Latest news with #RyojiShoda
Fashion United
07-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Onitsuka tiger's winning strategy involves a boutique on the Champs-Élysées
The inauguration of the Onitsuka Tiger boutique, July 3, at 25 avenue des Champs-Élysées (Paris 8e), signals the strong performance of this sportswear footwear brand, owned by Asics CS Corporation (Asics). Asics, a Japanese group specialising in sporting goods and operating its own eponymous label, recently announced record sales for the first quarter of 2025, partly due to Onitsuka Tiger. This brand recorded the strongest sales growth, at 57.2 percent, accelerated by the arrival of tourists in Japan. Its Performance Running category saw an 11.5 percent increase in sales, to 98 billion yen. Sales of apparel and equipment increased by 10.9 percent, to 10.3 billion yen. According to a Vogue Business article from May 2025, 'the brand has opened 28 points of sale in the past 18 months as part of an international expansion strategy'. This is the brand's second boutique in Paris, after Les Halles. The interior design is a fusion of raw materials (concrete, yellow tinted glass), modern geometry and the iconic "Yellow" concept from the film Kill Bill, for those familiar with it. It is designed by the Italian architectural firm Studio Dini Cataldi. The commercial offering includes: footwear collections (mostly trainers); the high-end Japanese denim line Denivita; heritage apparel and accessories from the Nippon Made collection, including the famous Mexico 66 shoe, an iconic model dating back to the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games. This item is sold exclusively on the Champs-Élysées. To complete this new Parisian retail experience, the brand is opening its Onitsuka Tiger Café. Located on the ground floor, it brings together 'Japanese-inspired drinks and Parisian-inspired artisanal snacks'. 'As a cultural brand connecting Japan to the world, our goal is to create a boutique and an environment that honours the essence of the Champs-Élysées and coexists with the rich culture of the city,' says Ryoji Shoda, director of Onitsuka Tiger. This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
Fashion Network
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Onitsuka Tiger grandly opens its Yellow concept on the Champs-Elysées
Onitsuka Tiger loves the Champs-Elysées. One year after bringing the 19th-century mansion at number 25 Avenue to life during the Olympic Games to celebrate its 75th anniversary, the Japanese brand is back in a big way, in yellow and black. This July, the label founded in Kobe by Kihachiro Onitsuka, who later gave birth to Asics in 1977, inaugurates a flagship store in which it deploys its Yellow concept over 500 square meters in the building built for the sultry Marquise de Païva. After inaugurating a London flagship with its Red concept a few weeks ago, the brand is now offering its most cutting-edge universe in Paris, designed by Milanese architecture studio Dini Cataldi. The space extends over two levels. At the entrance, after descending a few steps, the brand's latest creative proposals, mixing premium sneakers and leather shoes with contemporary style, are displayed in transparent yellow Plexiglas columns and on two white neon-lit walls, playing off the black glossy floor. A spacious café adds to the brand experience. Another flight of bright yellow steps leads to a second room with a high arcade ceiling. Here, visitors discover the latest sports-inspired collections, such as the Japan-produced model of the Mexico 66TM NM interpreted in blue-white-red for the occasion, or the brand's perfume. They then wander through a maze of the brand's textile collections on display in Milan, leading to a former vault converted into a fitting room. While Onitsuka Tiger already has a store in the Les Halles district, this flagship store at the foot of the touristy Champs-Elysées avenue marks the brand's evolution in recent years. "Our Les Halles store is much smaller. When it first opened, we were much more focused on the brand's sporting heritage. But today, as a fashion brand, we're growing to, let's say, capture the trend and present the contemporary type of footwear," explained brand boss, Ryoji Shoda, at the flagship's inauguration. "And then, if we were to develop this part, we obviously need a larger surface area to accommodate a large number of customers with different tastes." The avant-garde design of the premises is a clear departure from the brand's previous Paris-based universe, a sign of the brand's turnaround a few years ago, first in Asia, then in Europe in recent months. The brand is on the offensive, offering a cultural and lifestyle immersion that highlights its positioning announced for 2019 in its direct sales outlets, after having considerably reorganized its distribution in recent years to focus on its flagships. After Barcelona and London, given the European economic climate, the brand is likely to limit openings on the Old Continent in the coming months. "We think the important markets in Europe have been covered for now," explained the brand's general manager. "Being in these cities allows us to be in contact with European customers who travel. For us, however, it's not just about opening stores. We've done a lot of work on our e-commerce, and our business is flourishing, enabling us to sell all over Europe." Between Milan, where the brand will continue to parade, Barcelona, London and Paris, Onitsuka Tiger has major flags in Europe's tourist capitals. It could strengthen its market positions through relationships with certain department stores. In fact, Europe is gaining in importance, as is the United States for the brand, which still relies primarily on its business in Asia, particularly China and Japan. According to Shoda, the brand's turnover is 120 billion yen (705 million euros), almost double that of six years ago, with sales of its heritage range still accounting for the majority of its sales, and generating substantial profitability.
Fashion Network
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Onitsuka Tiger grandly opens its Yellow concept on the Champs-Elysées
Onitsuka Tiger loves the Champs-Elysées. One year after bringing the 19th-century mansion at number 25 Avenue to life during the Olympic Games to celebrate its 75th anniversary, the Japanese brand is back in a big way, in yellow and black. This July, the label founded in Kobe by Kihachiro Onitsuka, who later gave birth to Asics in 1977, inaugurates a flagship store in which it deploys its Yellow concept over 500 square meters in the building built for the sultry Marquise de Païva. After inaugurating a London flagship with its Red concept a few weeks ago, the brand is now offering its most cutting-edge universe in Paris, designed by Milanese architecture studio Dini Cataldi. The space extends over two levels. At the entrance, after descending a few steps, the brand's latest creative proposals, mixing premium sneakers and leather shoes with contemporary style, are displayed in transparent yellow Plexiglas columns and on two white neon-lit walls, playing off the black glossy floor. A spacious café adds to the brand experience. Another flight of bright yellow steps leads to a second room with a high arcade ceiling. Here, visitors discover the latest sports-inspired collections, such as the Japan-produced model of the Mexico 66TM NM interpreted in blue-white-red for the occasion, or the brand's perfume. They then wander through a maze of the brand's textile collections on display in Milan, leading to a former vault converted into a fitting room. While Onitsuka Tiger already has a store in the Les Halles district, this flagship store at the foot of the touristy Champs-Elysées avenue marks the brand's evolution in recent years. "Our Les Halles store is much smaller. When it first opened, we were much more focused on the brand's sporting heritage. But today, as a fashion brand, we're growing to, let's say, capture the trend and present the contemporary type of footwear," explained brand boss, Ryoji Shoda, at the flagship's inauguration. "And then, if we were to develop this part, we obviously need a larger surface area to accommodate a large number of customers with different tastes." The avant-garde design of the premises is a clear departure from the brand's previous Paris-based universe, a sign of the brand's turnaround a few years ago, first in Asia, then in Europe in recent months. The brand is on the offensive, offering a cultural and lifestyle immersion that highlights its positioning announced for 2019 in its direct sales outlets, after having considerably reorganized its distribution in recent years to focus on its flagships. After Barcelona and London, given the European economic climate, the brand is likely to limit openings on the Old Continent in the coming months. "We think the important markets in Europe have been covered for now," explained the brand's general manager. "Being in these cities allows us to be in contact with European customers who travel. For us, however, it's not just about opening stores. We've done a lot of work on our e-commerce, and our business is flourishing, enabling us to sell all over Europe." Between Milan, where the brand will continue to parade, Barcelona, London and Paris, Onitsuka Tiger has major flags in Europe's tourist capitals. It could strengthen its market positions through relationships with certain department stores. In fact, Europe is gaining in importance, as is the United States for the brand, which still relies primarily on its business in Asia, particularly China and Japan. According to Shoda, the brand's turnover is 120 billion yen (705 million euros), almost double that of six years ago, with sales of its heritage range still accounting for the majority of its sales, and generating substantial profitability.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Onitsuka Tiger Opens Champs-Élysées Flagship as It Sets Its Sights on a Century
PARIS — Japanese shoe brand Onitsuka Tiger is stepping into its next era with confidence, following the opening of a new flagship on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Paris holds historical significance for the brand. It was Onitsuka Tiger's first international retail location outside of Japan following the brand's revival in 2002. Due to this history, 'Paris is really close to our heart,' Ryoji Shoda, head of Onitsuka Tiger, told WWD. More from WWD Berlin Retailer Solebox Brings Zellerfeld's 3D-Printed Shoe Experience In-Store More Than 30 Convicted for Roles in Organized Retail Theft Ring Of Course You Can Expect the Paris Ball Sofia Coppola Art-directed to Be 'Cinematic' After celebrating its 75th birthday last year with an activation titled 'Onitsuka Tiger Hotel' in the same building, the brand is now expanding its retail presence and looking toward category expansion. 'This new store on the Champs-Élysées marks the beginning of our third generation. This is going to be the first stepping stone towards our 100th anniversary. This will be an important store for us,' said Shoda, speaking through an interpreter. Located at 25 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the new store has taken over the space of a former restaurant at the base of the historic Hôtel de la Païva building below the legendary Travellers Club. The 5,500-square-foot space features 3,800 square feet of sales floor drenched in Onitsuka Tiger's signature black and yellow palette. 'Our brand has a lot of history. History is something that is important, that is close to our heart. It also needs to be modernized,' Shoda said. '[The store is a] collaboration between Japanese modernism and history. It's a message we are sending.' The renovation was led by Milan-based architects Filippo Dini and Gianluca Cataldi, who have worked on four Onitsuka Tiger stores in Europe and one in Japan. 'We always like to have a crash between Tokyo style with European culture,' Dini said. The result is a layered space that combines preserved 19th-century architectural features, including original arches and pillars, with glossy black shelving units reminiscent of traditional Japanese lacquer boxes, as well as custom concrete crafted from Japanese mortar. 'We're trying to give an identity to each capsule of the brand with their own materials to make them live in their own world, and then live also together with the other stories,' Dini added. Each area within the store reflects a different aspect of the Onitsuka Tiger range. One room features a bookshelf-style display that highlights the 100 percent handmade 'Nippon Made' collection. To celebrate the opening, a special 'Nippon Made' edition of the classic Mexico 66 rendered in the colors of the French flag will be available. Another room dedicated to ready-to-wear is bathed in the traditional bright yellow hue of the brand's signature sneaker. The rooms will also offer heritage models, bags and accessories. Meanwhile, a former bank vault has been cleverly transformed into the store's dressing rooms. Adding to the lifestyle experience, the store includes a café serving Onitsuka Tiger's own branded coffee blend, as well as specialty drinks and snacks. If the beans prove popular, they may eventually be added to the brand's expanding product categories. Onitsuka Tiger is making its first big move into new categories with the coming launch of its fragrances. The fragrances were teased during the brand's show at Milan Fashion Week in February, and are expected to roll out at retail by early fall. Shoda sees it as part of the brand's evolution from sports shoes, to fashion and now lifestyle. He emphasized that the brand sits in a unique position between luxury and high street — a balance reinforced by a strict full-price model. 'To me, luxury means when a product holds its value…We do not do discounts or sales. For me, that's the definition [of luxury],' he said. 'And unlike fast fashion, we are brand driven. It's not about pushing product; it's about building a fanbase of people who love our brand.' Brick-and-mortar retail remains central to the company's strategy, and that like-for-like sales have been growing at a steady clip. 'We can see that the sales per store are growing,' he said. 'The revenues of our stores is really doubling.' Fragrance, Shoda believes, can continue to boost those per-square-foot numbers, and the brand is exploring additional categories. A potential hospitality concept is under consideration, following the popularity of the 'Onitsuka Tiger Hotel' activation last year. The pop-up included branded pillows, bath products and stationery, all of which are now under consideration as new categories, alongside cosmetics and sleepwear. Shoda confirmed that a return to the U.S. market is in the pipeline, though no firm date has been set. Current economic conditions and the uncertainty around President Donald Trump's tariffs are being analyzed, he said. 'It's really going to be not so far away in terms of time, but when we decide to do it, it will have to have a great impact on the market,' he said. 'We have to wait and see [when] the time will be right, when the American market stabilizes.' Globally, Onitsuka Tiger is leaning into physical retail. During the pandemic when most brands were betting on e-commerce, Shoda believed the future would be 'real, human communication,' he said. He put that at the core of his strategy and planning, and moved quickly to open new outposts in London and Milan post-pandemic. The approach has been winning. Onitsuka Tiger is now the most profitable category within parent company Asics. The most recent financial results showed sales up 58.3 percent year-over-year, with profit increasing 8.5 percent over 2023. The company currently operates 192 own-brand stores across the globe, including 48 in Japan, 83 in China, 32 in South Korea, 19 in Southeast Asia, seven in Europe and three in Australia. Many other locations operate through partnerships, though company strategy is concentrated on direct-to-consumer retail. 'As a brand we are extremely popular in Asia, and our products really sell well in Asian regions,' Shoda said. 'That's our strength compared to other luxury brands.' One of those key markets is India. With 11 stores there run through local partnerships, Onitsuka Tiger is considering opening domestic production facilities soon. 'The Indian market is known for being a bit difficult [to break into], but we take pride in the fact that we've been able to achieve great success in that market,' he said. The brand's popularity has been boosted by ambassadors such as Bollywood star Rashmika Mandanna, who was among the celebrity guests invited to the Paris flagship opening night. For dinner in the private Travellers Club, Michelin-starred chef Ryuji Teshima created a four course meal with each course paired to one of the four fragrances. Each course was accompanied by an interpretive dance inspired by the fragrances' characteristics. Onitsuka Tiger's ready-to-wear is now regularly on the Milan calendar. While Shoda declined to provide sales figures for clothing, he said its momentum is steady. The brand's only competition is itself. 'The clothing category is increasing — but shoes are growing so exponentially, it's hard for clothing to keep up.' Best of WWD All the Retailers That Nike Left and Then Went Back Mikey Madison's Elegant Red Carpet Shoe Style [PHOTOS] Julia Fox's Sleekest and Boldest Shoe Looks Over the Years [Photos]
