UKFT accompanied a group of UK brands on a trade mission to Japan, alongside the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the British Fashion Council and Walpole.

“Japan is a really important market for UK fashion and textiles, with a deep appreciation for quality, design and craftsmanship,” said UKFT’s Director of International Business Paul Alger MBE, who has been introducing UK brands to this market for many years.

The trade mission, led by Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, is the first Secretary-led trade mission of its kind since 2017. It follows a luxury goods roundtable discussion in London where some of the delegates presented the opportunities that Japan has to offer.

The delegation met Japanese fashion buyers on Wednesday with support from the UK Government and showcased their products – from hand painted scarves to lab grown jewellery – at the British Embassy in Tokyo to high profile Japanese influencers including Yu Masui.

Swaine

The visit seeks to increase exports of UK luxury brands to the Japanese market, building on free trade deals such as the UK-Japan agreement and CPTPP. In 2022, UK fashion goods exports to Japan totalled £134 million.

Johnstons of Elgin

The UK group includes:

• Anabela Chan: Anabela Chan is the first fine jewellery brand in the world to champion laboratory-grown gemstones and recycled metals, paired with high jewellery design and artisanal craftsmanship; always with a focus on ethical and sustainable innovations.
• Christy & Co: Christy & Co Ltd has been manufacturing fine hats in England since 1773.  Today, it still produces its hats and caps using traditional methods at its factory in Oxfordshire.
• Ettinger: Ettinger have been designing and manufacturing leather goods in their UK factory since 1936 and now supply retailers and consumers all over the world. Ettinger were granted the Royal Warrant from the Prince of Wales in 1996, which is a seal of approval for quality and trust.
• Freya Rose: Freya Rose is a multi-award-winning British shoe, bag and jewellery designer, established in 2010.  Freya Rose is renowned for her unique collections of sculptural, wearable works of art.
• Hemingsworth: Hemingsworth is renowned for its high-end ready-to-wear swimwear and leisurewear for men.  All garments are meticulously crafted and proudly produced in the UK, using only the finest materials and trims.
• Rapport: Rapport craft accessories for preserving luxury watches and jewellery.   The company was established in London in 1898 by the horologist Maurice A. Rapport and today, four generations later, is still run by the Rapport family.
• Sabina Savage: Sabina is a British artist and print designer known for her exquisite, hand-rendered illustrations, printed on silk, wool and cashmere scarves, who founded her eponymous brand in 2014.
• Swaine: Established in 1750 as whip and saddlery makers, the House of Swaine is the oldest name in luxury goods, serving the British Royal Family, nobility and gentry for hundreds of years.