Abstract
On this study, I have investigated the locational characteristics of fashion designing industry which concentrate on Tokyo.
Fashion designing industry has rapidly grown after the latter half of 1980s. Their main business is designing of apparels and fashion goods (bags, shoes, accessories, et al.). Fashion designing enterprises accept orders from apparel makers and boutiques, and propose them some designs. In some cases, fashion designing enterprises also take charge production control and produce apparels and fashion goods.
By their characteristics of business, their locations are limited to the central region of fashion industry such as a part of Shibuya ward and Minato ward on Tokyo where apparel makers and boutiques concentrate. This location is profitable for them not only to accept orders but also to take charge production control.
On Tokyo, apparel and other fashion goods factories are accumulated in Joto area (Eastern Tokyo). They have outstanding productive ability. Fashion designing enterprises connect them with boutiques which do not have productive ability, and produce apparels and fashion goods. Fashion designing industry is dependent on the accumulation of urban industry and commerce.
Some fashion designing enterprises also have made close relationship with local knitting and weaving industrial regions. Each knitting and weaving industrial region has made a original industrial structure and manufacturing techniques, and makes peculiar products. To produce high-fashion apparels, fashion designing enterprises also have made new industrial linkages with local industrial regions.
