On March 16, Sanyo Shokai unveiled the first collection for its licensed brand, "MACKINTOSH LONDON," which will begin production in the fall/winter 2015-16 season under a license agreement with British brand Mackintosh. Mackintosh London will replace Burberry, whose license agreement expires in June of this year, and will serve as Sanyo Shokai's core brand. It targets men and women aged 45 and over who enjoy social status. Based on the concept of combining classic and modern styles, the brand emphasizes Mackintosh's traditional craftsmanship while offering a full range of items from formal to business and casual wear, providing customers with the same sense of stability as its predecessor. "We will not compromise our position as the number one outerwear brand," said Hideaki Nagai, executive officer and general manager of the Mackintosh division. With trench coats as its main focus, the company thoroughly emphasizes its commitment to "high-quality manufacturing" in terms of materials and specifications. Taking trench coats as an example, different gabardine materials are used for both men's and women's versions. The men's version uses a laminated material that is shape-memory and wrinkle-resistant, taking into consideration business situations where there is a lot of travel. The women's version is made from a supple, elegant material with a fine count that gives off a glossy finish.


The sales locations will be mainly Mitsukoshi Isetan, Takashimaya, Sogo & Seibu, J Front Retailing, and long-established regional department stores, and the intention is to expand while taking over existing Burberry stores nationwide. The sales target for the Mackintosh brand is 30 billion yen (Mackintosh London 20 billion, Mackintosh The plan is to convert 250 to 260 of the nearly 350 existing Burberry stores, or roughly 70%, to the new brand over a seven-week period from around July 20th to September 5th.

In addition, the Burberry Ginza store, which is currently experiencing a surge in demand from Asian customers, is considering converting it into a multi-store complex. Plans call for the brand to be sold include Mackintosh London, Mackintosh Philosophy, Blue Label Crestbridge and Black Label Crestbridge, which will also debut in the 2015-16 Fall/Winter season, and SANYO ESSENTIALS, which will be available online only.