UNITED ARROWS | Osamu Shigematsu on the Brand's Ascent

UNITED ARROWS

UNITED ARROWS 25th Anniversary Special Interview (2)

Osamu Shigematsu on the Rise of UNITED ARROWS

Launched in July 1990 at its first store in Shibuya, the long-awaited flagship store opened in October 1992 in Jingu-mae 3-chome, Shibuya-ku. The era was tumultuous with the bursting of the bubble economy, but in 1996, a major opportunity arose for UNITED ARROWS. Actor Masahiro Motoki made a dashing appearance in a commercial for Fuji Bank (now Mizuho Bank), wearing a three-button suit.

Photographs by SUZUKI SimpeiText by KAJII Makoto (OPENERS)

A Major Leap Forward with the Three-Button Suit and Classico Italia

Looking back, it was a shift from two-button to three-button suits, but at the time, the three-button suit worn by Masahiro Motoki left a vivid and fresh impression.

"During my time at Beams, we were featured in magazines like Popeye and Brutus, so many people came to buy clothes after seeing them in magazines. But as times changed, at UNITED ARROWS, clothes worn by popular celebrities in dramas and commercials began to sell well. Especially with dramas, since credits weren't always shown, some items sold through word-of-mouth," says Osamu Shigematsu.

Along with the explosive sales of the three-button suit, influenced by the Fuji Bank poster, came the so-called Classico Italia boom.

"At the time, there were select shops introducing American and British suit styles, but none that sold Italian Classico Italia brands with genuine knowledge. From then on, UNITED ARROWS' approach of 'offering the latest trends to customers as quickly as possible' has remained unchanged."

The fundamental business principles of UNITED ARROWS—establishing a style, communicating it clearly to a broader audience, and then translating it into original products—were solidified during the period of great advancement in the 1990s.

"In terms of buying, we were also quick to feature and introduce designers from Antwerp, Belgium, among others. Offering brands from Europe and America became another pillar, greatly contributing to the development of UNITED ARROWS."

From President to Chairman, and Back to President Again

UNITED ARROWS steadily increased its performance and was listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2003. Then, in 2004, Shigematsu transitioned from President to Representative Director and Chairman, but he stepped down as Chairman in 2009 and returned as Representative Director and President.

"I have a strong sense of responsibility, but I'm not the type to lead from the front. I've always believed in passing the baton to the next generation, so I changed presidents early on. However, as performance declined, I returned as president to restart. I came back out of a sense of responsibility as a founder."

Upon returning as president, he drove business reforms, improving organizational and product planning, and turning the company's fortunes around. "We select excellent items from around the world, but selection alone can lead to competition with other stores. I believe that UNITED ARROWS' own original manufacturing is the key to true differentiation, so we must continue to enhance the precision of our product creation," he states.

To Part 3: "Asking About UNITED ARROWS' Renewed Challenge"

UNITED ARROWS
http://www.united-arrows.co.jp/

UNITED ARROWS 25th Anniversary Special Site
http://www.25th.united-arrows.co.jp/