Rakuten to Power Fashion Show for Paul Smith Through the “by R” Project to Support the Japanese Fashion Scene

- Conveying the appeal of the brand at Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO 2025 A/W
- Official site: https://brandavenue.rakuten.co.jp/contents/fashionweek/

Tokyo, February 12, 2025 - Rakuten Group, Inc. today announced that it will support the fashion show for fashion brand Paul Smith during Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO 2025 A/W, scheduled for March 17 to March 22, 2025, through the “by R” project to support the Japanese fashion scene^*1.

Paul Smith is a design company founded in 1970 by British designer Sir Paul Smith. Starting as a modest 3 x 3 meter shop in Nottingham, England, it has grown into a globally renowned brand, admired by fans in Japan and around the world, with approximately 130 stores across more than 60 countries. While Paul Smith has primarily showcased its collections in Paris, in December 2024 it joined Rakuten's online fashion shopping platform, Rakuten Fashion, and will participate in Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO, supported by Rakuten’s "by R" project.

Japan has long been a creative source of inspiration for Sir Paul Smith as he continues to grow the design company. Having visited Tokyo over 100 times, the city holds a special place in his heart, making his participation in Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO particularly meaningful.

Through Rakuten Fashion, Paul Smith aims to share the positivity and creativity that the house has always embraced. Together, Rakuten and Paul Smith will work to bring the joy of fashion to a broader audience in Japan and overseas, while further enhancing the visibility and appeal of Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO.

The runway show will be live-streamed free of charge on Rakuten Fashion’s official website, and exclusive products will be available for sale on Rakuten Fashion to commemorate Paul Smith's participation in this edition of “by R.” Additionally, an interview featuring Sir Paul Smith sharing his thoughts on the show will be available on the official website.

Rakuten partnered with the Japan Fashion Week Organization to become the headline sponsor for TOKYO Fashion Week in August 2019, and this year will mark the seventh anniversary of Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO. Soon entering its sixth year, the “by R” project is committed to empowering the Japanese fashion scene by placing the spotlight on select, unique brands loved by a broad range of fans both in Japan and globally.

Through the “by R” project, Rakuten aims to support both Japanese and international brands while fostering an environment where more people can enjoy fashion, contributing to the continued growth and development of the Japanese fashion industry.

Notes
*1 The Paul Smith show is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19, 2024. Please see the official “by R” site for more details.

Outline of the “by R” fashion show
URL: https://brandavenue.rakuten.co.jp/contents/fashionweek/ (*Japanese page)
Outline: Support for the planning and implementation of fashion shows staged during Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO 2025 A/W
Featured brand: Paul Smith
Schedule: 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 (JST)

About Paul Smith
Official site: https://www.paulsmith.co.jp/shop
Paul Smith is Britain’s leading independent design company. Paul Smith champions positivity, curiosity and creativity. These qualities underpin every Paul Smith design, whether it’s a shirt, a shop or a special collaboration. What began in a small, 3 x 3 meter shop in Nottingham, England, has grown to 130 shops and counting around the world, with locations in over 60 countries.

About Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO A/W 2025
URL: https://rakutenfashionweektokyo.com/jp/
Dates: Monday, March 17 to Saturday, March 22, 2025
Features: Fashion shows, installations, video announcements
Season: 2025 autumn/winter collection
Participating brands: 37 brands (36 brands, and one brand from “by R”) as of February 12, 2025.

About Rakuten Fashion
https://brandavenue.rakuten.co.jp
Rakuten Fashion is an online fashion shopping site made up of popular fashion brand shops. To promote and offer luxury brand and designer brand products, Rakuten launched Rakuten Fashion Luxury in October 2020, DESIGNERS & INTERNATIONAL in November 2020, and Rakuten Fashion COSMETICS in March 2022 on Rakuten Fashion. Users can earn and spend Rakuten Points, Rakuten’s flagship loyalty program, when purchasing products. Rakuten Fashion also offers a dedicated smartphone app.