While designer brands such as Versace have been taking a hit of late in Japan, this doesn't seem to be the case for mainstream names that deliver fashion at affordable prices such as Uniqlo, Forever 21 and Top Shop. Friday saw the opening party for the new H&M store in Shinjuku, and the company showed its confidence in the brand by passing out free champagne to all event attendees.
Though shoppers are downsizing, Japan’s love of designer names continues unabated, and customers are finding that they no longer need to go to up-market areas like Ginza to get their hit of luxury fashion. H&M, for instance, have enlisted the talents of shoe and handbag designer Jimmy Choo, whose name has long been synonymous with high end, exclusively priced fashion, to lure Japanese shoppers to their store. At ¥29,990 for a bag, Choo’s range hasn't exactly dropped to rock-bottom prices, but it is more suited to the wallets of the nouveau not-so-rich.