A joint press conference commemorating the 20th anniversary of Mode in France and Collection Française was held on November 25th at the French Embassy in Tokyo's Minato Ward. Patricia Brafman, international director of the French Women's Ready-to-Wear Federation, which organizes Mode in France, and Pascal Furs, director of the French Embassy's Business Promotion Department and UbiFrance Japan Office, which organizes Collection Française, introduced the details of the exhibition to be held in January of next year. Pascal Furs stated, "Exports of French fancy jewelry to Japan from 2011 to 2012 were strong, increasing 32%. Our products are highly rated by Japanese buyers and consumers who are particular about details. I believe we were able to celebrate our 20th anniversary because we were able to meet the needs of Japan." Also participating as a guest speaker was fashion essayist Françoise Morechand, who said, "Japan and France are polar opposites, yet we are fascinated by each other. Even in fashion, Saint Laurent, Dior, Christian Lacroix, and Issey Miyake, mintdesigns, and matohu are polar opposites, but it is precisely because they are so different that they are drawn to each other. This is because Japan's chic approach to breaking down basic style is shared by France." Yoko Kawashima, director of the Itochu Fashion System Future Research Institute, cited Hermès and Toraya as examples, and spoke of the four keywords common to Japanese and French consumer culture: "Challenging creation that transcends trends, sticking to one's occupation, proposing the richness of use, and realizing intelligent consumption." Mode in France will be held on the 25th and 26th floors of the Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku from January 15th to 17th. This marks the 36th edition, and 60 brands will be showcasing their 2014-15 Fall/Winter collections of womenswear, leather, and fur ahead of their Paris run. This will be the first time that a Japanese designer based in Paris will be participating in the exhibition. "As a European brand that is a member of the federation, the designers wanted to exhibit in order to gain new customers in Japan," said Brahman, head of international affairs, and as such, Miki Miary and Tsunoda Yukiko of Tsunoda will be presenting their collections. The 41st Collection Française will be held at the Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku from January 15th to 17th, as well as at the Hilton Osaka on January 20th and 21st.