1. A Web + Mobile Social Media Platform on Fashion for Discovery of
Tokyo's up-to-date Fashion Scene in English and Other Languages
Planning Sheet
v1.30
Handle with Care
Gohsuke Takama, Tokyo, Japan, 2008-2009
2. Initial Inspiration
As well as singer Gwen Stefani sung a song "Harajuku Girls" and Paris Hilton went for shopping spree at Shibuya
109, tourists from EU, USA and Asian countries are strutting the streets of fashion spots in Tokyo concentrated in
Harajuku, Omotesando and Shibuya area. They may know artist Takashi Murakami collaborated with Louis Vuitton.
They've heard about names of fashion spots in Tokyo and names of brands like A Bathing Ape or Hysteric Glamour.
Tourists want to make travel plans before coming to Japan. But Google or Yahoo! won't pull up good results in
English or European languages for tourists. Most of those results don't explain where to go and what's in-trend now
with detailed information. Fashion blogs like FashionTribes or IamFashion keep writing how trend setter Tokyo's
fashion scene is like. But famous The Sartorialist hasn't come to Japan yet. Tourists may find kitsch gothic lolita
pictures instead. But what tourists look for is the stuff they can wear or apply, not such kitsch stuff for kids.
On the street of Harajuku and Shibuya, tourists wander around randomly. They try to find clothing shops, hair
salons or nail salons that employ the prize winner of some nail art contest in London. But they possibly stuck at
familiar brands like Prada, Dior or D&G. Because they could not find a good Tokyo fashion shopping guide book in
English that covers the trendy spots in detail.
Hidden treasures are sitting on the shelf of back street shops. Tourists need to get a map and guidebooks in English
to get to the location. How can they find treasures without such tools?
Mix'n Match is an important element of overwhelmingly detail indulged Tokyo's fashion as Gwen Stefani pointed out
in the song. Mix'n Match requires certain degree of know-hows. Number of fashion magazines published in Japan
every month exceed 40. Those magazines teach Japanese women and men how to dress, make-up, style hair, and
apply nail arts. These know-hows are still hidden wisdoms for fashionistas in the many countries outside of Japan.
How can they find these wisdoms?
3. Concept
• Web + Mobile Fashion Social Media Platform that is:
• to provide visual content with text in English and other
languages on Tokyo's "fashion trend" and "beauty know-
how" for the fashion consumers in UK, USA, EU and other
countries through the Web and iPhone / Android type
mobile devices. (21 Million iPhones sold by May 2009)
• to democratize traditional fashion media by providing
supportive internet media platform for emerging new
fashion designers and international class brands from
Tokyo (+other key fashion cities abroad = future idea).
• to provide Visual Viral Marketing platform to trigger
expansive free flow of discovery between Consumers and
Suppliers/Designers on new trends and products.
• to provide User Generated, Creative Commons licensed
fashion photos and content to use for fashion bloggers
world wide = fashion as soft power for communication.
4. Plan: Web + Mobile Social Media Platform
on Fashion from Tokyo
in English & Other Languages
• Periodical Updates of Fashion Scene for Style Trend Spotting
– visuals and articles on real and up-to-date scene of street fashion in
Tokyo
– visuals and articles on scene of runway shows and private exhibits
– visuals and articles on trend of fashion items and goods from Tokyo
– visuals with Creative Commons license will be provided for fashion
bloggers to induce free flow of use and for affiliated article syndication
• Step by Step Visual Instructions on Beauty Technique Know Hows
– know-hows of Japanese women's fashion techniques
– make-up, hair styling, nail arts
• Online Exhibit Space for Emerging Designers and Brands
– membership based online showroom pages and blogs for brands
• Location Based Fashion Guide for Tourist Shoppers
– membership based storefront pages and blogs for individual stores
– useful interactive location maps to lead tourists to actual locations
5. Key Content
High Quality Photos = "image is everything"
flexible use with Creative Commons license
1. What = style 2. How = technique
(CC BY) El Secretario (CC BY) Marshall Flickman
(CC BY) whorange (CC BY) whorange (CC BY) whorange (CC BY) gohsuket (CC BY) gohsuket (CC BY) Laura Ribeiro
3. Which = items & brands 4. Where = places
(CC BY) gohsuket
(CC BY) LuluSmith (CC BY) supersentido (CC BY) bbaunach (CC BY) gohsuket
6. Key Content
• 1. What = Fashion Trend Spotting
– to provide periodical update of Tokyo's fashion scene photos from
Street, Private Exhibits and Runway shows by contributors
– contributing photographers with Digital SLR camera required
• 2. How = Beauty Technique Know Hows
– to showcase makeup and hair styling technique of Japanese beauty
artists step by step on Westerner and various ethnicity models
– with Japanese beauty professionals in editorial structure
• 3. Which = Fashion Items and Emerging Designers & Brands
– to showcase fashion items of range from apparels to accessories
– membership based online showrooms and blogs for emerging
designers and brands
• 4. Where = Location Guide
– to provide access information of fashion spots for tourist shoppers
– membership based online storefronts for individual shops
8. Target Users
• Types of users:
– Designers & Suppliers = emerging fashion brands & individual stores
– Active Consumers = fashion bloggers, trend seekers, & early adopters
– General Consumers = women & men of 20's to 30's with iPhone/Androids
• Primary target = UK, EU, USA, Canada, Australia, English handling countries
• Secondary target = Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, China
9. Discovery EcoSystem for Target Users
General Active Mediator / Suppliers Designers
Consumers Consumers Discovery EcoSystem & Brands
Visual Viral Marketing
Fashion Bloggers UGM Contributors E-Commerce Affiliates
Store Affiliates
10. Aimed Visual Viral Marketing Coverage:
Emerging Designers & Distinctive Brands
Fashion Consumer Brands Brands Scenes Traditional
Population Intl Jp Media
Chanel Dior D&G
Gucci Prada Fendi Celebrity Vogue
Louis Vuitton Parties Tatler
Issey Miyake
Cavalli MaxMara Fashion Show InStyle
He
Kenzo
Luxury Burberry Armani Models ELLE
Comme des garcons
re
¥300,000 Versace Gaultier Rich circles Harper's
Yoji Yamamoto
(€3,000) Yves Saint Laurent Bazaar
Established
DKNY ...
Brands
¥100,000 YLANG YLANG G.V.G.V.
Emerging Designers
(€1,000)
Distinctive & Brands
SOMARTA UNDERCOVER
mintdesigns Lyricism
Small Shows
Private
Missing
Brands THEATRE PRODUCTS Exhibits Traditional
¥15,000
mercibeaucoup Media
(€150)
DRESSCAMP matohu
Ne-net h.NAOTO ...
Streets Coverage
Fast Fashion Topshop H&M Cosmopolitan
Zara Mango Look
Abercrombie Company
Uniqlo Glamour
¥3,000 & Fitch GAP
Muji Nylon ...
(€30) Forever21
Young Casual Primark ...
Prices are based on
psychological factor
11. Visual Viral Marketing Flow
Content Propagation
Fashion Blogs in EU, Oceania & Asia Fashion Blogs in USA & Canada
Photo Gallery system
Photo Use Photo Use
(code embed) (code embed)
Embedded Code Embedded Code
Link Backs Link Backs
12. Visual Viral Marketing Flow
Interests Induction
Article Pages
Interests from EU, Oceania & Asia Interests from USA & Canada
Fashion Blogs in EU & Asia Fashion Blogs in USA & Canada
Content Affiliate Content Affiliate
Link Backs Link Backs
Photo Gallery system
Photo Use Photo Use
(code embed) (code embed)
13. Target Fashion Consumer Audiences
Behavior: What they want is not what they actually buy
= Styles can be re-created by consumers with locally available products.
Fashion Consumer Style Trend
Population Ecosystem
Celebrity Scenes €$ Established Designers
Fashion Shows €$ & Brands €$
Luxury
¥300,000
(€3,000) Established Emerging Designers
Brands Target & Distinctive Brands
¥100,000
(€1,000)
Distinctive Target
Traditional Audience
Media
Brands Audience Segment inspiration
re-create
imitate
re-create
imitate
¥15,000
(€150) Segment re-create
Fast Fashion Street Scene
Styles can be
re-created by
Fast Fashion
¥3,000 consumers with Young Casual
(€30) locally available
Young Casual products.
Prices are based on
psychological factor
14. Revenue Source Opportunity: Affiliates
"fashion consumers are seekers"
Fashion Consumers Sales through Fashion e-Commerce
Worldwide Discovery Affiliates
High Fashion / Fashion High Fashion /
Trend
Casual Apparel Spotting Casual Apparel
5 - 12%
sales commission
Frontsite
Beauty
Beauty Products Technique Beauty Products
Know Hows
5 - 12%
sales commission
Individual Fashion Items Individual
Brands & Goods Brands
Mobile site 5 - 12%
sales commission
Affiliates sites
are International
Individual Fashion Spots Individual E-commerce,
Stores Location Guide Stores not necessary to
iPhone / Android
Viewer Apps be Japanese
sales commission
products sites
15. Revenue Source Opportunity: Advertising
"fashion consumers are seekers"
Fashion Consumers Ad Flow Advertising Networks
Worldwide
Frontsite Fashion
Trend
Spotting
High Fashion / High Fashion /
Ad Ad Casual Apparel
Casual Apparel
Beauty
Technique Ad commission
Know Hows
Beauty Beauty
Ad Ad
Products Products
Ad commission
Fashion Items
& Goods
Life Style Life Style
Others
Ad Ad Products
Products
Advertisers are
Ad commission
International sites,
not necessary to
Mobile site Fashion Spots be Japanese
Location Guide
products Ads
iPhone / Android
Viewer Apps
16. Advertising Reach
Ad Categories High Fashion Casual Beauty Lifestyle
Apparel Products Products
Ad Suppliers Others
Ad Flow
accesses from EU, Oceania & Asia accesses from USA & Canada
Ad Flow Ad Flow
17. Key Players & Fashion Content Flow
Contributing Fashion Bloggers Fashion Consumers
Photographers Worldwide Worldwide
(CC BY) gohsuket (CC BY) Nicolás García
Models/
Objects
Photo Use Content
(code embed) Affiliate
Embedded Code
Style Look Book
Link Backs
Frontsite Mobile site
Model
Releases
submit
(CC BY) whorange
Photographer
Portfolio Pages
(CC BY) LuluSmith
Repository
DataBase
Access Article Pages
Analysis
Editorial
(CC BY) bbaunach Photo Gallery system
18. Content Flow
• Contributing photographers shoot street fashion, private exhibits or
runway photos with model release altogether, then submit to Photo
Repository through User Portfolio Pages with Creative Commons (CC)
licenses (Attribution only expected)
• Photo Gallery System automatically publish submitted photos from Photo
Repository with CC license displayed.
• Photo Gallery System has functions such as multiple size handling,
search, tagging, embed code generation (similar to Flickr, however, Flickr
does not allow users commercial use)
• Fashion bloggers worldwide and other media can use photos with
condition of CC license, either embedding the code or downloading files
• Frontsite System picks up photos from Photo Gallery System reflecting
interestingness and editorial controls
• Editorial team coordinate with fashion bloggers worldwide to affiliate their
English (and other language) content to Frontsite and Article Pages
19. Marketing Opportunities
• Affiliate with fashion blog advertisers • Affiliate with E-commerce sites
– GlamMedia – http://www.beautyexpert.co.uk/
• http://www.glammedia.com/ – http://www.net-a-porter.com/
• Associate with well known blog media – http://www.chickdowntown.com/
– bOINGbOING – http://www.shopbop.com/ (Amazon)
• http://www.boingboing.net/ – http://www.edressme.com/
• Associate with Creative Commons content – http://www.revolveclothing.com/
search sites
– http://www.internationalcheckout.com/
– SpinXpress http://spinxpress.com/
– http://www.zappos.com/
• Approach fashion blogger clusters – http://www.office.co.uk/
– http://fashiontribes.typepad.com/ – http://www.jshoppers.com/
– http://iamfashion.blogspot.com/ – many more….
– http://www.bglam.com/
– http://stylebytes.net/
– http://www.beautyaddict.blogspot.com/
– http://highfashiongirl.blogspot.com/
– http://frugal-fashionista.blogspot.com/
– http://www.fashionchicks.co.uk/
– many more….
20. Why providing Creative Commons licensed
fashion photos becomes viral marketing?
• Creative Commons (CC) give everyone a simple, standardized way to
grant copyright permissions to their creative work. CC licenses enable
people to easily change their copyright terms from the default of “all
rights reserved” to “some rights reserved” (whitehouse.gov deployed CC)
• high quality fashion photos in the media are all copyrighted by publishers
and fashion photographers tend to insist copyright as well
• fashion bloggers who want to write about fashion have high esthetics in
design and appearance, thus they want to use high quality photos of
couture, fashion items and models who wearing it
• bloggers cannot easily get permission from media and photographers
while contacts are not easily available
• bloggers cannot easily get consent of model release either
• in this situation, fashion bloggers often ended up just copy and paste
pictures from known media without consents
• to provide CC licensed high quality fashion photos can solve these
issues and induce free flow of content use
21. How Tokyo's Fashion Scene interested?
There are signs of the interest onto Tokyo's fashion scene is growing world
wide. One good example is a French fashion blogger TokyoBanhbao. She
actively explores Tokyo Style with the inspirations from Japanese fashion
magazines by re-creating coordination with brands she can buy in Europe
such as H&M, TopShop, then she post self portraits to her blogs and Flickr.
22. Why Tokyo's Fashion Scene to start from?
• While interest onto Tokyo's fashion is growing in the world wide,
lack of information in English and other languages about Tokyo's
scene makes it largely hidden and unaccessible from the world,
thus, to bridge this gap could have a potential for online media.
• over 1200 fashion brands exist in Japan, but lack of information in
English and other languages on their web site makes them off the radar
• more than 40 monthly fashion magazines published in Japan with high
density content, but they only target domestic market inside Japan
• foreign visitors to Shibuya, Harajuku, Omotesando and Daikanyama
area are increasing, however, lack of shopping information in English and
European languages is being found (Chinese & Korean tourists have
good travel guide books)
– popular places such as Laforet Harajuku and Shibuya109 are not
providing web site in English