Business / Corporate Mar 23, 2021
Japanese billionaire’s drab clothing firm becomes a sportswear sensation
by Min Jeong Lee and Yoojung Lee
Shares in Yoshio Tsuchiya’s Workman Co. have more than quadrupled since the start of 2018.
Style & Design | ON: FASHION Mar 13, 2021
Practical workwear bucks the trends and brands turn to digital talent
by Samuel Thomas
Utility wear brand Workman is enjoys rise in sales despite a downturn in the fashion industry. Meanwhile, Valentino and Wego sign on virtual celebrities to appeal to specific demographics.
Business Feb 28, 2021
Pandemic widens divide between winners and losers in Japanese clothing business
by Takuya Okamoto
An increasing number of people are gravitating toward reasonably priced functional garments and moving away from traditional business wear as working remotely becomes more common.
Style & Design Feb 24, 2020
Behind the mask: The show must go on
by Samuel Thomas
As the impact of COVID-19 leads to the postponement or cancelation of various fashion events, the industry faces a quandary — it is unseemly to focus on the relatively trivial business of style at a time of great concern?
Business / Corporate Jul 1, 2019
Blue-collar clothier Workman shakes up Japan's stagnant apparel market
by Alex K.T. Martin
It's a weekday morning and a steady stream of customers is entering a Workman store in Tokyo's industrial Ota Ward, mostly blue-collar workers looking for ¥99 rubber gloves, ¥3,500 safety shoes and other gear they need before heading to construction sites. The clientele markedly shifts ...