In FY2014, the Japan Fashion Week Organization (JFWO) began a project titled “THIS IS MY PARTNER” as part a “business model to support the enhanced support of the sales force of small and medium-sized enterprises, through regional force utilization and market acquisition, etc.,” commissioned from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Small and Medium Enterprise Agency Operational Support Department / New Business Promotion Division for the activation of local communities. This is an announcement of the brands and partner companies that have been determined for the second round.

＊Brands in alphabetical order:

A DEGREE FAHRENHEIT(designer: Yu Amatsu)
Partner Company: RAKAM Co., Ltd.
Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture / (Thermal bonding) Embroidery manufacturing, Sales

IISER LOEN(designer: Koji Tezuka)
Partner Company: Dione Inc.
Shinjuku City, Tokyo Prefecture / Manufacturing of men’s / women’s shoes, Sales

JOTARO SAITO (designer: Jotaro Saito)
Partner Company: MITSUBISHI TABI Co., Ltd.
Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture / Manufacturing of cotton, various synthetic tabi socks, Sales

Motohiro Tanji(designer: Motohiro Tanji)
Partner Company: Dysun Co., Ltd.
Date City, Fukushima Prefecture / Manufacturing of knitwear, Sales

WHIZ LIMITED(designer: Hiroaki Shitano)
Partner Company: ISAMI CO., LTD.
Kuki City, Saitama Prefecture / General manufacturing of martial arts supplies, Business promotion

About “THIS IS MY PARTNER”
Japanese designers have transmitted their unique creations and received high acclaim in fashion cities around the world. Behind their creations are the craftsmen of production areas who support the manufacturing process with their advanced techniques. Designers and craftsmen are linked by deep relationships of trust, and the chemistry between them is perfect when making their creations. “THIS IS MY PARTNER” is a project to introduce craftsmen as indispensable partners of designers in their creations.
A total of ten teams of designers, or five teams for each season, will introduce the craftsmen who are their partners in clothes-making using various modes of expression at the collection venues and exhibition venues of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week TOKYO 2015 S/S to be held October 2014 and the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week TOKYO 2015-16 A/W to be held in March 2015.

Objective of this project
In recent years, Japanese fashion brands have been highly acclaimed around the world; however, the manufacturers and factories for fabrics, sewing/processing, materials (buttons, lace, ribbons, accessories, etc.) that support these fashion brands and the technical capabilities of the indispensable craftsmen are not known well enough.
This project focuses on the craftsmen who are involved in the textile industry. The objective is for the designers participating in the MBFWT to promote the technical capabilities of these talented craftsmen to the world using various expressions.

Activities
（1）Announcement of Production Area PR Creations by MBFWT Participating Brands
MBFWT participating brands (five brands for each season) will not only exhibit or distribute their creations to appeal production area companies at the collection venues (Hikarie Hall) and exhibition venues, but will also transmit these creations through the MBFWT official website and SNS. Please be sure to check out the traditional craftsmanship of the production area companies, as well as creations that were brought to life using the latest technology developed through trial and error.
（2）MBFWT Official Guidebook Special Edition Issue
Five brands participating in this project will each have an interview article with production companies, which are introduced as important partners to manufacturing, posted in the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week TOKYO Official Guidebook distributed at the official venue and the event venues of related events, etc., each season. It will be published as a special edition.
（3）Launch of the “TEXTILE YELLOW PAGES” on the MBFWT Official Website
Gathering various information on production companies within Japan, a “TEXTILE YELLOW PAGES” established on the MBFWT Official Website. This project should be beneficial to a wide group of people, from designers searching for factories to students interested in production companies.
http://rakutenfashionweektokyo.com/en/curators/yellowpage/

*This project is being carried out by the Japan Fashion Week Organization as part of the “Regional Force Utilization Market Acquisition, etc., Support Business SME Sales Force Strengthening Support Model Business,” commissioned as a business for production area activation from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Small and Medium Enterprise Agency Business Support Department Startup and New Business Promotion Division.