Swedish clothing giant opens first shop in Japan
Sunday, 14 September 2008
TOKYO, Sept 13, (AFP): Swedish high-street clothing giant Hennes and Mauritz today opened its first outlet in Japan, where competition in the casual fashion industry is fierce.
More than 3,000 people, mostly women in their 20s and 30s, queued at the company's first store, in Tokyo's shopping district of Ginza, ahead of a ribbon- cutting ceremony.
Japan becomes the 30th country where H&M has outlets, with 1,600 shops and 800 production bases worldwide in total.
Rolf Eriksen, chief executive of the Stockholm-based company, recently told Japanese media that he plans to expand outlets across the country.
It has already decided to open two more stores in the capital's leading fashion districts of Harajuku and Shibuya.
With the debut in Japan of H&M, renowned for its low price but fashionable clothing, competition in the affordable Japanese fashion industry is expected to be further intensified, observers say.
Rivals Gap Inc. and Zara of the Inditex Group have already entered into the Japanese market, where local clothing giant Uniqlo is the market leader.
More than 3,000 people, mostly women in their 20s and 30s, queued at the company's first store, in Tokyo's shopping district of Ginza, ahead of a ribbon- cutting ceremony.
Japan becomes the 30th country where H&M has outlets, with 1,600 shops and 800 production bases worldwide in total.
Rolf Eriksen, chief executive of the Stockholm-based company, recently told Japanese media that he plans to expand outlets across the country.
It has already decided to open two more stores in the capital's leading fashion districts of Harajuku and Shibuya.
With the debut in Japan of H&M, renowned for its low price but fashionable clothing, competition in the affordable Japanese fashion industry is expected to be further intensified, observers say.
Rivals Gap Inc. and Zara of the Inditex Group have already entered into the Japanese market, where local clothing giant Uniqlo is the market leader.