History
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kay me founded 2011.03
On the day of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Junko Kemi decides to change direction – from consulting company to founding the kay me clothing line for modern women’s needs. The company is founded by Junko with support from her sister Reiko, neither of which had any experience in the retail or fashion businesses at the time
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First shop opens 2011.07
kay me opens its first ‘salon’ in Ginza, Tokyo
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kay me launches its ecommerce store2011.09
Customers in all parts of Japan can now access kay me’s special range of stretchy, washable and super soft jersey dresses
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First fashion show at Mandarin Oriental Hotel2011.11
kay me hosts its first ever fashion show event at the prestigious Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Tokyo
New "Try & Buy" service launches2012.01Our new "Try & Buy" style service launches (‘Shichakubin’), giving customers in Japan the chance to try any clothing item without a down payment – a first of its kind
kay me Ginza store moves to Ginza 42012.06kay me moves to a more prestigious location in the heart of Ginza, Tokyo
Second shop opens at Shinjuku Odakyu2013.02kay me expands into the world of department stores – collaborating with Odakyu at Shinjuku train station
kay me’s Ginza store doubles in size and moves to the high street2014.02“A rolling stone never gathers moss” – kay me doubles the size of its flagship store in Ginza, Tokyo
kay me campus starts2014.05Following the mantra of ‘supporting ambitious people’, kay me opens a campus program to support customers in presenting and doing business in English
kay me starts Europe marketing2014.06kay me’s first steps into overseas markets
Ginza store renewed2015.02kay me Ginza once again doubles in size – offering more choice and more comfort
kay me international Ltd. founded2015.06kay me establishes its presence in London – one of the fashion capitals of the world. Nick Faulkner becomes Director
Second fashion show2015.07kay me holds its second fashion show in Ginza, Tokyo – appealing to a wider global audience
‘Pop up shop’ in London2015.08kay me launches its first overseas shop as a pop up in London – resulting in hugely positive sentiment from customers outside of Japan
Third store opens in Umeda, our first in the Kansai region2015.09With the pop up store in Mayfair London underway, kay me expands for the first time into the Kansai region, in the heart of Osaka
BCCJ entrepreneur awarded2015.11The British Chamber of Commerce Japan awards kay me with ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ for its innovative concept and approach
DBJ Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in Japan2016.06kay me wins the Development Bank of Japan’s Award for ‘Best Global Potential’
Fourth store opens in Haneda Airport2016.08The 4th store opens in the first terminal of Haneda Airport
kay me live on the BBC2016.10The BBC features kay me as an innovative new brand aimed at disrupting the professional women’s clothing sector
https://kaymemedia.com/2016/10/10/kay-me-in-the-media-oct-2016/kay me offers global door-to-door shipping on all clothing items, meaning that customers worldwide can join the kay me family
kay me Lounge openskay me opens its first Lounge concept – opening up a new range of experiences centered around the kay me vision
Seven years after kay me's founding, the sixth location opens in Shinjuku 3-chome, close to Isetan
kay me launches a simple online service allowing customers to customize their dress to their exact specifications without leaving home
kay me Bag range launches2018.08Offering up the same concepts as kay me clothing – light, comfortable, gorgeous but functional, kay me launches a range of bags for busy professionals and travelers
Global ecommerce relaunch2018.10kay me launches a new look site, giving customers from every corner of the world a chance to be part of the kay me family
Our 29 Pocket Wallet Bag is released, created to support the busy lifestyle of women. The first of its kind by kay me for a complete "hands-free all-in-one bag", perfect for any occasion with its "29 functional pockets"
Offering bags in our "Try & Buy" service 2019.07Our "Try & Buy" service offering the benefits of trying on in-store from the comfort of home with no risk, includes bag options
Launch of D2C Jewelry line 2019.10kay me’s new jewelry line launches with the concept of giving power to wearers, with designs greatly inspired by founder Junko Kemi's passion for traditional Japanese art and beauty. With planning, manufacturing and sales all handled inhouse, high-quality diamonds and craftsmanship in each piece can be retailed for less than 50% of the price of other high-end jewelers
In kay me’s mission to reach zero waste, a digital survey system launches to gather large-scale data. Using in-house algorithms, production levels and item quantities are optimized based on customer demand. Through our D2C business model, kay me adjusts manages all sectors of the production chain for efficiency, and with each new season kay me is getting closer to becoming a zero waste brand
kay me's "In-store Concierge" service becomes available for reservations online, for one-on-one style consultation and tailored advice in store from our experienced concierges
Our popular "In-store Concierge" service becomes available online with new options for video calling or telephoning for a fully virtual style consultation
kay me expands its line of online services with the "Online Carte" Service, for personalized style recommendations emailed to the inbox after answering a short series of questions in ‘Carte’ form.
Nine years after launch, kay me launches its seventh store in Yurakucho Marui, just one stop from Tokyo station and a short walk from Ginza
With kay me’s mission to support ambitious people take on challenges, stimulate curiosity and gain knowledge to succeed, our new digital platform 'kay media' goes live, providing useful tips and advice from industry professionals.
New store opens in Yokohama2020.10New store opens in Kyoto2020.10… the journey continues