"WWDJAPAN" has put together its annual "Sales Staff Special" in the August 24 issue. It takes a close look at the true faces, customer service philosophies and professional convictions of 20 top sales staff leading the fashion and beauty industries. In addition, the separate supplement "WWDBEAUTY" announced the results of the "WWDBEAUTY Hair Salon Best Cosmetics 2026."
Sales Staff in the Fashion and Beauty Industries Today
The retail business is facing a labor shortage and is in the midst of structural change. The issue introduces influencer sales staff with tens or hundreds of thousands of followers, who are emerging as modern-day charismatic shop clerks and driving surprisingly high sales from suburban malls in regional areas.
Ayumi Sato of the "WHIM GAZETTE" Aoyama store, who has 171,000 followers, says, "My strength is working both online and in person." Meanwhile, 310 (read as Sato) of Adastria's "LEPSIM" became the only person at the company to win both awards, for social media and in-store service.
On the other hand, the issue shows that diverse ways of working and individuality are becoming more important, as seen in Maki Kadono, a freelance salesperson based in Osaka who works in stores for ¥10,000 an hour, and Mito Hayami of a plus-size brand, who earns trust through her easygoing personality. "WWDJAPAN" delves into the present of freelancers, whose treatment is improving, and sales staff who are gaining presence in niche fields.
Other Articles in the Issue
In the news section, taking the strong performance of "RALPH LAUREN" and "COACH" as a starting point, the issue reads "four conditions needed for brand revival" through interviews with executives and analysts. The overseas news section covers topics such as the acquisition of the luxury department store Harvey Nichols by Britain's Frasers, "SHEIN" considering price increases in Europe, the obituary of "GUERLAIN" master perfumer Olivier Echaudemaison, and Tapestry's strong earnings.
The Berlin Fashion Week report introduces the local scene, which is expanding and maturing while staying true to its originality, partly from the perspective of Japanese buyers.
In Kaoru Saito's column "Opinions on the Beauty Industry," she explores the mystery of "pricing power," in which ultra-luxury cosmetics are regaining presence behind the dominance of budget-friendly products. In the signature back-page column "FASHION & BEAUTY PATROL," the results of the "High Executive Pay RANKING," a survey of 113 listed fashion and beauty companies, are published.
Results of "WWDBEAUTY Hair Salon Best Cosmetics 2026" Announced
The separate supplement "WWDBEAUTY" announces the results of the "WWDBEAUTY Hair Salon Best Cosmetics 2026." The "WWDBEAUTY Hair Salon Best Cosmetics" are the best cosmetics chosen by hairstylists, an annual feature. This time, awards were set in 19 categories in total, and a questionnaire was conducted among 189 hairstylists at 70 popular hair salons nationwide.
In the 16 professional-product categories, it surveyed "products that worked well when actually used from the second half of 2025 to the first half of 2026." In addition to categories for shampoo, treatment (in-bath and out-bath), hair oil, scalp and hair-growth care, styling products, men's, skincare and makeup, hair color, gray hair color, perms, color care, beauty devices and sustainability, there were also a "salon model category," in which hairstylists vote for the salon models they enjoyed working with, a "sales category," which evaluates manufacturers and beauty dealers with sales staff they want to thank, and a "hairstylists to watch category," which asked which hairstylists other hairstylists are watching.
As a result, in the main hair care categories, well-known brands with a strong reputation for texture expression performed strongly. In the hair color category, where color expression in the mid-brightness range is in demand, a hair color strong at neutralizing redness in that range took the top spot. In the gray hair color category, a product that delivers the natural sheen sought by mature customers ranked first. From these results, one can read market trends in the hair salon industry.
How to Buy
The August 24 issue of "WWDJAPAN" and the separate supplement "WWDBEAUTY" can be purchased through the links below.
About "WWDJAPAN"
"WWDJAPAN" is the Japanese edition of "WWD (Women's Wear Daily)," the fashion industry trade paper launched by the American publisher Fairchild in 1910. It provides the latest information such as fashion and beauty business news, trend news and interviews with industry figures.
"WWDJAPAN Digital," the web version of the weekly paper "WWDJAPAN Weekly," offers news from the fashion and beauty industries in Japan and abroad, as well as finely tuned information such as collection looks, party and street snaps, art and media, and lifestyle.
