Itochu brings Les Hommes to Japan

By

Florent Gilles

Published
Sep 1, 2014

The Belgian menswear brand Les Hommes, which shows during Milan Fashion Week, has just signed an agreement with the Japanese Itochu group to enter the Japanese market starting in spring-summer 2015. The deal covers both of the brand's lines, Les Hommes and Les Hommes Urban, a new more casual range launched in 2013.

Itochu's subsidiary Sept Huit Corporation will manage distribution of Les Hommes collections throughout Japan, with a sales goal set at 800 million yen in three years for the brand's two lines, equal to nearly 5.8 million euros.

Founded in 2004 by the duo Tom Notte and Bart Vandebosch in Antwerp, Les Hommes currently has approximately 150 wholesale clients and operates three flagship stores in Antwerp, Brussels and Milan, where it recently opened a location during the last fashion week in the Porta Nuova neighborhood. The next Les Hommes store will open in early 2015 in Shanghai.

In 2011 the label acquired a new investor, the Belgian fund Palmyra Marques, allowing it to move its head office and studio to Italy where the brand's entire main line is manufactured.