HONG KONG, April 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fashion Access, the concomitant fair of APLF attracted almost 20 percent more visitors this year compared with 2016. Nearly 10,000 visitors attended the three day event (from 29 - 31 March 2017) to the great satisfaction of the more than 262 exhibitors, including 87 first time ones.
Among them, former visitor Jayant Malhotra of AEE Overseas from India, took the plunge this year and decided to exhibit the company's new line of "Members only" accessories. "I sourced leather at the APLF before and I think Fashion Access complemented it well, which is why I chose to exhibit this time. We are interested in bulk factory orders for our newly designed line of men's leather accessories," explained Malhotra.
A Multiple-time Korean visitor, Kim Chang Hwan, also took the plunge and chose Fashion Access to showcase products from the newly launched brand Euletraum. "We are looking for partnerships and for brands that would like to incorporate our products," said Kim, adding that they had been approached by several Chinese companies.
In focus this year were the athleisure and sports fashion, a trend that continues gaining strength not only amongst worldwide youth but also amongst the Silvers, a growing population in many countries and an increasing contributor to the global economy.
According to a 2015 report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs about the World Population Prospects, by 2030 12 percent of the world population will be over 65. One of the characteristics of the Silvers market is that they are wealthier than other generations and have higher spending power. They can afford more hobbies, interests and leisure traveling which in turn creates more demand for athleisure footwear.
Interestingly, their taste for comfort, good value and unique style are often similar to Millennials as have noticed several brands, including Alice Martha. "Our trendy, colourful handbags were originally designed for young women, but our data shows that many women in their 70's buy them!" noticed the brand's International Department Manager Ivy Ko.
The aging population is one of the reasons behind the large presence of the Japanese pavilion which hosted no less than 16 exhibitors of finished products this year.
According to Hiroyuki Matsuzuki of the Japan Leather and Leather goods Industries Association (JLIA), because of the dwindling Japanese population, Japanese tanners, manufacturers and brands can no longer rely on the domestic market and need to look for new ones. Japan's 2015 official census shows that the country's population had shrunk by almost 1 million people in five years. Nearly a third of all Japanese citizens were older than 65 in 2015; Research from the National Institute of Population and Social Securities Research suggests that number will rise to 40 percent by 2050.
"There is a lot to overcome for Japanese companies to enter international markets, the language barrier is only one of them," explained Matsuzuki. Japan's small firms, many of which are family-run operations struggling to sell their products overseas. The JLIA provides a platform for all these small and young brands. One of the companies Jay & Jay, founded in 2015 in the Nagata district of Kobe, manufactures shoes with interchangeable tops. Soles are made from PU, jute or rubber while tops are either made of leather, cotton or denim and can be inter-changed by a simple zip. Most of the materials are sourced in Japan, according to the company's young CEO, who goes by the company's eponymous name of Jay Jay.
The next edition of Fashion Access will be held together with APLF and with a renewed edition of Cashmere World from 14-16 March 2018. For more information, please visit www.fashionaccess.aplf.com.
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