Japanese brands which do not allow import from Japan

[LA Guy]

As far as I know, these brands include:

Flat Head
RJB
Iron Heart
Dry Bones
Skull Jeans
Sugar Cane
Buzz Rickson
William Gibson
Lone Wolf
Man of Moods
Full Count
Pure Blue Japan
Indian Motorcycle

By the same token, export of Levis for the American domestic market is strictly prohibited as well.

 

[sho'nuff]

im just a bit confused and perhaps ignorant, but self edge and BiG carries some of those brands. are they doing something special?

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by LA Guy

As far as I know, these brands include:

Flat Head
RJB
Iron Heart
Dry Bones
Skull Jeans
Sugar Cane
Buzz Rickson
William Gibson
Lone Wolf
Man of Moods

By the same token, export of Levis for the American domestic market is strictly prohibited as well.

Fwiw, I think the import/export restrictions apply only to the immediate seller, and not to resellers unless those resellers agree to those restrictions. I don't think there is any legal restriction on resellers.

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by sho'nuff

im just a bit confused and perhaps ignorant, but self edge and BiG carries some of those brands. are they doing something special?

I think he means you can't order those brands from a Japanese seller if you live outside Japan - that would be an import. I think going by proxy is still ok and is not what LA guy is discussing.

In other words, the licensed sellers are limited to selling in their geographic area.

 

[erbs]

Originally Posted by sho'nuff

im just a bit confused and perhaps ignorant, but self edge and BiG carries some of those brands. are they doing something special?

I think that the protection of these resale accounts (BiG, Self Edge) is one of the reasons that these brands are not allowed for export.

 

[sidney]

Originally Posted by erbs

I think that the protection of these resale accounts (BiG, Self Edge) is one of the reasons that these brands are not allowed for export.

You are absolutely correct.

 

[michaeljkrell]

I purchased a pair of Sugarcanes from that Japanese/Milwaukee store

 

[Jeffz]

Originally Posted by sho'nuff

im just a bit confused and perhaps ignorant, but self edge and BiG carries some of those brands. are they doing something special?

Yeah man, SelfEdge counter argues more than half that list.

 

[centalones]

Originally Posted by NoVaguy

I think he means you can't order those brands from a Japanese seller if you live outside Japan - that would be an import. I think going by proxy is still ok and is not what LA guy is discussing. In other words, the licensed sellers are limited to selling in their geographic area.
I believe these limitations all have to do with the agreements that retailers make with clothing producers. Retailers importing foreign goods into a new market for a foreign brand want some guarantee that they won't be undercut by retailers where the brand comes from, so the brand makes its retailers agree not to export to the new market. Proxy sellers buy from the retailers and don't make agreements with anyone about where the goods are going so they are not subject to the restrictions put on the retailers. A store selling one of the brands on the list above seemed quite ok selling me a pair of their jeans even though I told the cashier I was buying them for a friend in America.