B. DC (Designer & Character) Generation: 40-50 years

With the success of world-class Japanese designers, the late 70s and early 80s saw the emergence of the DC Generation and the birth of the modern fashion industry in Japan. A host of Japanese fashion companies (called DC brands), taking styling cues from Europe, brought fashion to the masses. This period saw the emergence of fashion buildings (e.g. Marui, Parco, etc.) and free-standing single-brand boutiques. The trend-setting youth of this period have a keen sense of fashion even today.  While many western women have opted for a more casual look, Japanese women in this age group still tend to choose a more formal look.

C. Hanako Generation: 35-40 years

During the 1980s, the Hanako Generation (particularly single women in their 20s) benefiting from the strong Yen began to travel en masse to Europe to purchase fashion brands. (Hanako is the name of a popular fashion magazine which catered to these international shoppers). The bubble economy allowed these women to take long, expensive vacations in Europe – it is reported that some employees got bonus equivalent to 6-months salary.  It was during those years that Japanese women started to use only branded products and over a period of time, it became an inherent part of Japanese society.  Concurrently, many European luxury brands entered Japan to better reach these customers.  Despite the economic downturn in Japan, almost all major European and American luxury fashion houses derive a major portion of their revenue from Japanese consumers (interestingly almost all these companies have operations in Japan but they also cater to Japanese consumers who travel overseas – especially to Hong Kong and Singapore – by providing Japanese or Japanese-speaking sales assistants and lower prices).  (Related:  Cesar de la Parra)

More than their predecessors, the Hanako Generation today (and those which followed) have tastes with a bias for European luxury brands and similar upscale Japanese brands that feature (imitate) European styling cues and high-quality fabrics and craftsmanship/tailoring.

D. Dankai Junior Generation: 25-35 years

During the 1990s, the children of the Dankai Generation and DC Generation entered adulthood having inherited a strong fashion sense from their parents. At one extreme, the Dankai Junior (second generation baby boomers) include the Chanel-ers and other fanatics who covet European brands, particularly handbags and accessories.

The Dankai Junior represent the first generation of consumers in Japan who share the same perception of clothing as fashion, in a general sense, with their parents. As seen over the past decade, brands that target the Dankai Junior segment benefit from cross-over purchases by their parents particularly in basic fashions (both men and women). The extent of this cross-over buying may be more significant than in the US and Europe.