker rose for an eighth consecutive month in October, according to the Labor Ministry.

“An exporter-driven recovery in corporate earnings has led to a mild recovery in income, a factor that will lift consumer spending slightly next year compared with the prior year’s level,” says Atsushi Matsumoto, an economist at Mizuho Research Institute.

Recovering share prices are also supporting consumer spending for big-ticket items such as jewelry. Department store operator Takashimaya Co.’s sales of jewelry and watches rose 13% on the year between Dec. 1 and Sunday, while sales at fellow retailer Matsuya Co.’s main store in Ginza were up a whopping 40%.

A full-fledged recovery in spending is not likely until next fall or later, predicts Tsutomu Okuda, chairman of department store operator J.Front Retailing Co.

www.fashioninjapan.com has been updated with new pictures and a new Winter Special Report.

What would you do if you had a 8,800 USD or 6,500 Euros Bonus in December ? That is the average Bonus that Japanese workers will get this Winter.

TOKYO (Nikkei)–The average winter bonus payment across all industries rose 2.35% on the year to 718,986 yen, according to a Nikkei Inc. survey.

The first growth in three years was supported by recoveries in the automobile, electronics and other manufacturing sectors. But the figure is still below the 728,999 yen marked in 2002 right after the IT bubble collapsed, indicating that the recovery remains weak.

For two straight years, bonuses have remained below the 2002 figure and at the lower-700,000 yen level, as this year’s growth was unable to make up for last year’s record plunge of 14.93%.

Preliminary results as of Nov. 4 showed a 1.17% decline on the year, because 87% of the 129 firms surveyed that far had already set their annual bonus payments during their spring wage offensives and summer bonus negotiations.

The final tallies included companies whose winter bonuses reflected performance improvements in the April-September quarter.

Of the firms surveyed, 58% raised their bonus payments, up from 12% a year earlier. Those that scaled back their bonuses shrank from 83% last year to 35%.

Manufacturers raised bonuses by 3.68%, compared with a cut of 17.96% last winter. Last winter, the pharmaceutical industry was the only sector where bonuses rose.

This winter, such payouts increased in 12 of the 17 sectors comprising the manufacturing industry, including automobiles and electronics. Bonuses in the textile industry climbed 19.77%, buoyed by Toray Industries Inc. and other materials makers, which supplied materials for automobiles and electronic parts.

Nonmanufacturers, in contrast, reduced bonuses by 1.23%. Though the contraction was smaller than the 4.81% drop of 2009, it still represented the third straight year of decline.

Bonuses fell in seven of the 17 sectors comprising the nonmanufacturing industry, including retailers.

The survey covered 3,908 listed and unlisted firms, of which 696 provided valid responses.