ITOCHU Corporation and Toray Diplomode will begin selling "Blue Les Copains," a diffusion line of "Le Copains," a Milan-based collection brand developed by the Italian company BVM S.P.A., in the Spring/Summer 2014 collection. ITOCHU has signed an exclusive import and sales agreement with BVM in Japan, with Toray Diplomode serving as the exclusive distributor.

The diffusion line, based on a sportswear line launched in the 1980s, became independent as the "Les Copains Blue" label in the 1997-98 Autumn/Winter collection. The brand name was changed to Blue Les Copains in the Spring/Summer 2014 collection.

The target demographic is women in their late 30s to 40s. The main price ranges are knitwear in the ¥60,000 to ¥70,000 range, dresses in the ¥50,000 to ¥70,000 range, jackets in the ¥70,000 to ¥100,000 range, and skirts in the ¥30,000 to ¥60,000 range. The brand will focus on select shops, with some department stores also operating, and aims for first-year sales of 700 million yen (based on retail prices).

Les Copains is a luxury knitwear brand that was founded in Bologna, Italy in the 1950s and is committed to being "Made in Italy." The brand name is taken from the French radio program "Salut Les Copains," which featured popular singers such as Sylvie Vartan. Alessandro Dell'Acqua has been the first line designer since the 2012-13 Autumn/Winter season. In addition to Europe, the brand has expanded into North America, Asia, and the Russian Far East. In Japan, the brand is sold at Isetan Shinjuku, Matsuya Ginza, and the Imperial Hotel Plaza in Tokyo and Osaka.