Setting "Inheritance" as the Promotional Concept

Durban debuted in 1970 as a national brand originating in Japan. Since its inception, the brand has earned the support of numerous businessmen through its contemporary styling and high quality, backed by exceptional craftsmanship.

Durban will mark its 50th anniversary in 2020 and has established "Inheritance" as its promotional concept, signifying the continuation of the professional spirit in suit-making.

The promotional visuals feature actors Kōtarō Yoshida and Tatsuya Fujiwara, who have collaborated frequently and share a close personal relationship, as the advertising characters. Their casting was decided upon with the intention of authentically capturing the admiration and respect found in a real senior-junior relationship, reflecting their genuine bond as actors.

As part of this promotion, Durban conducted a survey on the theme of "Inheritance" targeting businessmen (men) and women aged 30-50 with children across Japan.

When asked if they had inherited anything from their parents, over half of the women (52.1%) responded affirmatively.

In contrast, only about 30% of men (businessmen) reported inheriting something from their fathers (35.1%), indicating that men have less experience inheriting items from their parents compared to women.

However, over half of the men (55.7%) expressed a desire to pass something down to their children or grandchildren. Furthermore, a survey was conducted among businessmen regarding the suits they own. When asked if they had suits stored away in closets or dressers that they no longer use, approximately 80% (79.1%) responded that they had one or more such suits.

Additionally, based on the survey finding that the average purchase price of owned suits was ¥36,597, the total value of unused suits owned by businessmen nationwide was estimated to be ¥1.4 trillion (※1).

Durban conceptualized the "Inheritance Suits" service based on the survey findings: men have had fewer opportunities to inherit items from their parents compared to women, yet they wish to pass things down to their children and grandchildren; and approximately 80% of businessmen own suits that remain unused.

This service allows customers who own Durban suits to visit the store with their child. Upon purchasing a new suit, their existing suit will be remade into a children's suit (jacket only). The service commenced on November 1, 2019, at the Durban KITTE Marunouchi store.

The service is available to the first 10 customers. This marks the first time in the brand's history that Durban will produce children's suits.

Regarding the launch of this service, Nobuaki Takano, Manager of Planning and Product Department at Durban's Strategic Business Division, commented: "The brand's 50-year history spans enough time to cover two to three generations. We re-evaluated the importance of wearing items passed down from parents and planned this 'Inheritance Suits' initiative. We believe we can bring joy by giving form to the desire of parents to leave something (inherit) to their children. This project is a first for the brand and a challenge. Furthermore, Durban is engaged in apparel recycling campaigns like ECOMPASS, initiating sustainable efforts concerning resources. Protecting the environment for future generations is also a crucial endeavor."

(※1) Based on data from the Statistics Bureau of Japan (2015 Population Census). The total number of businessmen aged 30-50 (excluding part-time workers, temporary staff, and others) similar to the survey respondents was estimated (approximately 19.77 million). This number was multiplied by the percentage of those owning suits (95.7%) to estimate the total number of businessmen owning suits nationwide. This was further broken down by the number of unused suits owned (1 to 5 or more), and then multiplied by the average purchase price of suits found in this survey to calculate the total value of unused suits. Please note that this is a reference figure as it does not specifically filter for individuals with children.



About "Inheritance Suits"
The "Inheritance Suits" service allows customers who own Durban suits to visit the store with their child. Upon purchasing a new suit, their existing suit will be remade into a children's suit (jacket only). This initiative to create (remake) children's suits is a first in Durban's brand history. The process involves disassembling the adult suit, cutting according to children's patterns, sewing, ironing, and attaching buttons, with all steps performed manually to remake the suit for a child. The remaking of children's suits is carried out at "Durban Miyazaki Sewing," our in-house factory renowned for its high technical expertise. Durban, aiming to connect and "inherit" the professional spirit of suit-making, will convey the brand's message through the "Inheritance Suits" initiative.

Service Outline: "Inheritance Suits"

● Service Name: Inheritance Suits
● Service Start Date: November 1, 2019 (Friday)
● Applicable Stores: Durban KITTE Marunouchi Store (KITTE 2F, 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
* Business Hours: Monday-Saturday 11:00-21:00 / Sundays and Holidays 11:00-20:00
● Eligible Customers: ① Those who own a Durban suit (jacket and trousers)
② New purchasers of Durban suits
③ Those who can visit the Durban KITTE Marunouchi store with their child
● Number of "Inheritance Suits" Provided: First 10 customers (scheduled for delivery by March 2020)
● Children's Suit Sizes: Planned to be available in three sizes: 100 / 110 / 120


* Please check the website for important notes regarding this service *