This week I spent a few days in Japan with the focus being the incredibly popular British Fair at Hankyu Department Store in Osaka. Tote bags printed with my British themed artwork have been sold at the event for many years by my Japanese business partner: Chain Bridge Co. Ltd.
It was a delight to be able to finally visit the show for myself and meet the team behind the success of my brand in Japan over the last decade. My brand is a genuine creative, global collaboration where I start the ball rolling with my art, a design and production team then create products in their own countries and the sales and marketing teams bring it to people through events like the British Fair or in stores.
I also got the opportunity to meet a few of my super fans here in Japan, some of whom had travelled far to say hello. I was able to personally sign tote bags and to thank them for supporting my brand. It is incredibly moving for me to see how people feel connected to places that they love through my work.
I also had a time to visit Kobe and Kyoto for business meetings and a little down time. I only got a snapshot of the beautiful port of Kobe, with its iconic anchor symbol but I loved the feel of being by the sea with mountains behind and it brought me back to my illustration of this lovely city.
I wandered through the food market of Kyoto to a shrine, tucked away in the back streets. Typically Japanese … quiet and beautiful. Konnichiwa Japan!!
