B's INTERNATIONAL Chairman Shinichiro Minagawa Reflects on 32 Years with "XLARGE"

On November 18, 1991, a men's fashion store opened in Los Feliz, East Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA. This store was one of the pioneer brands in the much-talked-about "street fashion" scene: XLARGE.

The reason that XLARGE, which started in America, was quickly available in Japan without any significant time lag was largely due to the efforts of one Japanese individual: Shinichiro Minagawa, Chairman of B's INTERNATIONAL. His encounter with XLARGE essentially paved the brand’s history. This time, we delve into the journey from his initial encounter with XLARGE to the present.

Encounter with XLARGE

"In 1989, when I was 25 years old, I started my business with the mindset of bringing anything trendy from America to Japan. Initially, I didn’t intend to focus solely on apparel or fashion, but I began by wholesaling clothes and sneakers purchased from American retailers. The main clients at the time were select shops in Shibuya and Harajuku.

"I thought it would be great if I could go to America every three months to buy national brands, vintage clothes, and sneakers. However, these items sold so well that I had to make monthly trips eventually.