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Arigato Gozaimasu
From our humble beginnings at the Keswick Mountain Festival back in 2009, our bags are now sold in various locations dotted around the globe. An eclectic mix of retailers is emerging for Millican.
From Phil at Tonic on Portobello Road in London, to Lyndsay at The Tannery in Norfolk (Holt + Norwich) and Karen and Archie at AHume up in the Scottish Borders, as well as our first retailers in Scandinavia, Benelux and Italy. The map on the wall of The Shed (Millican HQ) is dotted with yellow pins showing the places we’ve visited ourselves and blue pins for our retail partners. It’s great to see the number of blue pins catching up.
My fascination with Japan (I graduated on a project exporting broccoli from Australia to Japan – no joke!) reached new heights with a trip to Tokyo earlier this year. Dazzled by the Tokyo lights, sights and incredible retail stores, I started telling the Millican story in the country which has turned story telling into a real art form. NB – note that I’m testing a first Millican wheeled bag, Harry on Wheels – what do you think??
Harry on Wheels on a major test-run to Japan and back
Sketching away over dinner in Daikayama
Being one of the world’s most demanding and exciting consumer markets it was only right that we took our time, did our research and attained the right advice. We also benefited from having supplied one store already (Ready Steady) and meeting with the Universal Works guys.
Millican bags at Ready Steady, accompanied by YMC, John Smedley and JasMB
Everything’s so well organised in Japan. “Equipment to cleanse buttocks”, honestly
Beautiful sketches from Huge magazine
Apart from being a mind-blowing experience, the visit also resulted in us signing on a new partner for Millican in Japan. We’re very excited to announce our new partnership with Seed Corporation.
Koji, Yuichi, Takuya, Akira and Suzuki run a very professional and passionate distribution business from a base near the sacred Mount Fuji in Shizuoka City. With a commitment to working with brands that combine function, style and sustainability, representing the likes of Pozu, Tatami and Blundstone, we know we’re in safe hands.
Introducing Akira Yamashita. True Millicanite.
Seed have a fantastic showroom in the Ginza Fish Market area in Tokyo and recently launched Millican at indie trade show Jumble (check mins 5.18-5.24 in this clip, our 6 secs of fame). They’ve had a great response and the first orders have just come in as well, so we couldn’t be happier – Japan, here we come …
Here’s to a long and successful partnership – Arigato Gozaimasu!
