Beating the Winter Heat

Last winter, Uniqlo beat its competition hands down in the race to sell the season’s hottest thermal wear. From pastel turtlenecks to puffy jackets, its HEAT TECH clothing line became the year’s most gossiped bundle of threads.

This winter, Uniqlo’s underdog competitor Aeon is determined to steal the throne with its line called (drum roll please) ….HEAT FACT! The apparel is similar to last year’s — short-sleeve tees, camisoles, turtlenecks, and long Johns — but boasts a higher thread-count for a softer, warmer feel. HEAT FACT also aims to beat competitors with a price tag 20-30% less than Uniqlo’s offerings (between $7 to $12).

HEAT FACT was just launched last week at 1,000 stores nationwide and retailers are hoping to sell at least 10 million items. Truthfully, Aeon isn’t exactly a chic brand, selling at places like Jusco and Daiei, which are like the Big Lots and Walmart of Japan. Uniqlo, on the other hand, is like Gap, appealing to both kids and adults at an affordable cost.

Especially in times like these, winter-wear has become an aggressive market. When the air gets frigid, people still want to restock their wardrobe but without breaking the bank. If Aeon wants to do well, I hope they have an eye-popping promotional campaign lined up, otherwise I think I might go for HEAT TECH. The name just sounds cooler, don’t you think?

Himawari

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Couples That Wear Undies Together Stay Together…

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Embelline, a Japanese company specialized in body shape underwear and bridal lingerie, has introduced Love-Pan(http://www.embelline.co.jp/lovepants/index.html), a pair of unisex underpants that couples can wear and enjoy the intimacy of sharing the identical look, discretely.

They are betting on some couples’ secret desire to wear the identical pieces of clothing without advertising it to the whole world. Love-Pan was test-marketed during the Christmas season of 2007 in limited regions in Japan and was enthusiastically received by both genders, says Embelline.

They are rolling out a limited edition of 1,000 pairs (his & hers) for 5,500 yen for this Valentine season. If you ever wanted to sport a “pair-look” but felt too inhibited to do so, I think now is your chance…

Btw, in case someone’s wondering why the name, Love-Pan, it is Love-Pantsu, a Japanese word for underpants. You may think it’s something you can eat by the sound of it!!! (The word, Pan, can also mean bread.)

Togé Togé

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Thinking of doing business in Japan? We can make it easy for you!
japanizmo, a Los Angeles based company, provides practical solutions for U.S. ? Japan business projects. Our experienced Japanese staff will support all phases of your business project to seize business opportunities and turn your vision into a reality. >> Learn more
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