The Tamesis
Back in 1976, Midwest was just a small retail store on the outskirts of Nagoya. Today, it has become one of the most influential multi-brand stores or locally renowned select stores in Japan. Select stores are the mainstay of Japanese fashion retail and are multi-brand stores with carefully curated collections of brands; familiar names include Beams, United Arrows and Dover Street Market. This month, Midwest celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Midwest is an independent, family-owned business passed down from generation to generation. Hosting today’s meeting is CEO Takenori Osawa, a front-row regular and one of Japan’s most respected buyers. His son Ren Zhengfei is the men’s clothing purchasing director. “People often ask what the name Midwest means, but it doesn’t really mean anything,” Osawa said. “Mid is about always wanting to be at the center of fashion, and I grew up in west Nagoya. It’s that simple.” I meet the 58-year-old in his three-story store in Shibuya, central Tokyo, where the shelves are stocked with Rick Owens, Mihara Yasuhiro and a refreshingly understated array of labels.
Today, Midwest carries approximately 100 brands and operates three stores in Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo, attracting a loyal following of hardcore fashion enthusiasts. While many multi-brand retailers are faltering, Midwest is still growing and profitable, with sales up about 10-20% year over year over the past few years. This summer, the company plans to open a footwear store in Nagoya as part of a large luxury development in the city, with an adjacent pop-up event space. Its Tokyo and Osaka stores will expand in 2026 and 2027 respectively.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the store will host charity events in June and July at stores across Japan, where designers will submit archived work. Proceeds will be allocated to future support programs for young designers through Japan Fashion Week. Along with local brands like Van Jacket, the Midwest was an early supporter of international designers, especially Belgian labels such as Maison Margiela, Raf Simons and Dries van Noten, which rose to prominence in the 1990s. Kris Van Assche is another: “The Midwest has been particularly important to the growth of my brand and they support me in three locations,” says Van Assche. They also know how to attract a local crowd. “They invited me to Japan to celebrate their 30th anniversary. I remember there was a huge crowd waiting for me in front of the store. It was incredible.”
Founded by Osawa’s father, Masaru, Midwest is one of the earliest and most successful examples of the select store model. Masaru, who is now the company’s chairman, “didn’t take a break for ten years” when he founded the store, which is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day without interruption. Young Osawa remembers sleeping under racks of designer clothes while his father entertained fashion enthusiasts who came over after get off work. “They would serve wine and coffee and people would just talk and buy stuff,” he said. “The items we sourced were quite expensive even at the time and couldn’t be found in Nagoya or anywhere else.”
