The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Shiseido has announced the imminent closure of its Waso brand in the Japanese market.
The skincare line, designed specifically for a younger demographic was first launched amidst much fanfare in 2017, and, according to Shiseido, will continue to be available in other global markets outside its home country.
According to a Shiseido spokesperson, the company has already ceased distributing Waso products to physical stores in Japan, and will stop selling the brand online by the end of this year, or whenever the discontinued product lines sell out.
WASO’s positioning has been as a skincare brand for young people priced between $30 and $45, featuring all-natural ingredients, but as Shiseido’s main brand has increasingly released products for younger consumers, there has been less need for a seperate brand to cater to this demographic.
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Since 2018, Shiseido has been concentrating its energies on the higher-end of the skincare market, which already accounts for 70 percent of its business.
Last month, the Japanese cosmetics giant sold its mass market skincare and toiletries business to CVC Capital Partners in a deal worth 160 billion yen ($1.5 billion).
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