Union Showroom and Europe Tour (Part 1 of 2)

As announced in our year-end news update, we at Y'2 Leather showcased our collections at the Union Showroom, a trade exhibition held in Berlin, Germany from January 19-21. This will be the first of a two-part series where we’ll take you behind the scenes and share highlights from our European journey.

Off to Berlin! Off to Union Showroom!

The Union Showroom is a three-day event where brands spanning fashion, interior design, home accessories, art and more, all gather in one venue to showcase their collections. Only about 130 brands are accepted as exhibitors after a rigorous screening process, and buyers, who also must be registered and vetted, must have an invitation to attend. Not even the most renowned buyers can get in without approval. This exclusivity ensures a curated lineup of brands with high standards of style and quality, paired with top-tier buyers who will go on to champion these brands in their local markets. The event truly lives up to its reputation as a place for in-depth and meaningful business discussions.

When we applied to exhibit at this prestigious event, we were thrilled to learn the Union Showroom organizers already knew of Y’2 Leather. In our pre-event web meeting, we gave a presentation about our brand, and they praised our commitment to craftsmanship, granting us the official approval to exhibit. With such high expectations set, we knew we would have to give it our all. Our approval was granted last summer, but we didn’t waste any time in starting our preparations, knowing we couldn’t leave anything to chance and squander this precious opportunity.

With countless shops throughout Europe, the challenge was to identify and connect with those most compatible with Y’2 Leather. We often find ourselves on the receiving end of sales approaches, but this time made a point to take charge, conducting thorough research, sending direct messages to potential partners, and making English catalogs. We had to be very selective of the samples we would display from our lineup of over 80 varieties, as they may not make it in time if shipped, and we would have to carry them to the venue ourselves. We made sure to include larger sizes to accommodate try-ons and prepared a full assortment of leather swatches. We did our best to prepare for every conceivable scenario.

We settled on 24 sample garments, packed them into our suitcases–two full bags per person–and headed to the airport. Our flight from Osaka to Paris was delayed, and on top of that, our connecting flight to Berlin was cancelled, putting us on a rough start. Despite these setbacks, we managed to make it to Berlin on the morning of the loading day and finished preparations for the show starting the next day.

The fervent passion of buyers diving into Y’2 quality

At noon on January 19th, the Union Showroom officially kicked off. It was held in an historic brick building along the Berlin streets, with brands from around the world setting up their booths from the basement up to the third floor. The organizers went out of their way to put us right inside the entrance, on the first floor beneath the atrium, in the most eye-catching spot.

The organizers really shone the spotlight on Y'2 Leather: They placed our banner over the piano in the center of the room, saying it added to the overall atmosphere, and gave us the chance to be interviewed, mic in hand, while seated on the sofa next to the booths.

All these factors played into constant visits from buyers, who would visit us one after another, looking down over the atrium to see if they could find us at a free moment. This went on for all three days, and we were so immersed in fulfilling conversations that we even forgot to take lunch breaks.

We were eager to see the buyers’ responses. There are already shops who sell our products, not only within Germany–in Dusseldorf and Berlin, but also in the US and Canada. This time, though, many new buyers came to see and feel our wares for the first time. We felt they were not just approaching us casually, but had a genuine passion to get to know Y'2. They wanted to see our varieties of designs and leathers, like indigo and kakishibu (persimmon-tanned) leathers, with their very own eyes. They were impressed at the craftsmanship in subtle details like the stitching and patterns, singing praises of the silhouette when trying on the items: “Beautiful!”

Interestingly, while our Eco Horse model dominates in Japan, customers in the US and Europe tend to gravitate towards comfortable options like sheepskin and suede. That said, our one-of-a-kind Kakishibu (Persimmon Tannin) Horse and Indigo Horse jackets were well received for their comfortable fit and the way they age over time. In terms of shape, our jean jackets were especially popular, with some buyers calling out specific models by name, saying, “This is what I came to see!” We were blown away by how well our fans know Y’2 products–far beyond what we expected.

When I asked them why they knew so much about Y’2 Leather, they confirmed the strong connections among buyers in the US and Europe. T.J. of The Shop Vancouver was one of the earliest adopters of Y’2 products, and Neil of Standard and Strange, a legendary buyer who built up three shops across the United States, have had a huge impact in getting our name out. They even brought fellow buyers to our booth enthusiastically recommending, “You’ve got to stock Y’2 leather in your shop!” The buyers are pros at exchanging information, making sure to make full use of social media and checking our website. It’s humbling to see our reputation traveling the globe. As a result of all this, our products have been introduced to 11 new stores, including those in Sweden, Denmark and Finland in Northern Europe, and even into Spain, Switzerland and the US.

At this exhibition, we realized the power of directly approaching the shops we wanted to partner with and sharing our passion face-to-face. We could feel how it fueled their enthusiasm and heightened their expectations of us. Now, back in Japan, we’ve shared these insights from Germany with our team, and we’re diving into cutting, sewing, and quality checks with renewed focus, determined to create products that meet those expectations.

Stay tuned for the next chapter of our journey, where we’ll leave Berlin to explore Düsseldorf and Paris. Thank you for reading to the end of our report thus far!