Tranoï positions itself on Asian market with first Tokyo edition

In the midst of Tokyo Fashion Week, the Tranoï fashion trade show will set up shop from September 4 to 5 at Bellesalle Shibuya First. Tranoï Tokyo aims to establish itself in the national market and attract buyers from the Asian continent, a move that hopes to compensate for the decline in Japanese buyers in Paris.

It is not only Japan that is targeted, however, but the entire Asian market, with Tranoï Tokyo aiming to become a stand-alone event. "I chose Tokyo because I wanted to not only revive the local market, but also because the falling yen has led to a shopping frenzy thanks to tourism," said Boris Provost, director of the show. He took advantage of the withdrawal of the Project Tokyo show to approach Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo in order to give it a new commercial dimension.

With 150 exhibitors, Tranoï Tokyo was already fully booked at the end of June 2024

50 percent of the exhibitors are Japanese labels that either previously exhibited at Project Tokyo or in Paris, or have not exhibited since the Covid-19 crisis. 25 percent come from Asia, with South Korea being strongly represented - despite Seoul Fashion Week taking place at the same time. The remaining 25 percent are from outside the continent, including from France.

For the scenography of Tranoï Tokyo, Provost has once again called on Marylin Fitoussi, who is also the costume designer for the hit series Emily in Paris. She will set up an inspiration forum with pieces from the exhibitors' collections. In addition, the Esmod Tokyo fashion school will design the space dedicated to the Bora collection by Momoko Matsuba, winner of the Tranoï Prize at Tokyo Fashion Week in March 2024.

Another major player in this first edition is Canex, which will bring together numerous African designers and is organising an evening in partnership with Tranoï on September 4 in a dedicated space in Shibuya.

The Tranoï Tokyo project would not have been possible without the investment into an office in the 'Land of the Rising Sun'. Provost has hired three people and a press office to ensure the promotion, marketing and communication of his event. Ten people will be on hand to welcome buyers, present the programme and adapt to their needs. As a guarantee of its success, he is already planning for September 2025, when Tranoï Tokyo will take on a new look and a new location.

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.FR. Translation via AI and edit by Rachel Douglass.