The Fusion of Analog & Digital Education Envisioned by 'Tokyo Fashion Technology Lab', Japan's First Fashion Tech School

In the first installment of our special feature 'Fashion Tech and Education,' we report on the efforts of 'Tokyo Fashion Technology Lab (hereinafter referred to as TFL),' Japan's first educational institution for learning fashion tech.

TFL originated with the aim of cultivating talents who can change the domestic fashion industry, which is undergoing a period of transformation, by utilizing ICT and the latest digital technologies. The school opened in April 2017.

They are known as a pioneering educational institution that has been committed to education that combines fashion and technology, even before the term 'fashion tech' became prevalent in society.

In this article, we speak with Yuji Ichikawa, the Representative of FMB Inc., the operating company of TFL; Junko Tanaka, the school director of TFL; and Susumu Inarida, an advisor at Azuma Co., Ltd., who launched both TFL and the 'Fashion Digital Twin Study Group' and is working on digitizing Japanese sewing technology. We discuss the background of how the school was established, trends and challenges in education up to the present day, achievements, and future prospects.