Introducing the Idiom from the World Group team introduction "OURTEAM" (From an article in the World Group internal newsletter on March 15, 2021)

In addition to the brands within the World Group, in the external sales business that we are strengthening, we are expanding from ODM to the uniform business with the proposal capabilities we have cultivated so far. Regarding medical gowns, which we have been working on since last year, we recently received a letter of appreciation from the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry for our efforts to increase the production of medical supplies. Please take a look at the interview with 3 people.

Taking advantage of experience in multiple kids brands, also in external sales business

Pattern maker Keiko Kasokabe

I like small things, things that look like small adult sizes. From there to the kids profession.

After graduating from junior college, I wanted to become a pattern maker, so I went to a vocational school to study again. Watching my mother make clothes since I was little, I became interested in the process of knitting and fabric becoming clothes. I can't. The reason why I became a kids pattern maker was when I was looking for a job, my teacher said to me, "I think children's clothes suit you." At that time, I didn't really think about it, but I also liked small things, so I think it was a good fit.

After that, I got a job at a manufacturer specializing in children's clothing. After I moved to World, I moved to Idiom after working at a kid's and baby clothing brand that I developed at the time, and then working at kids' PJT and a brand. When I changed jobs, I thought that I would like to see other worlds, but in the end I became a kid's pattern maker.

Now, the proportion of external sales business is also increasing. Unlike the brands within the group, it is difficult to make proposals while considering costs in response to customer requests, but I think that it will spread further in the future.

For kids, it is more important than anything else to follow the changes in body shape for each age from infancy to early childhood. It requires different knowledge than adult clothes, but trends are influenced by adults. Nowadays, the silhouettes are larger, and there are more baggy designs, and girls' skirts are longer from above the knee to below the knee. Of course, safety is also taken into consideration, but it is also important to consider how to incorporate these trends, so I will also visit the market.
The joy of doing this job is when I see a customer wearing it on the street. I'm happy and I feel like I want to shout out.

The world group has interesting “people”, so the number of proposals spreads.

Goods Section Fashion goods Team Manufacturing Control Mr. Hiroyuki Narumi

Involved in bags, so far. In the future, I would like to expand the range of items by utilizing the strengths of the group.

When I was a student, I learned something completely different, and when I looked around my room when I was looking for a job, I realized that I had a lot of bags. I got a job at a bag maker in Osaka, thinking it would be good to work on something I like. So, for 9 years, I did bag sales, went around wholesalers, did sales for mass retailers, and did OEM for apparel. Their clients included World and other major apparel manufacturers.

It has been 4 years since I joined WP2 in 2017 in the World Group. What I felt after changing jobs was that the amount of products that moved was overwhelmingly large, and the number of models was large. Currently, Shimamura is the main distributor.

The items that sell are constantly changing, so since last year, travel bags have been tough in this situation, but antibacterial types such as PC cases and mask cases are appearing. Functionality is what drives the customer's decision. Ultimately, what makes me happy doing this job is when the manufacturer tells me, "This has sold."

What I felt after joining the World Group was that I was able to communicate not only with Idiom, but also with the members of the business division. It's a company with interesting people. Do you dream of the future? Since I came all the way to World Group, I would like to try items other than bags. For example lifestyle goods. When I was in college, I was in the exploration club, camping, and cleaning up the fish I caught. So I would like to work on outdoor products as well.

We cherish the place of creation, which is our strength. Challenge new materials.

Toshikatsu Takeuchi, Category Leader, Fashion goods Team, Goods Section

The design of the bag is three-dimensional and fun. We want to improve our ability to make proposals and further expand external sales.

I joined WP2 in 2016 after working at a bag manufacturer that mainly focused on ladies. When I was a student, I studied industrial design, but I became interested in bag design, so I joined the company as a designer in a planning position. I worked on a wide range of products from general merchandise stores to department store brands, but I also became interested in selling the products I made along the way.

I joined the World Group when WP2 had a miscellaneous goods department, and it was time to strengthen external sales. At TK Takeokikuchi, which handles both internal and external sales, we also propose picture patterns.
There are some impressive projects I've done so far, but one that was jointly developed with a former member of the Takarazuka Revue for Nippon Television 7. The 2WAY tote bag and pochette set sold really well, and we plan to do another one next time.

We would like to expand our external sales even further in the future and broaden our range so that we can make new proposals. To give an easy-to-understand example, A4 bags, which were the mainstream in the past, are changing rapidly. We need something that is easy to hold, easy to care for, and is soft and casual. Also, even in casual business formats such as GMS, customers are sensitive to sustainability and recycling. In that sense, WP2 Bangkok is currently working on a material called “CYCLO,” which is recycled cotton and I have high hopes for it in the future.

From Mr. Yuichi Tadokoro, President of Idiom Co., Ltd.

Ms. Tadokoro (right) holds a letter of appreciation from the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry for her contribution to medical gowns. With WP2 Omine-san.

Idiom has two major divisions under sales, the goods section and the apparel section. Under these sections, shoes, fashion goods, and apparel are organized into middle lower and middle upper organizations, respectively. At the World Group, we have worked on ODM and uniforms in several departments so far, but we have been able to verify the results, and the number of members is increasing as they will be consolidated into Idiom in the future.

There are many OEM and ODM manufacturers, and there are also major manufacturers with a long history. But there are definitely strengths unique to World Group Idiom. It's the same with other platforms in World, but it's the experience of developing and operating a brand by ourselves as an apparel manufacturer. That's why I want you to feel the value of collaborating with World, and there are actually many such requests, which lead to collaborative development. While looking at development, stores, and sales all at once, I would like to increase the value of internal sales together with the business divisions, and further strengthen external sales by utilizing the group's network.