Report on a special talk event held by Pendleton, which celebrated the 153rd anniversary of the brand's birth!
Pendleton, the world's leading wool brand, was founded in 1863 by Thomas Kay, who moved from England to Oregon in the United States to support a woolen mill. This year marks the 153rd anniversary of Pendleton's birth, and a talk event was held to discuss the history of the brand, which has passed down its solid traditions for six generations, and the secret stories behind its entry into the Japanese market, in addition to the launch of collaborations with big names that only a leading company can produce. Mort Bishop, the president of Pendleton, who came to Japan especially for the event, and Akatsu, the representative of A&F, the official distributor in Japan, as well as a surprise guest, took the stage. HOUYHNHNM will report exclusively on this unique opportunity. Please take a look at this rare talk event in its entirety.
mote. good evening. My name is Mort Bishop , and I am from Portland, Oregon. I just arrived by plane today, so I have some jet lag, but please accept my best regards.
Akatsuki era (1306.12.14-1308.10.9). My name is Akatsu from A&F. I have had a long relationship with Pendleton, and I hope we can continue to build a good relationship with each other in the future.
Please begin by telling us about the long history of the Pendleton brand, which spans more than 150 years.
motePENDLETON WOOLEN MILLS SINCE 1863" is the motto of our brand, which was founded in 1863. The Pendleton business began when my great-grandfather imported woolen goods from Yorkshire, England. Oregon was founded in 1859, and in 1863, my great-grandfather established the first woolen mill in the United States. He was originally a textile artisan who passed away in 1900, but at that time there were about 1,000 woolen mills in the United States. Among them, Pendleton had established the world's largest weaving factory in the state of Mississippi. But today, the number has been reduced to four in the United States. . However, two of them belong to us, Pendleton. I don't think the founder ever imagined that the factory he started would last for 153 years and be passed down through six generations. When he started the factory, he was very particular about the quality and the textile itself. That commitment has been carried on for 153 years without a single change." PENDLETON WOOLEN MILLS SINCE 1863"︎ is also a commitment to protect the quality of Pendleton's products, the customers who purchase them, the people involved, the products, the company's policies, and all other factors. The history of "Pendleton" is a long one. The history of Pendleton can go on forever, but I would like to share with you that the long history of the brand has not changed, and is still being carried on today.
With such a long history, why did you choose Japan to expand your business? What was the impetus for your expansion?
mote. naturally, the reason I focused on the Japanese market was to do business. . As in any business, the most important thing is people-to-people relationships. Our expansion into Japan can be traced back to a young Japanese man who made numerous phone calls to the previous president (Mort's father), and that's how it all started. My father had been a soldier in the U.S. Navy and had fought against the Japanese in World War II. . So I had always refused to have any contact with that young man. But that young man was not just any young man, but actually a famous professional wrestler. He came to me again and again without losing heart. Because of this, in the 1980s, we finally signed a contract with a certain Japanese trading company to expand our business to Japan. The person who helped us at that time was a Japanese young man named Matty Suzuki, whom I mentioned earlier. When the contract was signed, it was the very moment he persuaded us, who had also fought against him in World War II. . We became friends, not only in the fact that we built a big business, but also in our personal relationship. We even called each other "Papa-san," "Matty-san," and so on.
From left to right, Matty Suzuki, A&F President Akatsu, and Pendleton President Mort Bishop.
Here, a surprise guest, Ms. Matty, took the stage. A trilogy discussion among the three began!
Mattie.I founded the International Pro Wrestling organization in 1964, and I am proud to say that I am one of the oldest professional wrestlers in Japan today. My younger apprentices include such distinguished members as Antonio Inoki, Seiji Sakaguchi, and Rusher Kimura. While I was working as a professional wrestler, I came to Portland, OR, to live. My wife was working as a women's fashion guide at a department store there, and she found a Pendleton dress at Nordstrom, but it was too expensive for me to buy at the time. At that time, my wife suggested that I quit wrestling and start my own Pendleton business in Japan. That was in late 1967. I immediately took action for about three years to meet with Mort's father, but due to my poor English, I could not get through to him, and all I got from him was, "I don't understand. However, I had been wrestling professionally for a long time, and I was determined to persuade them to let me meet with them, so I continued negotiations with them for nearly two and a half years. One day, I managed to get a chance to meet the president, and when I visited his office for the first time, he said to me, "I saw you at the TV show. Actually, I had traveled to nearly 20 states in the U.S. and had appeared regularly on a wrestling show in Portland, so I was known only as a Japanese person. As a result, I was given opportunities to negotiate little by little, and at the same time, our friendship deepened, and finally, in 1980, I was able to reach my long-cherished dream of signing a contract.
What did you feel when you first entered the Japanese market?
Akatsuki era (1306.12.14-1308.10.9)When I was in the outdoor business, the "Pendleton" brand was always in outdoor stores and department stores, and I knew the name well for a long time. . I had always wanted to carry the Pendleton brand in my company. Oregon in the U.S. is like a mecca for outdoor activities. We were already doing business with Columbia Sportswear and a knife shop called Gerber Legendary Blade. . Every time I went to the U.S., I visited Pendleton and told them that I would love to deal with them, but they never took me up on the offer. This continued for a number of years, but then Mr. Matty broke through the deadlock and opened up a new path for us. We began to deal mainly with the Pendleton brand.
Was wool the main product at that time?
Akatsuki era (1306.12.14-1308.10.9). it was 100% wool, wasn't it? Blankets and plaid shirts were all the rage back then. Wool was the name of the game, and "Pendleton" was the name of the game at that time.
What are some tips for signing a contract?
Mattie.. It's the personality of Chairman Akatsu. He is just a very good fisherman (laughs).
What was your impression of Chairman Akatsu when you first met him?
mote. a person who is down to earth and very outdoorsy . The aura of a down-to-earth, but well-meaning person exuded from his skin.
Have you had a good response to the Pendleton brand in Japan?
Akatsuki era (1306.12.14-1308.10.9)Pendleton's fans are very strong, and I think it is because of Pendleton's solid backbone that we have been able to continue to carry the brand to this point. The Japanese have a very strict eye for quality, and I think the excellence of Pendleton's products matched their aesthetic sense.
Have your impressions of Japanese users changed before and after you entered the market?
mote. To be honest, I did not have high expectations for the Japanese market at first. However, when I actually opened my eyes, I realized that it is a very large market. Japan is without a doubt the No. 1 market in the world from the U.S. point of view. The Japanese people value quality, tradition, and brand background, and we have learned a lot from them. Also, Japanese customers love fashion, so we learned a lot from them. Recently, we have been receiving a lot of questions from our distributors in the United States and Europe. They ask, "What are you doing with Pendleton in the Japanese market? This is proof that Japan is recognized as a market that attracts attention and as a source of trends. In other words, people all over the world want useful information about Japan.
When you entered the Japanese market in the 1980s, it was a time when the economy was improving. Did you take any measures to promote the Pendleton brand in Japan?
Akatsuki era (1306.12.14-1308.10.9). We were conscious of establishing it as a standard brand. Also, the time when the brand became most popular in Japan was when Takuya Kimura wore the brand. It was an unprecedented boom, and many customers crowded into the stores at night, sometimes forming long lines.
. I think another major factor was the fact that you had a solid fan base in the vintage clothing area as well.
Akatsuki era (1306.12.14-1308.10.9)Pendleton" was considered a very expensive item in the old days. People without money have the option of buying secondhand clothes, both now and in the past. Pendleton" also has a unique look even in secondhand clothing, and there are many different patterns depending on the age of the item. Blanket items are so popular that there are even collectors. I believe that these people take very good care of their products.
Did you anticipate that your bridging would lead to such a large relationship?
Mattie.. In the beginning, I was so selfless that I was barely aware of it. I spent all year walking all over Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south, researching how Pendleton fit into the lives of the people in each city. One of the most memorable experiences was when I invited Mort's father to Japan and showed him around, and he was staying at the Hotel Okura with his wife. He told me to take him to a nice restaurant, and since I like izakaya (Japanese style pubs), I looked for one nearby and found a smoky one, which I took him to. As soon as we entered the restaurant, I wondered if it was appropriate to bring the president of Pendleton to a place like this, but it just so happened that the person sitting next to his wife was from a certain trading company, and we were having a conversation about Pendleton when suddenly the person from the trading company next to him said, "I love PENDLETON! I was having a conversation about PENDLETON, and suddenly the trading company employee next to me said, "I love PENDLETON! At that time, I felt that there was already a core fan base in Japan, and that we could continue to increase that fan base in the future. It was a moment that gave me such confidence.
Lastly, Mr. Mort, please tell us about the future of Pendleton.
mote. Currently, Pendleton has four major divisions: Men's, Women's, Accessories, and Home. We would like to reintegrate these into a single brand, and firmly pursue a single goal. . Just as people in the past all walked to the North Pole. This is also our keyword for this season. Also, as one of the objectives of this unveiling, we would like to continue to develop and expand the Japanese market together with strong partners such as Sojitz and A&F. Please look forward to the future of Pendleton.
About this season's collaborations.
moteThere are many things we can't announce yet, but we are planning to collaborate with Nike ID, Portland's well-known Polar, watch brand Nixon, and Marvel Comics, known for their Star Wars, Avengers, and Spider-Man films. We are also planning to collaborate with Marvel Comics, which is known for its Star Wars, Avengers, Spider-Man, and other works.
