This story is part of Next in Asia, a series exploring the impact of technological and economic transformations across Asia-Pacific and the influence on local style, community and culture. Read part one on the enduring appeal of Japan’s luxury market, and part two on South Korea’s next big fashion import, here.
Times are changing in Tokyo. A walk down the streets of Ginza, the city’s most upscale shopping district, reveals a succession of tall and elegant stores from luxury players including Hermès and Chanel alongside giant flagships from mass fashion retailers such as H&M and Uniqlo. This juxtaposition of high and low brands in a once strictly ritzy neighbourhood sums up a shift in spending habits among Japan’s consumers, particularly the young.
