Japanese fashion brands are seeing ‘a significant upturn in demand from international buyers’ in key markets, according to US-based digital international wholesale platform JOOR.
The company’s data showed the demand is “being led by the strength of its men’s and unisex fashion sectors”. Japanese labels on the platform include Sacai, Nepenthes, Gramicci, A Bathing Ape, Auralee, Issey Miyake, Nanamica, Descente, Yohji Yamamoto, and Beams Plus.
JOOR added that the number of retailers who placed orders with Japanese brands in 2023 on the platform rose 8 per cent year on year. And the menswear and unisex categories made up nearly 60 per cent of transaction volume for Japanese brands, “a much more significant portion of wholesale transaction volume than on the platform overall”. During the last year, 77 per cent of wholesale transactions for Japanese brands were driven by small and medium-sized (SMB) retailers around the world. Again, this is a higher proportion than the 57 per cent of SMB purchasing volume across the entire platform.
Sales of Japanese brands outside APAC have grown from 13 per cent to 21 per cent of total Japanese brand sales over 2021 to 2023. Sales to North America-based retailers rose by 62 per cent while sales to EMEA-based retailers grew 38 per cent during the period.
