The
population curve in Japan reveals a sharp decline in birth rates over the
last three decades, particularly compared to other G7 countries. This
topic is of major concern for policy makers today who face impending tax
revenue shortfalls to support social programs for senior citizens in the
coming years.
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The
changing age profile also impacts the trends in the fashion industry
because of the complex relationship between age and fashion style.
While we have not studied the correlation in different
countries/cultures, we do have anecdotal evidence to say that Japanese
women are far more likely to dress in a style that would be considered
more appropriate for someone younger than them.
It seems that the West, especially the United States, has gotten
more serious in how it dresses.
Women in their 20s dress like serious adults while Japanese women
in the same age bracket dress like teenagers (Wardrobe
for work at home moms).
It is not uncommon in Japan (especially in such Tokyo neighborhoods
as Jiyugaoka, Omotesando, and Ginza – areas
popular with women 30s and up) ladies in their late-30s/early 40s wearing
Burberry Blue label knit tops (which was originally targeted to
late-teens/early 20s) or cute hair accessories (popular among teenagers in
New York).
These examples provide ample proof that market segmentation for the
fashion industry in Japan can be tricky – there are no clear bands and
most companies have learned to work with a model that allows for a
significant overlap.
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Population distribution in Japan by age
In the
Japanese fashion industry, the population is segmented into the following
categories that have features as outlined below.
A.
Dankai (Baby Boomer) Generation: 50-55 years
The
modern history of fashion brands in Japan began in 1970s led
by design pioneers of the Dankai Generation (first generation baby
boomers), including Issey Miyake and Kansai Yamamoto who were the first
Japanese to participate in the
Paris
haute de
couture collections. Distribution of these exclusive brands, initially, was
limited to a few specialty shops.
Next article: Generations
in Japanese society |
