World will launch the women's brand "GINGER ALE," produced by stylist Momo Chiharu, from the 2013-14 Autumn/Winter season.
The collection is based on the concept of a delicate spiciness and subtle sweetness like ginger ale, and is targeted at women in their late 20s to early 30s. This Autumn/Winter, the brand has produced items using a variety of silhouettes and materials, including tapestry mini dresses, velvet long dresses, tailored jackets, and logo T-shirts. The lineup includes many mini-length skirts and pants, and tops with puff sleeves and other pieces that add a little volume to the shoulders. The loafers and slim denim pants, created in collaboration with "Harta," will remain staple items. Prices range from ¥9,500 to ¥14,000 for shirts, ¥5,800 to ¥11,000 for cut-and-sew tops, ¥7,600 to ¥32,000 for pants, ¥18,000 to ¥62,000 for jackets, ¥29,000 to ¥49,000 for coats, and ¥13,000 to ¥48,000 for shoes. Items are 65% tops, 20% bottoms, and 15% accessories. 80% are original products, and 20% are purchased items, primarily accessories. Brand MD Mizue Obata says, "The price range is slightly higher than other stores in the first store, but we want to compete on the strength of our brand. We want customers to wear it however they like." The first store will open in Shinjuku Lumine 2 in early September. At the same time, online sales will also begin on World Online Store and Zozotown. The first-year sales target is ¥200 million. The interior of the Lumine store, including the central block check floor and ring lights hanging from the ceiling, was designed by Momo, who "selected my favorite designs." "When I wanted to work with someone who has a strong sense of fashion and an understanding of street culture, Momo's name inevitably came up," says Brand Manager Shinsuke Eno. "She has a keen understanding of marketing, the ability to make proposals, and a strong vision. After seeing her previous brand, Bonnie Springs, I wanted to keep the same style while creating solid merchandising and expanding it to a larger scale. Starting next year, we'd like to expand our sales channels and aim to open a street-level store," says Shinsuke Eno. At an order event hosted by ELLE Online on July 2nd, prior to the launch, the leopard print stadium jacket was reportedly the most popular item. In addition to styling a wide range of works, including fashion magazines and advertisements, Momo is also the editor-in-chief of Union Magazine, which launched last March, and director of JUN's brand, Bonjour Girl.
