Akihiro Aoki, President and CEO of AOKI Holdings Inc.

I want to propose "clothing that makes people feel comfortable" to many people.

■ Profile

Born in Tokyo in 1970, he is the second son of Hironori Aoki, the founder of the men's clothing chain AOKI. After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at Seijo University, he joined Aoki International (now AOKI Holdings) in 1994. He founded the ORIHICA business in 2003 and has been in his current position since 2010.

AOKI Holdings is not just a fashion company, but is constantly creating new businesses in response to changing times. It also serves as an official supporter (business and formal) of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It was also in charge of the official uniforms for the Japanese national team at the Tokyo 2020 Games (for the opening ceremony and other ceremonies). So what kind of value is AOKI Holdings aiming to create today? We spoke to President Aoki to find out.

　During my university days, I pursued everything I was interested in to the fullest, traveling to many places and even working part-time at an AOKI store.
　At that time, I not only learned everything from scratch as a store staff member, but I also visited stores around the country and learned a lot from the perspectives that everyone had when they were working. I also accompanied them on product development training and visited New York. Getting a glimpse of what it was like overseas gave me great excitement as I imagined the future of Japan.
　When I was a university student, I didn't have a clear goal, but I always had the desire to create something new and different. After graduating from university, I was strongly interested in the fashion industry and AOKI's business model based on my previous experiences, so I joined the company.

■ Impressive new business launches

　After joining the company, I was immediately assigned to work at a store in Osaka. After that, I was able to gain a lot of experience from a young age, such as preparing for the opening of a new store and serving as assistant store manager. The most memorable experience was when I was 24 years old and became a member of the launch team for the kids' business. From research leading up to the opening to creating a business plan, setting up the store and managing it, I felt the challenge and reward of creating something from scratch. Research in particular takes time and effort, and I realized how difficult it is to launch a new business.
　In the late 1990s, the men's clothing market as a whole was saturated. We therefore felt that we needed to expand the company into other businesses besides suits and broaden the opportunities for our employees, so we began diversifying our operations. The kids' business, which I was in charge of, was one such business. At the same time, we also started new businesses, such as the bridal and entertainment businesses, which remain the mainstays of our business today.

■ Learn the importance of everyone working together

　When I was in charge of store management, I set goals such as sales, assigned roles to staff, and operated the store while valuing thorough communication. In particular, what I kept in mind when managing was getting all store staff to cooperate. Regardless of age or career, we got everyone on the same playing field and involved them. Everyone was running towards the same vector. I believe that it is the role of management to guide this.
　Even after I became the CEO of our company and began managing the entire company, I have been able to make full use of this store management experience.
　Communication skills are essential to working at AOKI. When making a suit, we need to listen to the customer's needs and wants, and in order for them to choose and purchase from AOKI, we need to converse with them, coordinate their outfits, and deliver the perfect suit that suits them. In this situation, communication is key. At AOKI, we want to work with people who have the communication skills to make our customers feel comfortable.

■ It is important to make those around you feel comfortable

　In recent years, we often hear about the liberalization of clothing, but no matter how much we move into the new normal, I believe that as working adults, we should still consider the impact that our clothing has on those around us. Our company was in charge of the official uniforms to be worn by the Japanese national team at the Tokyo 2020 Games, and we were determined to have our staff personally measure each individual and provide them with suits that fit them perfectly.
　While it's true that we live in an age where AI can easily be used to measure the perfect size for each individual, our staff took the measurements of approximately 1600 people in person, carefully listening to each person's requests and providing them with the right size. This was our response, taking into consideration our thorough pursuit of a style that would make each person look their best, as well as the impact it would have on viewers watching the Opening Ceremony. Suits are a style with a long history dating back around 200 years. No matter how much the times change, we want to continue proposing clothing that makes those around you feel comfortable.

■Message

These uncertain times are filled with opportunities. However, you have to seek them out yourself. First, keep challenging yourself to find those opportunities. Failure only happens to those who try. Even if you fail, don't be discouraged; recover and expand your possibilities through many experiences.

　Student Newspaper October 2021 Edition Keio University 2st Year Student Miyu Ito