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 250 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 had worked as a fashion journalist for 11 years, regularly contributing to Vogue Japan, Marie Claire Japan, Brutus, PEN, Dazed & Confused Japan and NYLON Japan. He had also collaborated with large Japanese fashion companies. Consequently working in such fields, he encountered many talented designers, that often asked for guidance about breaking into the Japanese market. Thus was born Zutto Yellow in Fall 2003.