Baroque Japan Limited (Head Office: Meguro-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Hiroyuki Murai) organized on April 12, 2017, a presentation event for finalists of the Business Plan category of NEXT IS YOU, a contest that called for proposals from in and outside the company.

From back, left to right: Chizuru Muko, WWD Japan Editor-in-Chief, INFAS Publications, Inc.; Atsunari Nemoto、Naohiro Matsumoto、Hiromi Ida, Motohiro Tanji (entrants); Ryuta Shiiki, CEO & Founder, DLE Inc.; Yusuke Sato, Representative Director, FreakOut, Inc.; Sumire Nishimura、Chihiro Ichiwara (entrants); Hiroyuki Murai, Representative Director and CEO, Baroque Japan Limited; Hiroyuki Maruya (grand prize winner); Emi Takei、Norie Sato (entrants)

　The event showcased presentations from eight finalists who passed the first screening, out of a total of 62 entrants who sent proposals from February 7 to March 15. As a result of the final screening, Hiroyuki Maruya (Outlet Group Manager, Sales Management Department, Baroque Japan Limited) and his presentation titled “Expanding into the Otaku Market—Shibuya Meets Akiba” was selected for the grand prize. The winner will receive a cash reward of 2 million yen plus funding and business tie-up support from Baroque Japan.

■ Presentation Event Overview

Date and time: Wednesday, April 12, 2017  14:00–19:30（Reception 13:30）
Venue: Meguro Persimmon Hall (1-1-1 Yakumo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0023)

Participants/Proposal:
1. Motohiro Tanji
Position/Affiliation: Designer at Motohiro Tanji (Knitwear Label)
Business Plan: Ogiri final act attire
Business Plan Category: Apparel

2. Hiromi Ida
Position/Affiliation: Baroque Japan Limited
Business Plan: NEWOLD conceptual store for the next Japan
Business Plan Category: Apparel

３. Chihiro Ichiwara
Position/Affiliation: Beauty salon management
Business Plan: Store for moms
Business Plan Category: Apparel

４. Hiroyuki Maruya (grand prize winner)
Position/Affiliation: Baroque Japan Limited
Business Plan: Otaku apparel
Business Plan Category: Apparel

５. Atsunari Nemoto
Position/Affiliation: CEO at TripBox Inc./Keio University
Business Plan:  Tastime nonverbal service for foodies using Instagram photos
Business Plan Category: App service

６. Norie Sato
Position/Affiliation: Company employee
Business Plan: Wedding Style Book
Business Plan Category: Wedding

７. Naoto Matsumoto, Emi Takei
Position/Affiliation: 2017 Employees at Baroque Japan Limited
Business Plan: AKATSUKI brand of high school girl uniforms
Business Plan Category: Apparel

８． Sumire Nishimura
Position/Affiliation: Keio University
Business Plan: Innovative Kimono
Business Plan Category: Apparel

Judges:
Chizuru Muko, WWD Japan Editor-in-Chief, INFAS Publications, Inc.
Ieiri Kazuma, CEO, CAMPFIRE Inc.
Ryuuta Shiki, CEO & Founder, DLE Inc.
Yusuke Sato, Representative Director, FreakOut, Inc.
Hiroyuki Murai, Representative Director and CEO, Baroque Japan Limited

■ Judges’ Comments (Overview)

* Ieiri Kazuma, CEO of CAMPFIRE Inc., had an appointment to keep and unfortunately withdrew before the end of the screening process.

Chizuru Muko, WWD Japan Editor-in-Chief, INFAS Publications, Inc.
I was moved by presentations that went beyond the presenter’s aspirations and created a mechanism for linking their passion with the benefit of others. Business, by definition, is a commercial activity that needs to make money. I was impressed with presentations that translated passion into currency. 
 

　

Ryuuta Shiki, CEO & Founder, DLE Inc.
Getting people involved is essential to promoting a business. I felt this magnetism in the grand prize-winning presentation, so much so that I myself wanted to get involved. The business might not always be smooth sailing, but it’s important to persuade others to take a chance on you.
 

　

Yusuke Sato, Representative Director, FreakOut, Inc.
As an entrepreneur, I was happy to see the presenters’ strong motive, desire, and will to take action themselves. While this much was admirable, I did feel there was room for improvement. That is, many presentations focused on the outward appearance of ideas and designs. To succeed in business, it’s important to create a winning mechanism behind the scenes. A lot of what I heard today only scratched the surface, the tip of the iceberg. If the ideas extended below the surface, to the foundational strength of the business, they would gain a further sense of reliability and attract more funding.
 

　

Hiroyuki Murai, Representative Director and CEO, Baroque Japan Limited
It makes me proud as president of Baroque Japan that the proposal of one of my own employees was welcomed by a panel of outside judges. The winner can expect to face adversities in the process of making his business plan a reality, but I hope he will overcome them all and deliver results. Each judge saw the plans of the eight finalists from a slightly different angle. I myself was drawn to a number of plans and intend to consider the possibility of supporting them as startups. I thank all eight finalists for contributing their ideas to this contest.

　

Presentation by grand prize winner Hiroyuki Maruya

(Outlet Group Manager, Sales Management Department, Baroque Japan Limited)

■   NEXT IS YOU Overview & Goals

　Baroque Japan organized NEXT IS YOU under the theme “Leader of the Next Japan,” calling for proposals and talented individuals from both in and outside the company to enter in the Business Plan and Fashion Icon categories through a dedicated website (https://nextisyou.jp).

Details of the project are available in the press release dated February 7 (https://www.baroque-global.com/en/news/20170207).

Baroque Japan held its first in-house auditions to cultivate the next new star in 2015.

The grand prize of this event went to Mari Nakamura, who has since realized the dream of launching her own brand and currently serves as director of the Baroque Japan brand RIM.ARK.

The new contest, NEXT IS YOU, was an expanded version that invited entrants from both in and outside the company.

Amid a drift toward the common and the substandard in Japanese fashion, the project sought to recapture a Japan that creates brands with a strong message that fascinates youths across the globe.

The Business Plan category called for startup businesses that reflect the theme “Leader of the Next Japan,” and demonstrate novelty, potential popularity, and originality against a backdrop of the present market environment.

Entrants were welcome regardless of age or nationality, as an individual or as a corporation.