Japan may be a nation of one people, though one type they truly are not. Between a one-mile stretch of Tokyo 's most kinetic neighborhoods, Shibuya and Harajuku, one is likely to encounter skaters, surfers, hip-hoppers, bikers, and big brand fanatic “moders”. With a population as fashion conscious and diverse as this, it is easy to understand the enormous marketing potential. The Japanese market has been trading with foreign brands for a long time. However, many companies discover when venturing into what they perceive to be a large, established consumer base; a difficult, fickle market that must cater to the multitude of disparate tastes. The highly trendy, rapidly changing tastes, not to mention unfamiliar culture, makes it quite challenging for many companies to initially introduce their products in Japan. More importantly, attempts to establish themselves with some type of longevity are often found to be elusive. Consequently, many brands unsuccessfully make much of an imprint in the consumer landscape here. This phenomenon that is all too common, not only amongst foreign brands but Japanese brands as well, has born a term for the brands that do accomplish a long-term base. These brands are referred to as “TEIBAN”: brands that have enjoyed resilient, timeless success. As a company with a Japanese soul but New York body, Zutto Yellow aims to create “TEIBAN” brands.

Zutto Yellow works with more than 300 accounts all over Japan: from the northernmost part of Hokkaido to the southernmost point of Okinawa, and from the ubiquitous department stores to individual trendsetter boutiques or “select” shops. At Zutto Yellow our sales representatives always present the original wholesale prices to clients. This approach and our small hands-on team have helped us to become one of the preeminent accessories sales showrooms in Japan and cemented our personal relationships with both our clients and designers. Zutto Yellow inspects each piece, quality tests materials, attaches each price tag by hand, issues payments in Japanese Yen for those that require, and manages the payment circle. Zutto Yellow also understands the importance of proper brand visibility and placement. There has recently been a proliferation of shopping malls resulting in a concentration of retailers and brands in a small area. We often work with our retail clients on marketing strategy advising them as to what brands would be most profitable to their particular store locations, to prevent such an over saturation. In some cases, we arrange exclusive collaborations between our designers and retailers to optimize their market demand.

Takayuki Watanabe began working as a fashion journalist at the early age of nineteen. For eleven years, he had regularly contributed to Vogue, Marie Claire, Brutus, PEN, Dazed & Confused and NYLON. In 1999 he came to New York City to pursue his journalist career and started interning for Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine and the studio of fashion photographer, Dah Len.
He also worked with Christian Louboutin and Peoples Revolution coordinating sales for their Japanese accounts. Frequently he encountered many talented designers who sought guidance and advice about breaking into the Japanese market. Thus, Zutto Yellow was born in 2003. Now established with twenty-five employees at his Tokyo and NY offices, Takayuki is still trying to expand his business by introducing new concepts and ideas into the industry of fashion showrooms.

Corporation Name: Zutto Yellow, Inc.

＜New York＞
Address: 34 Orchard Street ・New York,NY 10002
Tel: 212 243 3540
Fax: 646 328 5156
E-mail: ny@zuttoyellow.co.jp

＜Tokyo＞
Address: 4-3-22 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002
Tel: 81 3 6427 9782
Fax: 81 3 6427 9783
E-mail: tokyo@zuttoyellow.co.jp

Year of Establishment: 2003

Number of Employees: 25

Accounts: More than 300 accounts in Japan (Abahouse International Co., A&S Inc., Onward kashiyama Co.,Ltd., Sanei-International Co.,Ltd., Sanyo Shokai Ltd., Sazaby League, Ltd., Jun Co.,Ltd., Takashimaya Co.,Ltd., Tokyo Style Co.,Ltd., Tomorrowland Co.,Ltd., Pal Co.,Ltd., Baycrews Co.,Ltd., Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., Melrose Co.,Ltd., United Arrows Ltd., World Co., Ltd., and etc.)