ONWARD
Japanese apparel group operating fashion brands, retail businesses, and related clothing activities.
Last updated October 6, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
ONWARD is the corporate and consumer-facing identity associated with Onward Holdings Co., Ltd., a Japanese apparel group headquartered in Tokyo. The group traces its origins to 1927 and developed from a clothing business into a multi-brand fashion company involved in apparel planning, production, wholesale, retail, and related lifestyle activities. Its historical operating identity is closely associated with Onward Kashiyama, while the wider group has managed and developed a portfolio of Japanese and international fashion labels. The company’s business is centered on clothing and accessories for women, men, and children. Its activities generally span product design and merchandising, sourcing and manufacturing coordination, distribution, physical retail, and digital commerce. This integrated model allows the group to combine proprietary brands, licensing or partnership activities, retail channels, and e-commerce rather than relying on a single fashion label. The portfolio has included brands such as 23区, ICB, and JOSEPH, although the composition and commercial status of individual labels can change over time. ONWARD’s brand positioning is predominantly mid-market to premium, with an emphasis on Japanese apparel expertise, fit, materials, design, and coordinated wardrobe offerings. Different labels address different customer segments: some focus on contemporary women’s wear, others on international fashion, formalwear, menswear, childrenswear, or lifestyle products. The group has historically served Japanese consumers while also maintaining international connections through brand distribution and overseas operations. As a listed company, Onward Holdings also operates as a corporate group with investor-relations, governance, sustainability, and business-management functions beyond the consumer brands visible in stores. Its official corporate site presents the company through these group-level activities as well as its apparel and fashion operations. Because ONWARD is both a corporate identity and a name associated with particular apparel businesses, brand-level descriptions should be distinguished from the legal and listed-company profile of Onward Holdings Co., Ltd.
History
Onward’s origins date to 1927, when the business associated with founder Isao Higuchi began operating in Japan’s clothing sector. The company later became known through the Onward Kashiyama name and established itself as a significant participant in Japanese apparel. Its development reflected the evolution of the Japanese fashion industry from clothing manufacture and wholesale toward brand management, organized retail, diversified product categories, and international fashion distribution. Over time, Onward expanded beyond a single clothing label. It built or managed multiple brands intended for different consumer groups and price positions, including 23区, ICB, and JOSEPH. The portfolio approach enabled the group to offer women’s wear, men’s wear, childrenswear, tailored clothing, accessories, and lifestyle-related products through separate brand identities. The business has also combined design and merchandising with production coordination, wholesale distribution, directly operated stores, department-store channels, and online sales. The corporate group is now represented by Onward Holdings Co., Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo and listed in Japan under ticker 8016.T. The holding-company structure separates group governance and investor-relations responsibilities from the customer-facing identities of individual apparel labels. Its official corporate communications cover company information, business activities, sustainability, and investor information. ONWARD’s history therefore has two connected dimensions. One is the evolution of a Japanese apparel enterprise with roots in the late 1920s. The other is the continuing management of a broad fashion portfolio in an industry shaped by changing consumer preferences, retail formats, international competition, and the growth of digital commerce. Publicly available reference material supplied for this entry does not establish a complete chronology of every brand launch, acquisition, overseas operation, executive appointment, or restructuring; those details require confirmation from company filings, archived corporate releases, or reliable independent reporting.
- 1927
Business founded
[1]The business that developed into the ONWARD apparel group was established in Japan, with Isao Higuchi identified as its founder.
Development of the Onward Kashiyama identity
[1]The company became associated with the Onward Kashiyama name as it expanded its apparel activities and developed a broader fashion-business identity.
Expansion into a multi-brand fashion portfolio
[1]The group developed and managed multiple labels, including 23区, ICB, and JOSEPH, serving distinct apparel and lifestyle segments.
Listed-company operations
[1]Onward Holdings operates as a Japanese publicly listed corporate group under ticker 8016.T.
Products and positioning
A Japanese multi-brand apparel group positioned across accessible premium, contemporary, tailored, and international fashion segments.
Women's fashion
23区
A major ONWARD-associated fashion label offering women’s clothing and accessories. The brand is generally associated with polished, versatile wardrobe pieces spanning everyday wear, work-oriented styles, dresses, knitwear, outerwear, and coordinated accessories. Its identity fits the group’s emphasis on refined Japanese apparel design and broad department-store, retail, and digital distribution.
Women's fashion
ICB
An ONWARD-associated contemporary fashion label focused primarily on women’s apparel. Its range has included tailored clothing, dresses, tops, knitwear, outerwear, and accessories, with an international and modern design orientation. The label occupies a distinct position within the group’s portfolio rather than functioning as a general corporate merchandise line.
Contemporary fashion
JOSEPH
A fashion label associated with ONWARD’s international portfolio. JOSEPH is known for contemporary apparel and accessories, including tailored separates, dresses, knitwear, outerwear, and other elevated wardrobe pieces. Within the group structure, it represents a more internationally oriented fashion identity alongside Japanese-origin labels.
Apparel and fashion retail
Onward Kashiyama
The historical operating name most closely associated with ONWARD’s Japanese apparel business. It has represented clothing planning, production coordination, wholesale, retail, and brand operations across categories including women’s wear, menswear, formalwear, childrenswear, and accessories.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/onward · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled