Vets, rejoice! LOVE BOAT is technically back via Zozo. This was one of the many iconic Gal brands in the early Gal boom(s) and one of the many that consequently died out once the whole consumerism and changing out of brands and the like happened. Of course, earlier brands died down sooner than more modern brands did but such is the life of keeping up with consumer trends. Anyway, let’s talk a bit about LOVE BOAT.
Let’s take a moment to look back on the history of LOVE BOAT.
Founded in December 1982, Lala Plan (currently bankrupt) represented the 1990s when it made a big break with the opening of the first “LOVE BOAT” store in none other than Shibuya109 back in June 1994, establishing itself as a Gal brand.
With the complete renewal of 109 in 1996, it became even more popular in the latter half of the ’90s, alongside LB-03 and LDS which were also developed around the same time. When LOVE BOAT first started opening stores, it was limited to Shibuya and Shinjuku in Tokyo, but as of March 2009, it had expanded to about 100 stores in Japan as it focused on opening stores in rural areas (see where I’m getting with this? The Day That Gyaru Died )
While proceeding smoothly, due to the impact of the Lehman shock in 2008, it became difficult to raise funds, and restructuring began. Sales also plummeted due to the deterioration of the market environment, including the rise of fast fashion. Due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the decline in sales could not be stopped, and the voluntary reconstruction was abandoned.
In its heyday, which ended in February 2009, the company recorded sales of 12.5 billion yen at about 100 stores, but at the time the brand ended, the amount of debt became a hot topic of discussion (with the exorbitant amount being about 7 billion yen), and although it was an unfortunate decision that would be regretted by many, the curtain of 20 years was closed in August 2014.
Since 1996, Gal brands in 109 were constantly renewed (again, sound familiar?), and it’s no surprise that kogals have led the trend all at once. LOVE BOAT was certainly special in various respects: The clothes were extremely popular since the brand’s start back in 1994, but for some reason, looking back, the most impactful item was the foldable mirror (a double type of trend, basically, since folding mirrors were all the hype – add LOVE BOAT’s logo and BOOM!) So of course, what comes to mind is the logo and the mirror.
Even though it is a mirror in one word, it is not a mirror with a design, but a simple mirror with a logo. The mirror itself sometimes had a leopard pattern and the logo font changed depending on the era, but basically, the early font was popular, and the most popular color was monochrome with white letters on a black background. It’s interesting to look back on the fact that it was simply just a mirror.
In addition, LOVE BOAT was also focusing on making miscellaneous goods compared to other brands. In 1997, the LDS brand, specializing in miscellaneous goods was launched, and it was impressive that new miscellaneous goods were introduced along with LOVE BOAT clothes every season.
And that about covers it! Another iconic brand with a teeny tiny comeback, but with a rich history behind it and its impact on Gal culture.