Last Updated: 2013.04.30
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Company Introduction
| Name: | LINK THEORY JAPAN CO., LTD. |
|---|---|
| Established: | December, 1998 |
| Location: | Midtown Tower 7-1, Akasaka 9-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6231 Japan |
| Line of Business: | Theory, HELMUT LANG, PLST The design, production and sale of women's and men's clothing. |
| Number of Stores*: | 388stores (As of February 28, 2013) *Including franchise stores |
| 100% consolidated subsidiary | |
Business Overview
Theory was founded in New York City in 1997 as a brand that appealed to the modern woman. The Theory concept is to create basic, fashionable clothes to suit a contemporary lifestyle. The stretch fabric used in Theory clothes fits well and creates a beautiful silhouette. In addition to the Theory brand, Link Theory Japan Co., Ltd. also boasts labels such as Theory Luxe, Theory Men, HELMUT LANG and PLST.
Theory was founded in the United States by a number of entrepreneurs including Andrew Rosen, and introduced into Japan by the late Ricky C. Sasaki (former President and CEO of Link Theory Japan) in 1999. Quickly winning the hearts of Japanese working women, Theory expanded swiftly.
Fast Retailing first invested in Link Theory Japan in January 2004, subsequently making it a fully owned subsidiary in March 2009. In fiscal 2011, the company generated combined sales of about 60 billion yen from 373 stores located primarily in Japan and the United States.
Note: The contemporary market offers modern customers clothing of designer quality at affordable prices.
http://www.theory.com/
Growth Strategy
Theory Achieves Record Profits in Fiscal 2012
Designer Olivier Theysens has been the artistic director for Theory since the 2011 fall/winter collection. Theysens first made a name for himself at Paris Fashion Week and has subsequently won many awards for his work. As a designer in the global fashion spotlight, Theyskens has successfully maintained the essence of Theory, while further heightening the brand's appeal by injecting a fresh sense of luxury.
In Japan, the Theory and Theory Luxe brands have been selling well in department stores. The PLST women's fashion and accessories label is positioned between the Theory and UNIQLO brands in Japan. In fiscal 2012, the PLST brand, now increasingly popular with young women, generated higher sales than ever before and made a contribution to profits within Fast Retailing. PLST boasted 43 stores in Japan at the end of August 2012.
In the United States, the "theyskens' theory" capsule collection and the newly invigorated Theory brand have both proved extremely popular. The HELMUT LANG label is also selling well.
In Europe, we opened the flagship Theory Paris Store in September 2012 on Rue Saint-Honoré, the city's most prominent fashion street. With its modern, stylish appeal, Rue Saint-Honoré is home to a host of venerable brands as well as the "brick and click" select shop Colette. All the stores on the street showcase the very latest retail innovations, and the Theory brand has clearly been equal to the task, attracting considerable customer interest.
Thanks to this favorable expansion, the Theory operation achieved a record operating income in fiscal 2012. Next, we will be looking to expand the Theory brand even further, not only in the United States and Japan, but also in Europe and Asia. Our ultimate aim is to develop Theory into a 100 billion yen (approximately U.S. $1.3 billion) business in terms of sales by extending the brand's reach across Europe and Asia.
