Business news : Itochu Establishes Converse Apparel in Japan

Itochu Corporation, headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, and Minoya Co., Ltd., based in Gifu-shi, Gifu, announced  that they had established Converse Apparel Co., Ltd., a joint venture aimed at strengthening sales of Converse brand apparel products for sale in Japan.

In the market deployment of the Converse brand in Japan, Itotchu, which owns the trademark right, undertakes branding and marketing, with Converse Japan Co., Ltd. being the master licensee, by cooperating with sublicensees including Converse Footwear Co., Ltd.. Itotchu and Minoya have been contributing to improving the value of the Converse brand in the Japanese market for 20 years since concluding a sublicensing agreement on casual wear in 1993.

The companies established the new company "with the belief that collaborations with footwear providing the core items are more necessary than ever for continuing to maximize the two strengths of the Converse brand: its more than 100 years of history and its support from a wide range of consumers, in the apparel industry which has a high number of competing brands."

By further strengthening cooperation with Converse Japan and Converse Footwear, Converse Apparel will enter new sales channels such as store operation and sports distribution, while also increasing projects linked with footwear. In this way the company will aim to achieve retail sales of 15 billion yen in three years."

About Itochu corporation

The history of ITOCHU Corporation dates back to 1858 when the Company's founder Chubei Itoh commenced linen trading operations. Since then, ITOCHU has evolved and grown over 150 years.

With approximately 130 bases in 66 countries, ITOCHU, one of the leading sogo shosha, is engaging in domestic trading, import/export, and overseas trading of various products such as textile, machinery, metals, minerals, energy, chemicals, food, information and communications technology, realty, general products, insurance, logistics services, construction, and finance, as well as business investment in Japan and overseas.

About Converse

Converse is Sneakers. And Converse is Change. We started on the court and got adopted on the street. We began as a rubber company to make sneakers and boots, and then we found basketball and reinvented the sport. The Converse Chuck Taylor All Star sneaker became the court sneaker; it stood for the game. From there we moved into other sports with new sneaker silhouettes like the Pro Leather, the Star Player, and the Weapon. The Star Chevron showed up and became another Converse symbol.

And just when we seemed to be destined for athletes only – something happened.

Converse sneakers showed up in rock clubs, on the streets, on rappers, on icons, on rebels and originals. It became the sneaker of choice for individuals. From All Star to Jack Purcell to CONS, Converse doesn’t confine itself to one style or definition. Be who you want to be in Converse sneakers or clothes. An artist, rebel, rapper, thinker, gamer, skater, smoke jumper, freelance dentist, whatever. If you’re wearing Converse, you know who you are.

By press release through sportsonesource