REVAMPED MARIMEKKO FLAGSHIP STORE OPENS IN TOKYO – PARTNER-LED RETAIL IN ASIA IS ONE OF THE KEY DRIVERS OF MARIMEKKO’S GROWTH

Marimekko Corporation, Press Release, 31 August 2018 at 10.15 a.m.

The revamped Marimekko flagship store in Tokyo opens its doors today, 31 August 2018. The flagship, located in a standalone building in the popular Omotesando district, is one of the most important Marimekko stores globally.

Partner-led retail in Asia is among the key drivers of Marimekko’s growth. As the second-biggest single market for Marimekko after Finland, Japan is clearly the most significant country in the Asia-Pacific region for the company at the moment. Marimekko products have been sold in Japan since the early 1970s and, for the past ten-plus years, the company has been systematically building a foothold for the brand together with Look Inc. who is in charge of the distribution and retail of the products.

"The revamped flagship store now opening in Tokyo enables us to expand and deepen the strong awareness and loyal fan base we already have in Japan. Moreover, Tokyo is one of the leading centres of fashion and design, and therefore the flagship as the embodiment of our brand plays a significant role in our growth strategy for the Asia-Pacific.

"We believe that our home-inspired store concept reflecting genuine, sustainable and cheerful values will offer an even more fascinating holistic customer experience to both existing and new friends of Marimekko. Emotional and experiential stores alongside the availability provided by e-commerce are important factors in building strong brands. Consumers’ loyalty is increasingly based on the values a brand represents. In the fashion and design sector, genuineness, sustainability and timelessness are gaining prominence as consumers’ decision-making criteria in addition to personal self-expression. At Marimekko, we see these trends in consumer behaviour as a natural opportunity to stand out,” says Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko, President and CEO of Marimekko.

At the end of September, one new store will also be opened in Japan, after which there will be 14 Marimekko stores in Greater Tokyo. All in all, 37 Marimekko stores, including an online shop, serve customers in Japan at the moment.

The revamped flagship was designed by Marimekko’s shop design team, based on the store concept created for Marimekko by the international Pentagram design agency. After Stockholm, the Tokyo store is the second flagship store outside Finland that is based on the new concept. Other stores where the concept has been applied include Marimekko stores in Oslo, Bangkok, Melbourne and Shanghai. Altogether there are some 160 Marimekko stores around the world.

Photos of the store: https://mediabank.marimekko.fi/l/_zpLf6pFdWgN

Further information:
Asta Halme, Marimekko Communications
Tel. +358 9 7587 233
asta.halme@marimekko.com

https://www.marimekko.com/eu_en/the-brand/latest-news/revampad-marimekko-flagship-store-opens-in-tokyo

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Marimekko is a Finnish design company renowned for its original prints and colours. The company’s product portfolio includes high-quality clothing, bags and accessories as well as home décor items ranging from textiles to tableware. When Marimekko was founded in 1951, its unparalleled printed fabrics gave it a strong and unique identity. Marimekko products are sold in about 40 countries. In 2017, brand sales of the products worldwide amounted to EUR 193 million and the company's net sales were EUR 102 million. Roughly 160 Marimekko stores serve customers around the globe. The key markets are Northern Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region. The Group employs about 450 people. The company’s share is quoted on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. www.marimekko.com