Axes Femme
 | |
| Founded | 2002 |
|---|---|
| Predecessor(s) | AXES |
| Country | Japan |
| No. of locations | 50+ |
| Owner | IGA Co., Ltd. |
| Website | website |
| Webshop | webshop |
| axesfemme_tweet | |
| Blog | blog |
| axesfemme_official | |
| Current status | Active |
| Lolibrary Link | |
Axes Femme (アクシーズ ファム) is a Japanese lolita and general fashion brand known for.....)
Concept
Axes Femme describes their brand concept as follows: [1]
"Axes femme carefully creates the world view of European vintage.
We aim to create clothes that only axes femme can create that are loved by everyone, regardless of age or national borders.
I hope that the clothes of axes femme will add a little color to your lifestyle.
Through our brand, we hope that the thoughts of people, customers and creators will be connected all over the world."
Earlier iterations of this brand concept evoke a more specific image/aesthetic:[2]
"In the era of golden age in Paris called “Belle Époque”, people dressed up elegantly and spent their fashionable lives.
Like the art works of Toulouse-Lautrec, color of showgirl’s dress, the hem of frill, the luxury dress decorated with slender lace and embroidery spread into the mass.
Beautiful but subtle, fleeting nuance has transformed into the modern style and now breathe in the axes femme."
Sub-Labels
Axes Femme Poetique
launched November 2012
"The colors of tender wind and sunshine, the lace and flower printed, and the jewels like the starry sky are filled into the shop decorated with orange-pink. Items with nostalgic detail, staring but gentle colors, and tender motif, just like the poems in your heart. POETIQUE is the feminine brand mixed of sweet and bitter."https://web.archive.org/web/20171101081358/http://www.axesfemme.com/en/label
https://web.archive.org/web/20121123021344/http://axesfemme-ec.jugem.jp/
https://twitter.com/axesfemmenews/status/271797648070152193
Axes Femme Kids
The Axes Femme children's line launched alongside the webshop and Nostalgie flagship store in October 2008. Samples and designs were displayed at the opening of the Nostalgie store, though many (if not all) of the Kids line items were initially an online exclusive.[3][4]
The concept of the line is described as follows:
"Taking axes femme's taste in, clothes, bags, shoes are assorted for cute little ladies. From the daily use cutsew to dressed up one piece in parent-kids matching style, Mom and girls will be happy to shop. The kids corner in axes femme is like the jewelry box with sweet dreams, and give girls irreplaceable girlhood." [5]
Axes Femme Kawaii
Launched in fall 2014 https://twitter.com/axesfemmenews/status/510714446134513664 https://twitter.com/axesfemmenews/status/533218044487540736 https://twitter.com/axesfemmenews/status/510713515594620928
Kawaii was only added as its seperate brand on the website in 2015 with Classical Marine: https://web.archive.org/web/20150718045113/http://shop.axesfemme.com/kawaii/brandtop/kawaii/ The prior releases were put under Poetique: https://web.archive.org/web/20141008014921/http://shop.axesfemme.com/Form/Product/ProductList.aspx?shop=0&bid=&cat=k_poe
Axes Femme Nostalgie
it has a mature image that is different from the conventional axes femme. https://web.archive.org/web/20081015075241/http://axesfemme.jugem.jp:80/
"Beneath a glittering chandelier, the closet is filled with feminine clothes. Antique-style dressers, clocks and lamps, and nostalgic frames on the walls. A shop that incorporates the world view of axes femme into interiors and miscellaneous goods is like a girl's room who loves fashion, travel and cute things." https://web.archive.org/web/20131014091344/http://www.axesfemme.com/en/label/nostalgie/
Axes Femme Home
Axes Femme Purple Label
Axes Femme also regularly release items under their Purple Label. It is unclear at this time what differentiates this label from others under the brand's umbrella, though this tweet may imply that it is aimed at an older female demographic?
Axes-X
Initially launched as "axes femme for MEN" in November 2020 with the tagline "New classic lifestyle"[6], but was later marketed with the hashtag #axesanyone in the interest of attracting a wider demographic.[7]
In May 2022, the line rebranded to Axes-X and relaunched as a unisex fashion line. The rebranded line's concept would be stated as "A genderless fashion brand that transcends the boundaries of race and gender. [...] Realizing a mixed taste of the good old days and the present, we propose a beyond style that transcends eras and genres."[8][9]
Axes Femme Red Label
Launched in July 2020, Red Label was created as a project-based initiative, creating items by committee with fan/customer input throughout the design process. Updates and blog posts would be posted allowing customers to vote on their favourite options while a basic item is being designed, from decorative additions such as lace and trim options, to more structural elements such as waistline height. Axes Femme considers these products as having been specially collaboration-made with their own customers.[10]
July 2020 - axes femme Red label Started planning to create products with customers https://www.iga-group.com/company/
Axes Femme Vintage
July 2020 - Declare zero waste project
July 2021 - Opened axes femme Vintage Store in front of Takefu Station, Fukui Prefecture https://www.iga-group.com/company/
Anecdote
Anecdote was proposed as a sub-line or sister brand in 2013 alongside the opening of Axes Femme's first European location in Paris, France. "ANECDOTE", its initial concept would read, "is a brand inspired by the "Belle Epoque", the flowery decades in Paris. Styling of high quality and luxury made of selected textures and materials are assorted. The first store opened in le Marais, Paris displays the new collection" [11]
Little is known about this brand/collection; the line was promoted as being actively hiring in 2013[12], but the line was removed from the Axes Femme website by March 2014[13], and the Anecdote domain had already been abandoned by late 2014.[14]
History
While Axes Femme would not be officially created/launched until 2002, in March 1988, IGA Co. Ltd, (then known as Igarashi Co., Ltd.) would open a wholesale women's casual shop "AXES" in a suburban shopping center. In August 2002, they would then shift from wholesale to manufacturing their own products directly and begin planning for the launch of their new brand, Axes Femme.[10]
The first “axes femme” store would launch in October 2002 within Aeon Mall Kuwana's anchor department store, Kuwana Vivre. The shop would be a success and rapidly expand throughout the country. By February 2006, they already had 36 locations across Japan.[15]
October 3, 2008 marked both the opening of the official axes femme online shop and of the "nostalgie axes femme" flagship store. This marks the introduction of their nostalgie, kids' and home goods lines.[3]
They changed their shopping bags in 2009 if we actually care that much https://web.archive.org/web/20081015075241/http://axesfemme.jugem.jp:80/
Notable Figures
This section is incomplete, you can help it by adding information about: Designers, models, common collaborations, etc
Characters & Design Motifs
This section is incomplete, you can help it by adding information about: Mascots, common/original design elements
Locations/Sales Model
Axes Femme sells both online and via their physical locations. Their online sales strategy is split into separate Japanese and internationally-focused webshops and social media channels, as well as an additional direct shop for Axes Femme Kawaii items, marketed towards the international lolita fashion community.
Due to the extensive number of Axes Femme locations, please consult the following link for the most up to date information on current shop locations
List of Axes Femme Shop Locations
Past/Closed Storefront Locations: https://www.iga-group.com/company/
| Shop | Address | Years Open | Socials |
|---|---|---|---|
| axes femme Shanghai | January 2013-March 2021 (moved to TMall) | ||
| axes femme Paris | October 2013-2017 | ||
Gallery
Footnotes
- ↑ "BUSINESS". IGA Co., Ltd. Corporate Site. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ↑ "Label". axes femme. Archived from the original on November 1, 2017.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "新店舗OPEN情報". axes femme. October 3, 2008. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "axes femme online shop". axes femme online shop. Archived from the original on October 4, 2008.
- ↑ "Label". axes femme. Archived from the original on November 1, 2017.
- ↑ "axes femme FOR MEN遂に登場☆". Twitter. November 17, 2020.
- ↑ "オリジナル柄を使用した新作アイテムが登場！". Twitter. August 5, 2021.
- ↑ "新ブランド「AXES-X」登場！人種や性別の垣根を越えるジェンダーレスファッションブランド。". my axes. May 9, 2022.
- ↑ ""AXES-X"デビュー！". Twitter. May 9, 2022.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "ABOUT US". IGA Co., Ltd. Corporate Site. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ↑ "ANECDOTE axes femme". axes femme. Archived from the original on October 14, 2013.
- ↑ "Anecdote Axes femme". Anecdote Axes femme. Archived from the original on September 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Label". axes femme English site. Archived from the original on March 12, 2014.
- ↑ "anecdote-axesfemme.com". Sedo Domain Parking. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014.
- ↑ "femme concept". axes femme. Archived from the original on February 21, 2006.
External links
- Axes Femme アクシーズ ファム – Japanese Facebook page
- Axes Femme Global – English Facebook page
- Axes Femme Global WebShop - Online shop for international customers
- Axes Femme Global Instagram
- Axes Femme Global Twitter
- Axes Femme Jugem Blog - active from 2007-2012
- Old Official Webshop - active 2008-late 2009
- Regional Shop Blogs List - most active from 2011-2014
