In a recent episode of the Japanese variety show "Akiyama Roke no Chizu," superstar Takuya Kimura appeared as a guest, and his choice of outerwear for the outdoor shoot instantly became a massive talking point. The reason? He was rocking a fleece jacket from the budget-friendly brand Workman, retailing for a mere 980 yen! Naturally, Workman stores were swamped with calls and shoppers, leading to a frenzy of online resales at inflated prices, much to the dismay of many netizens.
Turns out, the jacket wasn't even Kimura's own personal item. It was simply given to him by the horse-riding facility staff to keep warm during the chilly outdoor shoot.
But because it was Kimura wearing it, the internet exploded after the episode aired with comments like, "He makes 980 yen look like 9,800!" "I totally thought it was Patagonia at first glance," and "Kimura makes everything look cool, but Workman selling this quality at that price is insane." Suddenly, everyone was rushing to stores to ask for the exact model.
A Workman PR representative stated, "Previously, we sold about 1,000 units nationwide per day. The day after the show aired, that jumped to 3,000 units daily – triple the usual amount. We're not doing any additional production; once they're gone, they're gone. Some stores are completely out of stock, so finding one now is like hitting the jackpot." The official online store has already announced a complete sell-out, meaning shoppers now have to try their luck at physical stores.
But for those who couldn't snag one, the hunt moved to second-hand platforms. Major resale sites are now flooded with listings for "Takuya Kimura Worn Jacket," with the original 980 yen fleece suddenly flipping for 10 times its price, or even more.
Some sellers are even omitting the "Workman" brand name entirely, simply listing it as "Takuya Kimura Worn Jacket," cashing in on the assumption that "if Kimura wore it, it must be designer." This blatant profiteering has left many fans fuming.
Regarding this phenomenon, the Workman PR representative commented, "The 'Kimura Effect' has been going strong for 30 years; whatever he wears truly becomes the center of attention. However, Workman's philosophy is to mass-produce and keep prices as low as possible so that more people can afford our products. So, seeing people resell them at high prices honestly just makes us angry. Not to mention those who even hide our brand name..."
Many netizens are baffled by what these resellers are thinking, but also lament that this is simply how society works now: anything with resale potential becomes "cheese" for unscrupulous individuals, which is truly appalling.
Of course, wearing the jacket won't magically turn you into Takuya Kimura, but it certainly proves that the "Takuya Kimura sell-out effect" remains an unstoppable force in Japan.