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New JapanYouth Culture Study Reveals Growing Influence of Streetwear Fashion + Technology Trends on North American Markets

February 5, 02007—Fresh results released from Label Networks’ 4^th Annual Japan Youth Culture Study clearly indicate that the youth culture marketplace of 15-30-year-olds is re-shaping global market trends, particularly in streetwear fashion, footwear, and technology. Results also quantify the impact this marketplace has on even the most localized trendsetting brands and retail shops in America, as Japanese youth culture continue to push consumer trends across boundaries, resulting in a major ripple effect across North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia.

“Streetwear trends in Japan move at lightening speed, but there is a clear new sense of importance that’s been placed on urbanwear among the most fashionable, including a high-volume of girls now wearing denim,” states Tom Wallace, President of Label Networks. “There’s also a great deal of attention globally to top Japanese urbanwear designers. Japan however can be extremely confusing. It is the ultimate mash-up of street couture, so copied and reassembled as to appear original. In a society packed in a neon urban landscape, on the fringes of tradition and group individuality, it’s actually completely directional depending on how you look at it (and what street you’re on). Assembling individual concepts that may seem dysfunctional but actually all work together, is the real genius of Japanese streetwear fashion—which is also influencing many other markets such as technology. It’s the re-seen. Hints of déjà vu but new based on how it’s all put back together and slightly altered.”

The latest Japan research tells a new story about today’s generation and the future and it’s influences particularly on America—which is both incredibly exciting and very telling about where certain opportunities exist and why—especially in fashion, technology, and communication.

Highlights from Label Networks’ JapanYouth Culture Study ’07 include:

• Shifts in Top Denim Brands: New strong local brands have increased percentages, including fast-fashion retailer Uniqlo indicating new opportunities + challenges for denim markets
• Fresh Fashion--32.8% of 15-30-year-olds in Japan believe the freshest fashion trends today are coming from the USA; followed by Japan at 23.4%; then the UK at 16.4%—the younger the demographic, the higher the percentages that believe the USA is producing the freshest fashion trends today
• Sneaker Culture--Online retail + the Japan COD system continues to increase for footwear buying patterns in Japanamong youth culture
• Authentic Americana footwear brands are moving into fashion-forward wardrobes as Japanese youth in Tokyoseek authenticity beyond sneaker culture—this is having a cross-cultural impact on New York Citystreetwear trends
• Top Future Concerns have shifted dramatically since last year where Money/Economy was #1, to the Environment as the #1 Future Concern, followed by Family, then Happiness
• Music--15-30-year-olds in Japan have among the highest averages for going to concerts + buying concert merch compared with Label Networks North America, European, + China Youth Culture Studies; Rise of local bands vs. foreign is pushing this trend
• Sports--Basketball, Dance, Martial Arts are having a major influence on youth culture; snowboarding, which took a backseat over the past few years is starting a resurgence in terms of “most want to learn”
• TV--Average amount of time spent watching TV dropped almost an 1 hour per day since last year, although MTV increased in show preferences
• Video Gaming--New gamer demographics in Japan are pushing trends towards mobile phone + online games, particularly roll-playing + community-based, and impacting other industries, including fashion, technology, + communication
• Social Network Wars—Mixi.com vs. MySpace Japanhave changed the dynamics of social online networkers (which is increasing) + creating new opportunities for reach depending on demographics

Overall, the Japan Youth Culture Study includes actionable results and Macro Trend Editorial summaries and forecasting regarding specifics about fashion, brands, shopping, preferences, (with special reports on denim, T-shirts, and footwear), spending patterns, technology + electronics, video gaming, music, action sports, individual + team sports, entertainment patterns, marketing + advertising effectiveness, lifestyle traits, Internet patterns + social networks, cell phones, new media, future concerns, attitudes, and influences. The Japan Youth Culture Study Subscription Package also includes:

• Quantitative Charts, Graphs, Frequencies, plusCross-tabulations by Gender, Age Groups
• Macro Trend Summaries detailing high-level trends written in an easy-to-understand format about the changing landscape of the marketplace within each topic
• Historic Trending comparisons to show changes in the marketplace + future forecasting
• Street Photography depicting leading-edge street fashion, footwear, accessories, attitudes, tattoos, + individual style
• Weekly Updates with fresh news, reviews of street fashion trends, music, sports, festivals, underground magazines, events, retail hotspots, + emerging subcultures

For thought-leaders looking to maximize their strategies as they pertain to the youth marketplace, the Japan Youth Culture Study provides authentic street-level information about the demographic profile, economic, and cultural threads of influence across one of the most influential youth markets in the world. For subscription information, or information about a Global Subscription Package, including North America, Europe, Japan, + China, call (323) 630-4000; info@labelnetworks.com.

Data for the JapanYouth Culture Study is based on a representative sampling from of 15-30-year-olds during the months of November, December, 02006, + January, 02007.

The Confidence Level for this Study is 95% with a Confidence Interval of +/- 2.5%.