đź’ Kaoru Imajo for ODDA Magazine
This article first appeared in the ODDA Magazine 19th Issue “You, Me, and Everyone We Know”.
KAORU IMAJO
Taking over as Japan Fashion Week’s director was something of a baptism of fire for Kaoru Imajo. When he stepped into the top job last year, with goals to transform and modernize the bi-annual event. Little did he know that his first fashion week would be hit by a massive typhoon. Then in March of this year, with just days to go before the kick-off of his second fashion week, it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Imajo is more determined than ever to elevate and internationalize Japan Fashion Week with the online universe playing a key role in its future success.
JESSICA MICHAULT. You took over running Japan Fashion Week a little over a year ago just before fashion week got underway. What was that like for you and how have you gone on from there?
KAORU IMAJO. Well, it is kind of like a joke. With the first one, there was a big typhoon and lots of international press and buyers couldn’t fly in. Then, with the second one, there was the virus. But I’m a person that wants to think positively. I think this was a good experience for me. This past season, I really wanted to do the physical fashion show right up until the last minute, but we are a team. It is not just about what I want.
J.M. As you canceled the March shows right at the last minute, there wasn’t a whole lot of lead time to do the digital. How did it function? Were you happy with the results as far as the functionality and turnout?
K.I. It’s true. We made the final decision at the beginning of March but we were talking with the designers and the media starting mid-February. Some were surprised we canceled, but they understood that everyone in the world is going through the same situation.
Luckily for us, all we had to do is open up our website for the designers. They just sent us links or movies to post on the site so it wasn’t that hard for us.
J.M. I remember when we spoke the last time I was in Japan for fashion week, you whispered in my ear that you had lots of plans in the works about how you wanted the fashion week to evolve. What are those big ideas and have they been modified because of the new normal we are living?
K.I. The last time we talked, I was thinking of our website and our Instagram feed, and wanting to make an app for the fashion week. We’re still working on it and still talking with the government. I think we will get a decision in the next few weeks. Because of the confinement situation and the pandemic, it made me focus on doing those online and digital things sooner and faster.
J.M. There’s a lot of discussion with designers about rethinking the whole premise about when things are for sale, when we’re talking about seasonality. What are your thoughts about all of the shakeout within the industry?
K.I. I think it’s a really good opportunity for Japan Fashion Week. We always do our week right at the end of each season, usually in mid-March and mid-October. By then, most of the buying for the season has been done. I think all the designers are suffering in terms of production.
If we decide to reschedule our week, by moving it to the end of August before New York, that could make a huge difference. If they’re saying that they’re going to schedule Women’s Fashion week on to the Men’s Fashion Week season, it would also be really good for Tokyo.
J.M. What do you think about the blending of men’s wear and women’s wear into one Fashion Week?
K.I. I think it’s really good for all our designers. Since our men’s designers show in July in Europe; if they happen to want to do something in Tokyo, it’d be four months after their Europe tour. Europe has showrooms and it will be too late in Japan. So if the men’s and women’s fashion weeks were brought together, that could be incredibly helpful for our designers.
J.M. What about the e-commerce aspect? What are you seeing as far as that’s concerned on your end? What are local designers discussing with you about their online selling strategy?
K.I. Well, Sacai just opened its e-commerce store last week. Yohji Yamamoto opened in April. So all the big brands that have the money are really starting to do e-commerce. They’re changing everything. Also, as you know Rakuten is our main sponsor. They’re professionals in e-commerce so we’re trying to build a new e-commerce Fashion Week site for the young designers with them in the coming months to help support the smaller brands and give them more visibility.
J.M. Rakuten was signed on as the sponsor two seasons ago. How has that relationship been with them? What else have you guys got up your sleeve?
K.I. Making a platform for young Japanese designers is one thing, but another thing that Rakuten wants to do is a special event during fashion week with us. Right now, we’re talking about something with virtual reality in October, but we’re still four months away so we will see.
J.M. Looking at everything that’s happened, what, for you, is the key thing that needs to change, that you want to change for your Fashion Week?
K.I. I think everything is connected. Getting more followers on Instagram, getting a bigger website, and a bigger app leads to getting bigger sponsors. Then getting a bigger sponsor leads to supporting more designers, and having international designers as guests. It’s a continuous evolution, and I am happy that there is this evolution, that we are always looking for new and creative ways to support our designers both locally and globally.
J.M. I think it is also great that Japan Fashion Week’s main sponsor is a Japanese e-commerce company. To have that local connection with the culture, that maybe Amazon didn’t, and the support of the Fashion Week from such a large homegrown e-commerce entity like Rakuten could make collaborative ideas flow more easily.
K.I. Rakuten is everywhere in Japan. They have a popular credit card, a travel agency, and insurance too. They have everything and that’s partly why on e-commerce, they’re doing really well. The problem with e-commerce is that right now—it’s getting better—but a year ago, Rakuten fast fashion was really not good. The price range was really low.
J.M. So Rakuten needs to elevate itself a little bit to move in the direction of a Net-A-Porter for example? Or at least have a new segment on its site that is dedicated to a more luxury offering?
K.I. I think many of the luxury brands, specifically European ones, were a bit lazy on their e-commerce in Tokyo. I have some friends that work at luxury events and they say they’re looking for a solution for that. But it would be great for Rakuten to grow the luxury e-commerce sector on its site.
J.M. Is there anything else that you want to express about the Fashion Week and how you’d like to see it in the future?
K.I. I think right now, whatever we do with Rakuten, is going to be really big. So I want to talk to you more about it when we have all the information but right now, I think that’s coming out in September.
J.M. What about you? Was it always a dream of yours to work in fashion?
K.I. Well, I didn’t study fashion, but I’ve always wanted to work in the fashion field. I think the honest reason I got into fashion in the first place is that I like basketball. Basketball, and what the basketball players wear, are linked with cool fashion labels. That was how I first connected to fashion.
J.M. How did you actually get involved with Japan Fashion Week in the first place? You were working more behind the scenes for about a decade before you got the top job.
K.I. As a student, I worked at a Japanese brand store for two years, and I know how important store employees are, but I thought “I can’t do this for years.” I was also interested in consulting and I like the idea of working on lots of different projects at once. I enjoy how the challenges are different every day and so working with fashion week was a perfect fit for me.
J.M. For you, what do you think is the biggest difficulty for Japanese fashion brands? What do you think are the stumbling blocks for Japanese brands to have a more global reach?
K.I. I think there are a few reasons. One is simply because Japan is really far from Europe and America. Another is that I think many Japanese designers can’t speak other languages, so they’re really shy when they come up to foreign buyers.
J.M. Do you think it’s because they’re just so shy and not interested in being a global brand? Are they just content to make the money that they’re making in Japan?
K.I. That’s pretty much it, but some designers, like Sacai, were more ambitious to go abroad so some are dedicated to doing that. It’s a mix.
J.M. What is your dream for Japan Fashion Week five years down the road?
K.I. I would really like to find a way to bring more international guest designers to show in Japan. I think it is just as important to inspire the local audience with the vision of designers from other countries as it is for our Japanese brands to connect with the rest of the world. The more perspectives and creative points of view we can present at our fashion week, the richer it becomes.
J.M. How do you want to see the fashion week system evolve?
K.I. I think we need to do better. In the past 10 or 20 years, everyone has been thinking about how to do a better presentation, not a classical runway, but maybe doing something more “out there.” I’ve seen skateboarding fashion shows. It was physical. So there is no one right answer. I think fashion weeks that are a mix of runway shows, mini all-day presentations, happenings, online events, and other things are what we need to do. It has to be a creative mix, to keep things interesting while also involving the online community so that they feel a part of the fashion week too.
J.M. What do you love most about fashion?
K.I. I think the good thing is that you meet people and you always see new clothes, new collections. It is such a creative space and it touches so many other creative sectors too. If you know fashion, I think you know food, movies, music. I think fashion is the ultimate culture.
Portrait by YUJI WATANABE
