Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020 - 26

THE PULSE
STREET SMARTS
The North Face's
Cultivation collection
builds on Japanese
urban trends.

GLOBAL TRENDS

Big in Japan

Outdoor brands increasingly look to the trendsetting Asian
nation to give their own styles a facelift. by Corey Buhay
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE KIDS WILL
be wearing in their next TikTok video, book
a flight to Tokyo. Over the past few decades,
Japan has worked its way into the epicenter
of international fashion. But that influence
doesn't stop at the runway. Japan's juxtaposition of large urban areas and peaceful natural
landscapes, plus a deeply ingrained cultural
appreciation for quality and craftsmanship,
has made it a hotbed for outdoor lifestyle gear,
too. After all, Japan invented trail-to-tavern
long before Americans picked up the idea.
"Japan has a lot of influence on the outdoor
world right now," says Patrick Tullos, head of
marketing for Adidas Outdoor. And that ability to design ahead of the curve is a big part
of the reason why outdoor brands like Teva,
Chaco, The North Face, Nike, and Adidas

26 OUTDOOR RETAILER

/ Winter 2020

Outdoor are looking to Japanese designers for
input on a slew of new styles.
Another reason why American brands are
itching to get their fingers on this corner of the
East Asian market? No one knows American
style like the Japanese.
The country's infatuation with Americana
began in the 1960s after the Korean War, when
an economic boost and increasing American
influence left Japan smitten with the Ivy
League blazer look. From there, Japanese fashion houses started producing blue jeans and
bomber jackets, both adopting and perfecting
the American apparel styles in the process.
When streetwear took off in the '90s,
Japanese designers responded with fashion that said "Japan" in every angular cut and
minimalist colorway, while somehow also

CONSEQUENTLY, TODAY JAPAN ISN'T SO
much a separate market as a petri dish of concentrated appreciation and understanding
when it comes to the meaning of American
heritage. It's become an offsite incubator for
American fashion, and a coveted laboratory
for testing new styles.
"What does well in Japan directly relates
to what does well in the U.S.," says Pelagia
Kolotouros, global creative director for The
North Face. And The North Face is paying attention. "We are taking what we've learned
from what's successful in Japan and are really
owning it moving forward," says Kolotouros.
That influence shows up in the baggier fits and
bigger logos evident in the brand's urban-focused 2019 footwear and apparel, such as the
Sumida Moc Knit shoes or the Cultivation rain
jacket and pant. The brand's upcoming 2020
lifestyle line was also designed with similar
cues from Japanese markets.
Chaco, a brand that traces its roots to river
guides in the American West and is dedicated
to practicality and no-nonsense outdoor performance, has also partnered with Japanese
fashion brands, including A Bathing Ape
and Beams, to dabble in runway culture. The
brand distributes more fashion-forward
styles outside of the U.S. as a way to gain traction in higher-fashion markets, according
to Josh Weichhand, Chaco's creative director. "There's a halo effect that comes with being adopted by a high fashion or streetwear
consumer," says Weichhand. "Your brand or
product becomes a fashion statement, and
through sheer visibility, it can raise awareness
for your company or story."
With the Olympics set to take the worldwide stage in Tokyo in July (and climbers
competing for medals for the first time ever),
Japanese-American cross-pollination will
continue to grow. "I think you're going to see
some really interesting collaborations ahead
of the Japan Olympics," Tullos says. "So keep
an eye out." O.R.

Courtesy The North Face

remaining distinctly, recognizably American.
"Culturally, the Japanese are focused on mastering everything they do," Tullos says. "They
took the American heritage style and really
elevated it."

Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020

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