ICCJ Seminar: Fashion Forward

About the Seminar

As Asia, including Japan, emerges as a new global centre of consumption, today’s consumers are increasingly shifting their priorities from price to value, identity and meaningful experiences. This transformation is reshaping Japan’s fashion market, as brands navigate evolving consumer behaviours, emerging cultural influences and the need to balance global identities with local relevance. Against this backdrop, the seminar explores the trends shaping the industry, the growing importance of authenticity, community and cultural relevance, and how sustainability is becoming an increasingly integral part of Japan’s fashion ecosystem.

Bringing together Simone Ugolini, a senior executive with extensive experience leading international luxury and contemporary fashion brands in Japan, and Koyu Asanuma, a fashion and design researcher with a background in trend forecasting and consumer insight, the seminar offers two complementary perspectives on the market. Together, they will provide insights into both the strategic and business challenges facing fashion brands and the consumer.

Speakers

Simone Ugolini 
President and Representative Director of Ferragamo Japan

Simone Ugolini is an Italian senior executive with more than 20 years of international leadership experience across the luxury, fashion and lifestyle sectors, with a particular focus on Japan and the broader Asia-Pacific region. Originally from Rome and based in Tokyo for nearly two decades, he has held senior positions with leading global brands including Valentino, Armani, Kenzo, Missoni, AMI Paris and A Bathing Ape. He currently leads Ferragamo in Japan. His career spans established luxury houses and high-growth contemporary brands across fashion, streetwear and pop culture. He specialises in translating global brand identities into locally relevant strategies, combining business development, retail, client engagement and community building. He is also a professor at IED, where he shares his international experience with the next generation of fashion and design professionals.

Koyu Asanuma
Senior Researcher, Future Research Institute, ITOCHU Fashion System Co., Ltd.

Koyu Asanuma began her career at a major Japanese housing manufacturer before working as an interior buyer in Seattle. After returning to Japan, she held merchandising roles with the LVMH Group, Loewe and other leading companies. She later served as the head of WGSN Japan, the Japanese operation of the UK-based trend forecasting company. She joined ITOCHU Fashion System in 2019, where she is involved in design and research projects for Japanese companies, including collaborations as a WGSN Japan partner. She regularly delivers seminars on design and consumer trends and contributes insights to industry publications, including Senken Shimbun and ITOCHU Corporation’s textile-related publications. She has also participated in the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Textile Industry Subcommittee.

Date: Tuesday, October 20th
Time: 18:30 – 20:00
Language of the seminar: English
Venue: ICCJ Tokyo Event Space
Address: 3-4-16 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku 107-0062, Tokyo

ICCJ Members: 5,000¥ + tax
Non Members: 8,000¥ + tax