The Woolmark Company has entered into a two-season partnership with Japanese fashion label Facetasm for developing its Autumn/Winter 18/19 and Spring/Summer 19 wool-rich offerings, ahead of its Paris men’s show. Both collections will be Woolmark-certified. The partnership marks the beginning of a long-standing relationship between the two.

The Woolmark Company will continue to work closely with Facetasm’s design team, which has already viewed the Woolmark Company’s sourcing guide the Wool Lab.

Facetasm founder/designer Hiromichi Ochiai travelled to Australia with the support of the Woolmark Company to visit the source of Merino wool, experiencing wool-growing properties first-hand and gaining inspiration for his future collections.

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“I saw how much the sheep farmers have loved the sheep, nature and their own land over generations,” said Ochiai of his trip to Australia. “It was such a precious experience for me to actually talk to farmers and experience how Merino wool is produced. Although so far I had seen Merino wool only at the fabric stage, through this visit I learnt it is actually based on so much love and history. I would like to deliver the story behind Merino wool and incorporate this invaluable experience in my creations.

“I believe Merino wool is an essential ingredient for the brand to move onto the next step in its creation and I think this collaboration with the Woolmark Company is a great opportunity for the brand to expand even more.”

Wool has been an integral part of the label’s collections since its launch in 2007. Its creations are deeply rooted in Tokyo’s edgy street culture.

“Hiromichi Ochiai will be our first global wool ambassador from Japan - a market that remains important in terms of creativity and impeccable quality, further expanding Merino wool’s legacy beyond traditional tailoring,” said the Woolmark Company managing director Stuart McCullough. “This partnership deepens the relationship between the Australian wool industry and Japan’s fashion industry, with Facetasm taking the two to a global audience via its extensive range of stockists.”