The Business of Fashion

ICHO | Tailor-made perfection

While younger Japanese customers may be veering towards local brands that are in tune with prevailing fashion trends, others are looking for something altogether different. They don't care about trends. Their closets are already full. They have bought countless branded luxury items over the years. So, if they are going to spend their money on anything, it has to be perfect.

That's where my favourite Japanese tailor comes in. ICHO is a small, family-run business with a spiritual figurehead and designer in the form of Toru Icho, who was born in 1947 in Kyoto, the historical home of some of Japan's best luxury artisans. His son, Mits and daughter-in-law Satoko work full-time to translate Toru's vision into a bonafide business. This is good old-fashioned luxury.

Designer update | Bontoni breaks out

Bontoni, the men's luxury shoe brand featured on the Business of Fashion during September's New York Fashion Week, is breaking out.

Lewis Cutillo tells us that the brand has been making great strides, albeit quietly, in the past few months. "We continue to take a quiet and discreet approach to marketing our shoes," says Lewis. "Despite that, or maybe because of it, we are finding a growing number of clients among hedge fund managers, top CEOs, and well known professional athletes and entertainers."

The Robb Report recently posted a piece on the budding brand on its New and Noteworthy blog, and several major media outlets have been making inquiries of late, as the word-of-mouth on Bontoni has picked up.