Yen Seen Boosting Japanese Designers

TOKYO — Japanese designers coming off of Tokyo Fashion Week are expected to benefit from the weak yen at home and abroad with collections that drew plaudits from domestic and international buyers. Showcasing a variety of looks including statement coats, elaborate knitwear, tweed items and tailored pantsuits, designers showing during the six days of Tokyo Fashion Week offered up plenty of commercially viable merchandise, buyers said. The weak yen gives the country’s designers an added boost as it makes their goods cheaper for foreign buyers, while the currency impact also stands to give them an edge at home with Japanese retailers since it makes imported goods from Europe and the United States that much more expensive. International buyer registrations for the Tokyo shows grew to 239, compared with 221 in October and 212 in March 2014. The three largest geographic regions were China, with 50 registrations, and the United States and Hong Kong with 38 and 27, respectively, organizers said. As is the case with every season, registrations may or may not correspond to actual attendance at the shows. This was a tricky season for some. A couple Japanese buyers lamented that Tokyo’s proximity to Paris made it a challenge to cover both

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