Who knew Filson, a Seattle outdoors company founded in 1897 that emphasizes durability (above style), has a cult following in Japan? I certainly didn't, and I'm a Seattle native who takes pride in my hometown businesses.
Filson opened its third location and first international outpost in Osaka Japan, in the heart of the Horie fashion district. Filson also has a Portland store, opened in 1998, but recently closed their Denver location.
The opening of the Osaka location seems like a smart move for Filson--taking advantage of Japanese interest in classic American fashion.
For more on this, check out the Seattle Times' article.
I always think it's fascinating to discover how unique cultural fashion movements become. It's easy to assume a certain amount of homogeny in fashion as major retailers pump out immense numbers of "must-have" items that are snapped up by the masses and quickly become ubiquitous pieces of the average wardrobe.
The wave of fashion bloggers posting shots of their own ensembles on a daily basis plays an increasingly influential role in the movement to reinvent and rediscover style. There is an army of young amateur stylists who are propelling the vintage and DIY movements even further and perhaps unknowingly fighting against the monotony of mass retailer "fashion."
It's refreshing to be reminded that culturally we can still be recognizable in our sense of style and so too can our domestic fashion industries--there still is such a thing as "American Style." It's great to hear that Filson, a niche company, is successful somewhere else than the very damp, very nature-oriented Pacific Northwest. It reminds me that specific concepts for clothing (in Filson's case, traditional functionality and durability) will continue to set a company apart and can bring them success. In comparison, it should be no surprise that the GAP has struggled to build a brick-and-mortar market outside the United States... just something to think about.
Kirsten
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