Japan, is ready to roll out the red carpet for Indian textile manufacturers and designers to showcase their creativity to Japanese buyers and designers. The Japan India Industry Promotion Association (JIIPA) is organising the three-day ‘India Trends Fair 2015’ (ITF) in Tokyo from July 15 to 17 offering a comprehensive platform to Indian apparel manufacturers and designers.

Indian designers, apparel makers get a platform

Shigemaro Yasui, Chairman, JIIPA says, “JIIPA has been formed to foster business between India and Japan. Industrial and cultural exchanges between the two countries continue to gain momentum. The culture of fashion has been thriving strongly in response to the rapid growth in industrial and commercial relationships with a number of fashion events. The ‘India Trends Fair 2015’ in Tokyo will intensify the focus on fashion and create new perspectives. The scope of the fair extends beyond textiles and materials to encompass a fusion of new fashion and cultures.”

Yasui, further focuses on the need to strengthen business ties with India, “Japan imports 90 per cent apparels from China and only three per cent from India. We want India to be the best partner of Japan for which we need support and help of Indian people. We will start the initiative with textiles, which is an important consumer product. We want India to have a 65 per cent and China 30 per cent share. That will help India enter the Japanese mindset and fuel Japanese people’s interest in India which will also help tourism grow.”

Guiding participants on Japanese tastes

Besides organizing the fair, JIIPA also has plans to educate participants prior to the event. Throwing more light on this aspect, Yasui says, “As Indians know nothing about the latest trends in Japan, we’ve plans to brief them on how to design fashion products for Japan. We customize fashion and design for Japan. Indian manufacturers can bring these products to Japan through this trend fair to be held in July. This is also about home furnishings, handicrafts and accessories,” he explained.

The organizers also plan to hold ‘Trend Workshops’ in India prior to the Tokyo event. “In April we will participants an idea about next year’s trends in Japan. We will organize workshops and seminars for Indian manufacturers and designers in Delhi, Mumbai and other cities. We will coordinate with 20 to 30 companies and brief them on what they should make, and how to design our products. It will help them prepare for the exhibition,” Yasui informed.

ITF 2015 is supported by the Embassy of India in Tokyo, the Consulate General of India in Osaka-Kobe, the Japan-India Association, the Japan-India Business Cooperation Committee and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.