04-24-07 : Finally Shopping Saikan Online!

Hello, Everyone-

Finally, my online store is open!
Currently 4 items are available, and we ship right away!

Come and shop!!


"http://funtrap.ecrater.com"

All products are in stock, so we ship right away!!

04-18-07 Awesom Japanese Fabric!

Hey, Guys-

In California Market has been "International Textile Show" last few days.
Fabrics... I'm sure "ORGANICS" is one of the trends in the textile industry.

By the way in March, Tokyo had "Japan Fashion Week".
Every year, Japanese fashion industry tries to become more "international" not only as buyers but also venders.
A part of my business is also the trend of Japanese fashion industry. Attract the US market!

I'm sure Japanese "FABRIC" is getting succeed as a vendor in the world now. They are awesome. Japanese technology in the textile industry is very outstanding in some fabrics.

I red the book of "Let My People Go Surfing" that is written by Yvon Chouinard who is a founder of "Patagonia".In this book, Yvon mentioned a Japanese company, Teiji , that is manufacturing fabrics for Patagonia, and praised its quality and he said he's happy to work with Teijin.

(Patagonia is a famous for the company whose mission is “To use business to inspire and implement solutions to environmental crisis”. Patagonia is a clothing company that’s focus is on selling environmentally safe outdoor apparel. )

Regarding Japanese fabrics, now you can find many in the most popular fabric show of the world, Premiere Vision in France. But I'm sure there are so many companies still keep their business in Japan only.

Designers! Check out this trade show : Japan Creation

Japan Creation (JC) is the largest fabric tradeshow in Tokyo held in twice a year. When I was working in the Japanese industry, I loved to visit this show every time to check new patterns, new finishing, and new trims! Especially if you can see their great mixture of HIGH-TECH and TRADITONAL fabrics a lot. I like
heavy Japanese denim.

And today I found that in the end of this month, one of the JC programs, "SENSEWERE" will be held in Tokyo. It is the new event, guys-

04/26-29 Aoyama, Tokyo (Check details on their web)

It will be a great opportunities to show Japanese fashion industry's possibility and future.
Fabric doesn't worry about its "size" that much, like garment items.
As long as its quality are good, the only problem would be pricing. But that can be solved.

----------------------
If you are interested in joing the show, contact us! (Next will be in Dec, 07)
Let's make a special trip to Japan!

04-13-07 Jazzercise featured PureLime!

Hey, guys-

Jazzercise featured our new products of PureLime in their catalogs :)
Jazzercise Online/Catalog Store "Jazzertog"


Jazzercise :
Jazzercise is a fitness program that combines elements of jazz dance into aerobic exercise. The name also refers to the company that develops and markets the program. The word is a portmanteau of "jazz" and "exercise". Jazzercise is the original dance fitness, total-body conditioning program that combines the art of jazz dance and the beat of popular music.


ジャザサイズは世界をリードするダンスフィットネスプログラムです。ジャズダンスとエクササイズの科学が絶妙にブレンドされた約60分間のクラスでは、全米のヒット曲からジャズ、カントリー、ファンク、クラシックまであらゆるジャンルの曲を用います。簡単で楽しい振付でウォーミングアップ、約30分間のエアロビックワークアウト、ウエイトを用いた筋力トレーニングへと続き、ストレッチで終了します。

For Petite Size Women! It's time for shipping our Japanese brand

Hello, this is funtrap!

As you know I represent high-end and unique Japanese brands in Donwtown LA.

Are you interested in hosting a Trunk Show?
Hosting "saikan" trunk show is a great way to purchase "saikan" at a discount, and earn products with your hostess reward!

www.saikanlabel.com

It's a wonderful time to get together with your girlfriends and shop! See what's new and see our beautiful products first-hand!

If you live in southern California and would like to earn items at a discount, hosting a trunk show at your home, office, clubhouse or organization may be for you! We will provide you with a customized flyer invitation to send to your friends.

Please contact me via our website!!!

03-28-07 Updated Blog!

Hey, Guys-

My webmaster, Kaori, has been hard working and finally we updated our website :)
Currently I have about 8 lines in my showroom. I do have many "in-stock" collections.
So buyers! Please contact me !

Thank you-

funtrap

03-25-07 Another website... Petite market

Here is my new saikan fall image!

3rd day of LA MARKET fall 07.
Honestly, it is bit slow...
But it is not a bad thing. This is the perfect time to find out new customers thru online, and make calls or emails.

I found a UK site, Petite Personal Shopper .
This website is a online magazine, and she provides petite people where to shop or how to shop.
The editor-in-chief, Yasmin, gave me a response after I sent her email, and she told me that she has many US viewers.
She'll write about us pretty soon :)
I'm glad I can get some fans from the world~

I know there are many XS and petite people out there!

Please come to visit my showroom, and find cute petite collections.

funtrap showroom

03-24-07 Found it a great website...

Since I'm in Los Angeles, I've been overviewing Japanese fashion industry. Especially MEN'S Collections, there are so many outstanding brands there, and they becomes international brands!

The other day, I went to the store on Sunset, H.MEN .
They carry a lot of Japanese men's brands, and one of my lines, smo is also in this store. My friend's brand, AYUITE, has been in this store around 2 seasons already.

A sales associate told me that she like "attachment" that is the brand designed by Mr. Kumagai who used to work with Issey Miyake . (AYUITE's designer, Hiroyuki Obara, also worked at Issey!)
I'm glad many people understand concepts and they appreciate the techniques and qualities of Made In Japan clothing.

Here is the brands that MUST check collections of MENS Young Contemporary.

attachment
BACKLASH
Roen
BACKBONE
roar
mastermind JAPAN
DMG
Epilogue Chant
PUERTA DEL SOL
20471120
☆AYUITE☆
FULLCOUNT

http://openers.jp/

I found a Japanes online magazine that is organized these brands' collaborations and sell online.
I wish they provide every contents in English as well, and that would be great though...

Anyway, they are AWESOME!!!!

03-02-07 Check This Out...

SAMPLES!!!

Hi, I'm blowing out my SAMPLES in March!!

I have following samples!!

SMO : men's highend T-shirts, Denim Jackets and so on
www.smo000.com
MUDDY-BOOTS : Highend women's collection, SUPER cool
www.muddy-boots.jp
SAIKAN : Lounge looks for matured women
www.saikanlabel.com
LIVITY : Eco Friendly clothing and accessories. Hats, Caps!
www.livity.org
IN53KTO : Super artistic T-shirts line
www.in53kto.com

Definitely come to LA
Pricing are... so cheap!! You can believe it
Please come to say hi to funtrap!!
contact info and maps

02-02-07 My New Line, PURELIME

Hi, everyone. I'm getting super busy recently. Our showroom is so much active!
I got new line, PURELIME. It is a beautiful fitness lines, and getting well-known as a high end European fitness collection in the States. I used to work with them as an assistant sales rep, but now I'm in charge of Southern California sales.

http://www.purelime.com

Check out there website. This line is 100% life style brand. You can wear on the street and in the gym.

Anyway, they have already many customers, so I have to follow up. Getting busier and getting so much excited.

Everyone- See you with this collections :)

01-29-07 KIRIGAMI WORKS' WORKSHOP, our first experience in Los Angeles

Hello, this is funtrap showroom!

We'll have a special workshop with Japanese artist, Kanako Yaguchi

KIRIGAMI is a Japanese traditional art form that creates oroginal patterns using scissors and paper. Kanako is well-known as a KIRIGAMI artist who has been creating KIRIGAMI artwork under her YOROKOBINOKATACHI label for over 10 years in Japan. Kanako exhibited her artwork at German art show, Design Mai in 2005 and 2006. Italian interior magazine, Elle Decor, picked her art and featured KIRIGAMI in their Sep. issue of 2006.

In this workshop, everyone makes a small treasure attached with KIRIGAMI. Kanako will teach you how to make nice little KIRIGAMI patterns with using your own scissors.

This event is lunch-on event. First we'll have a lunch with letting you know what KIRIGAMI is and show you some of the art pieces of her creation. After lunch, we begin to make a treasure box together.

For more detail information, please contact funtrap showroom (info@funtrap.net)

Date : February 10, Sat 12pm-3pm

Fee: $45 including lunch and materials

Place : Nice Cozy Italian Restaurant "Speranza"
2547 Hyperion Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027
#323 644 1918

日本語でも、、、
切り紙作家矢口加奈子さんの渡米に伴い、LAではじめてワークショップを開催いたします。

２月１０日（土）　時間午後12時　約３時間
会費　＄45　（ランチと材料費込み）
定員　１０名
「はさみ」をお持ちください

写真のような切り紙を使った宝箱を作ります
ランチとワークショップのセットです

場所はシルバーレイクのおしゃれなイタリアン
"Speranza"
2547 Hyperion Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
#323 644 1918

申し込みは、info@funtrap.net
funtrap showroomまで！
みなさんのご参加をお待ちしています

01-19-07 We'll be in San Diego next week!!

Next week from 25th to 27th, I'll be in San Diego for ASR (Action Sports Retailer) show.
My line, NEON ELEMENTS will show its new 2007 AW snowboarding wear. This show is their first appearance for the US snow market. I hope we can attract many people in this show. My friends, Yo & Toshi, of Omicron Design will help for building up their booth. Rock & Snow NEON ELEMENTS should be appeared...

Unfortunately, now SIA is much popular for snow industry. I think we have to be there next year. We'll see..

というわけで、来週はいよいよASRがやってくる。今はとにかくASRに来てもらえるように電話かけかけがんばっています。

今回のブースセッティングは、仲間のomicron designのよーたろうととしが担当。かっちょいーのを安く作って、という厳しい要望に、汗水流しながら、がんばってくれています。ありがとう！

よし、気合い入って来た。

funtrap

01-15-07 A Happy New Year, 2007

~A picture from our Christmas party on Dec 2006~写真は年末のクリスマスパーティーの時の写真。

It's just begun. Sorry my "funtrap.net" website is still under construction, and I can't put a lot of new information on it.
Currently we have "LA MARKET summer". I met some new stores and also met again repeaters.
I didn't expect many customers, but some reasons it looks a lot of people visiting this show !
That's a good thing.

This week, it'll be crazy for sure! I'll have another market day left, a shooting on Wed, and have to prepare for ASR with my line, NEON ELEMENTS. ASR stands for "Action Sports Retailer". My snowboard wear line is tremendously high quality line, and this show will be their first appeapance in this market.

I have to make calls to let people know where we are going to be...

NEON ELEMENTS
: ASR in San Diego from Jan 25-27, booth#2351


あっという間に始まった2007年。まずはウェブサイトが再構築されていないことを、みなさんに謝らないと、、、すみません。今修正作業中ですので、もう少し待ってくださいね。

ところで、今はLA MARKET期間中です。今回はあまり多くのお客さんの来場を期待はしていなかったのですが、、、嬉しいことに新規の方、リピーターなどなど前よりも多く、ショールームに立ち寄ってくれています。

今週はそれでなくても忙しくなりそう。来週末（25-27日）にサンディエゴで開かれるASRショーに、 NEON ELEMENTSが出展予定で、今はその準備があって大忙し。加えて、水曜日は撮影もあるし、マーケットもあと１日残っている。。。ふぅ〜。でもきっと、いいショーになると思う。というかしなくっちゃ！

よお〜っし、お客さんに電話かけないと！がんばるぞぉーーー。

12-07-06 What's happen next....

Now so happy to have holidays! This year's holiday card is like this... Our graphic designer, Aya, did work hard, and I'm so satisfied her job :) I also plan to have meeting with my lines during December and discuss about next year schedule & collection plan! I'm looking forward to checking their samples.

In January, we're going to be very very busy!

From Jan 12- 16, our first trade show in LA in 2007. I'll show my collections for summer items of saikan, OUTERNATIONAL, muddy boots, mizra, in53kto, and Psychodelic Mystic. And from Jan 25-27, we're going to exhibit at Action Sports Retailer Show a.k.a. ASR in San Diego. Our snowboard line,
NEON ELEMENTS will be there. I hope everything is going to be great over there.

Oh, we're planning to publish our 2nd issue of funtrap magazine in Jan. So now I'm pretty busy of editing it. This issue, we feat 8 brands and 2 prospective artists and 1 city. Especially the article about NAGOYA city must be great information for people in the US apparel industry who work with Japanese.

I'm so looking forward to coming next year, 2007!

というわけで、今年はとってもかわいいホリデーカードを皆様にお届け♪そして来年は新年早々２つのトレードショーがあります。LAマーケット（1/12-16）はいつもの通りですが、今回スノーボードブランドNEON ELEMENTSを連れて、はじめてサンディエゴのASRショー(1/25-27)に出展予定！今からドキドキです。

そうそう、私たちが発行するfuntrap magazineの第２号を１月末に発行いたします。今回はショールームで扱う８つのブランド情報に加えて、今注目の都市「名古屋」について特集します！米国アパレル業界人に向けて書かれた記事はこれが初めてなのでは？？？今からどんな反応があるのか、楽しみです。

Don't forget to check our website :)
www.funtrap.net

12-05-06 My New Collection, Psychodelic Mystic ...

LA based designer, Chisato, is one of my newest contacts. She's been working it the industry over five years in the States, and started her own collection last year. This time she made a great fashion show for Japan Expo in November in downtown LA.
Industrial newspaper, Apparel News, was also interested in our show, and they covered the show for us :)

Her new collection will be appaered in Jan LA Market from 12th to 16th in my showroom next month
Also I'll bring her collection to POOL TRADE SHOW in Las Vegas as well.

So exicited!

Psychodelic Mysitcはファントラップショールームの最新ブランドの一つです。そしてデザイナーのちさとさんは、私が最近知り合いになった人の一人。彼女は５年以上LAのファッション業界で仕事をしています。そして去年はじめて自分のブランドを正式にデビューさせたそうです。今回１１月に行われたジャパンエクスポのために、彼女はすばらしい作品を作ってくれました！

そしてこの情報を聞きつけた、米国の業界紙Apparel Newsも、Psychodelic Mysticに興味をもってくれて、今回取材に来てくれました。

最新コレクションは１月のLAマーケット（1/12-16）、そしてラスベガスの行われるPOOL TRADE SHOWで大大発表です！
Psychodelic Mystic

10-20-06 Just Started!

Today, LA MARKET has begun

I have following lines in my showroom now:

saikan : women's better contemporary / young professional line http://www.saikanlabel.com
smo : High-end men's contemporary line http://www.smo000.com
mizra: Truly craftmanshipped Japanese denim with hand painted and dying http://vipa.co.jp/
muddy boots : mannish women's high-end line http://www.muddy-boots.jp

from Los Angeles
OUTERNATIONAL by Livity : Organic and enviroment-oriented hats and accessories line http://www.livity.org
in53kto:Unique T-shirts line http://www.in53kto.com
Psychodelic Mystic : Funky T-shirts and dresses created by LA based Japanese designer http://www.psychodelicmystic.com

I'm so happy that my new denim line looks very good reaction. It ain't cheap, but very beautiful!

Also anybody who wants to buy in stock items of KIRIGAMi WORKS, saikan and smo, you can also buy from us!
Visit our showroom...

10-17-06 LA MARKET

Hi, this is YUKIE. I owned multi line showroom in Los Angeles. My showroom has many lines from Japan.
Luckily, I've been having good relationships with other showrooms in my building, California Market Center, and we getting rexognized by people in this industry.

Currently I have following lines:

from Japan
saikan : women's better contemporary / young professional line http://www.saikanlabel.com
smo : High-end men's contemporary line http://www.smo000.com
mizra: Truly craftmanshipped Japanese denim with hand painted and dying http://vipa.co.jp/
muddy boots : mannish women's high-end line http://www.muddy-boots.jp

from Los Angeles
OUTERNATIONAL by Livity : Organic and enviroment-oriented hats and accessories line http://www.livity.org
in53kto:Unique T-shirts line http://www.in53kto.com
Psychodelic Mystic : Funky T-shirts and dresses created by LA based Japanese designer http://www.psychodelicmystic.com

I'm getting excited to see reactions from customers during LA MARKET

Please visit our showroom at California Market Center
110 E 9th St. C555 Los Angeles, CA 90079
funtrap showroom
http://www.funtrap.net