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UNITED ARROWS has a strong image of it being men's fashion but in fact, there are plenty of brands aimed at women and is widely supported by the female audience. Hanae Nakajima entered UNITED ARROWS having admired it since she was a university student. She was promoted to store manager and is currently involved in supervising womenswear.

To Satisfy our Customers even further

JAPANTWO(JP2):Please tell us the story behind you becoming a buyer.

Hanae Nakajima (Nakajima):I have loved fashion ever since I was at university and I wanted to work in the fashion industry. Rather than working in a store dealing with a single brand, I wanted to work in a select shop which dealt with many different brands. I entered one of the select shops I admired - UNITED ARROWS. After entering, I first started out working as a member of the store staff. I was influenced by the fashionable staff and customers, which deepened my love and interest for fashion. By gradually gaining the support of the customers, I began wanting to communicate with them and to listen to the items they were searching for, taking it upon myself to serve them with confidence. In the end, I was able to achieve top sales. Afterwards, in order to satisfy our customers even further, I relayed our customers' demands to the headquarters and regardless of working in store at that time I was given the chance to become involved in merchandise procurement.

Through my love of fashion, being blessed with wonderful people and surroundings, my desire for everyone to have a more enjoyable time (while also enjoying myself) and being extremely passionate about everything, I was given the opportunity to become a buyer for UNITED ARROWS.

Extending to us going out together with our families

JAPANTWO(JP2):Could you tell us an incident from your days as a member of the store staff?

Nakajima:I met a customer not long after I joined the company, and this customer who loves fashion very much, is currently working as a fashion writer. Strangely enough, I feel as though we have some kind of connection between us as we've become old friends, sometimes working together, even extending to us going out together with our families. This person is still a huge fan of our company. We have many customers who have been coming to our store for more than 10 years, with all the staff looking after these customers, and it's lovely to see how even now, they still talk with and meet each other. When I was transferred to the office, I received many bouquets, gifts and thank you letters from our customers.

Thinking "fashion is fun" is important

JP2:What skills are necessary to be a buyer?

Nakajima:I didn't work as a buyer from the very start and worked in stores, which allowed me to meet our customers directly. When I became a buyer, I applied this experience by imagining being in our customer's shoes or a customer of UNITED ARROWS, and make sure to think and buy from our customer's point of view. I believe loving clothes and thinking "fashion is fun" is important. With these things in mind, I anticipate the joys you can only get from UNITED ARROWS and from the season before our customers, always buying clothes one step ahead, are the necessary conditions of being a buyer.

JP2:You were talking about buying from the customers' point of view, so naturally, you feel that having in store experience is important?

Nakajima:It's best to always check the market or conditions and to frequently listen to the store staff. After checking the actual state of the stores, we then need to think about what will sell. I believe thorough research on all these things is vital. As a buyer, I also need go to as many stores across the country as possible and research about our actual customers there. I make sure to go to the stores as much as possible.

I live naturally

JP2:Do you have anything you are careful about in your daily life or something you endeavor to do which you can make use of when buying?

Nakajima: Recently there is an increasing number people who create their lifestyles subtly through many different styles such as culture, cuisine and traveling, rather than creating their own style of fashion through fashion alone. I also make sure to absorb and balance as much as I can through these categories. That doesn't mean to say I stoically search for these things daily. I live naturally by not forgetting how I feel when I think "this is a good idea" or "here is a wonderful person".

To be aware of "customers who come to UNITED ARROW"

JP2:From the point of view of a buyer, what do you think it means to be UNITED ARROWS?

Nakajima:I always make a conscious effort to be aware of "customers who come to UNITED ARROWS" when I buy items. Having basic items that are sophisticated, high quality trad style and the ability to suggest styles and items where you can sense the season's trends and joys of styling. I always try to keep both these points in mind.

Women are sensitive to "kawaii"

JP2:You're in charge of womenswear. What do you think are the differences between buying womenswear and menswear?

Nakajima:Compared with menswear, womenswear fashion changes much more quickly. With Japanese women, it's essential to have sensitivity to think clothes are "kawaii" or "great" and have sharp instincts towards trends. Japanese women are so attune to their instincts that the word "kawaii" is now recognizable all over the world. That's why I make sure to buy items that call to my instincts. Wearing clothes which bring about feelings of "I can feel great" or "I can be happy" is key when women buy clothes, so I too value them when I buy clothes.

To have something that's essentially UNITED ARROWS.

JP2:You mentioned that women's fashion changes quickly. How do you predict the trends?

Nakajima:Trends change every year but we have something that's essentially UNITED ARROWS and that will never change. Before going to exhibitions or collections, the director gives us the main theme for the season, so if we have that as the base then the trend roughly comes together. We think of the trend by mixing the fashion trend with what is UNITED ARROWS.

We also have to make the textures in order to make the clothes, so we make sure to gather even the smallest amount of information on the social background in our discussions. This means we can gradually narrow down the trend.

We're able to sell items suited to each store

JP2:While on one hand there is the fashion trend, alternatively you have your customers who have a huge range on what they like. Is there something you keep in mind when thinking of the lineup in order to satisfy as many customers as possible?

Nakajima:When I entered the company there were only stores in Harajuku, Shibuya and Fukuoka. Compared to that, there is currently an increasing number of stores with a broadening market and a wide range of customers. Even though there can be more than one store in a certain area, each store has different products on display. This is to supply our customers with items that are suited to each store. We're able to sell items depending on the store because we're a select shop.

JP2:Why do you think that UNITED ARROWS. has the support of so many people?

Nakajima:We always make a huge effort so we can be supported for longer. I have the role of being the buyer in UNITED ARROWS. However, this role also includes the planning team. These people are able to produce original items because they work in this company. Store staff also strive to enhance their services and create ways to improve the company even further.

While keeping what it means to be UNITED ARROWS as the base, we endeavor to maintain the flexibility which allows us to adapt our items, service and stores with the times, and to make customers want to visit us again while offering their support for as long as possible.

A message to the readers abroad

JP2:Finally, please give a message to the readers abroad.

Nakajima:Please enjoy fashion, for it's through fashion that you can feel enrichment. Please continue to develop while enjoying yourself.

 

Photo by Yuuki Honda