VF Corp. is expanding its creative reach with a new initiative.
The group, which operates Dickies, Timberland, Supreme, Vans, The North Face and others, revealed Monday it is launching the Tokyo Design Collective with an office in the city’s hip Harajuku district. The mission of the design collective is to “reinforce VF’s commitment to infusing aspirational Japanese product design and craftsmanship into its iconic global brands,” according to the company.
“Our Tokyo Design Collective and brand teams in Japan are incredibly excited about our new home in the heart of Harajuku and the role it will play to drive a global brand halo through what we call our ‘Japan for Japan for the rest of the world’ strategy,” said Mitch Whitaker, president of VF Corp.’s North Asia operations and its Tokyo Design Collective. “We will use this new center to inspire new design concepts that not only connect with the Japanese consumer but will translate and gain traction in other global markets as well.”
VF Corp.’s Tokyo Design Collective will have an in-house design team and a network of freelance designers, artist and Japanese brands. The collective will also host a “Design in Residence” program that serves as a talent incubator for designers to work with the corporation.
The Tokyo Design Collective’s establishment comes roughly two months after VF Corp.’s former president, chairman and chief executive officer Steve Rendle abruptly left the role, being succeeded by former Clorox CEO Benno Dorer as interim president and CEO. Rendle’s departure came at a time when VF Corp. was seeing slower growth numbers with Vans, which is its biggest and most profitable business, and when the corporation was setting growth plans for Supreme.