IS MANGA THE FASHION INDUSTRY’S NEWEST PLAYGROUND?    

We thought the fashion industry was solely interested in the metaverse these days, but they appear to have suddenly found an interest in manga. After Gucci, which has already explored this beloved by millennials and Gen Z universe, and, more recently, streetwear label GCDS, which paid tribute to “One Piece,” it is now Burberry’s turn to draw on this form of Japanese comic with, not a collection, but an actual manga dedicated to one of its iconic bags. The fashion business has never been afraid to venture into uncharted area; on the contrary! Art, of course, but also design, gastronomy, soccer, and even motor sports are all sources of inspiration for ready-to-wear and couture collections. It has recently become the realm of video games—linked

A growing market around the world

The fashion sector is no stranger to the world of manga, with brands such as Uniqlo often offering collections based on well-known novels. In the premium sector, Gucci has occasionally offered capsule collections based on iconic characters, and it even collaborated with cartoonist Hirohiko Araki for an advertising campaign a few years ago. However, interest in these Japanese comics appears to have surged in recent months.

Indeed, manga are becoming increasingly popular almost everywhere in the world, including the United States, where manga sales are expected to more than double by 2021. According to figures published by ICv2 utilising NPD data, approximately 24.4 million mangas were purchased in the United States in 2021, a 15 million unit increase over 2020. These stats are enough to make people take notice—and

A character based on a bag

The label’s Lola Bag is already a star with a global following. Following the debut of a virtual collection bearing its name on Roblox, the British company is advertising itself on the Japanese comic scene in a very fashionable manner. In partnership with Tsubasa Yamaguchi, the mangaka who created “Blue Period,” the Lola Bag is converted into a true seinen character, embarking on adventures alongside the original work’s two heroes, Yatora and Ryuji. This very special (and limited) edition is available in paper format in selected Burberry stores in Japan, and it is also freely available online, although only in Japanese. This is the latest collaboration between the worlds of fashion and comics. It follows a string of recent comparable partnerships amongst GCDS.