Japan’s Goldwin Opens Flagship Store in London

London, Feb. 2 (Jiji Press)–Japanese outdoor apparel company Goldwin Inc. has opened a directly run flagship store in central London as part of its efforts to expand its operations into high-growth overseas markets. The London outlet, opened Saturday, is the company’s second shop in Europe, after its store in Munich, which was launched in 2020. With a floor space of about 170 square meters, the new store is located on a main street in London’s Soho district, known as a fashion and culture hub. The firm spent three years selecting the site, a senior official said. Using carefully selected materials, such as high-quality cedar, for its interior, the store embodies Goldwin’s brand strategy that emphasizes the connection between humans and nature. At the center of the store, columns made of cedar from Akita Prefecture, northeastern Japan, are arranged in a circle to create a space surrounded by nature. The fitting room walls are covered with silk fabric dyed using the “kakishibu” technique involving persimmons to highlight the beauty of Japanese traditional culture and crafts. Goldwin aims to underscore the relationship between humans and nature by offering clothing items that combine functionality and durability, its president, Takao Watanabe, said, explaining the company’s brand strategy. He added that the company intends to promote Japanese values globally. The firm plans to open a new store in Seoul in February and in New York in April. It aims to achieve 50 billion yen in sales of Goldwin brand products in the year ending in March 2033 and raise the share of overseas sales to some 80 pct, Watanabe said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]