History

1935	Feb	Ishimoto Shoten is established by the late Chairman Takeo Ishimoto.
1953		Ishimoto Shoten develops cream-colored cotton baseball uniforms and track pants with anti-shrinking treatment and a wool-like texture.
1954		Full-scale entry into the skiwear field.
1958	Feb	Ishimoto Shoten becomes a joint stock corporation, focusing on the production and sales of sportswear.
1961	Sep	Company name changed to Descente, Ltd.
1962	Feb	Tokyo Sales Office opens.
1964	Oct	Descente collaborates with Itochu Corp. Toyobo Co., Ltd., and Munsingwear Corp. in the U.S. as the exclusive distributor of Munsingwear golf wear, which started off the“chest logo” fashion trend.
1970	Apr	Descente begins production and sales of Adidas competition sportswear in a tie-up with the West German sportswear maker(collaboration terminated in 1998).
1973	Apr	Current Headquarters building in Tennoji Ward, Osaka, is completed.
	Sep	Descente begins sales of “Demopan”, an innovative new style of ski pants.
1975	Oct	Descente begins production and sales of “NCAA” sportswear in a partnership with the National College Athletic Association(NCAA) in the U.S. (partnership terminated in 2002).
1976	Sep	Descente begins production and sales of “Arena” swimwear under license from the Arena Dept. of Adidas France.
1977	Jan	Descente is chosen to supply uniforms to the Pittsburgh Pirates, a Major League Baseball team.
	Mar	Descente is listed on the Second Section of the Osaka Stock Exchange.
1978	Mar	Descente begins sales of the Italian sportswear brand Fila(terminated in 1985).
	Sep	Descente sponsors eight-nation athletic meet in Tokyo(Descente Track and Field), the first major athletic event to feature a sponsor's name.
1979	Apr	Ishimoto Memorial Descente Sports Science Foundation is established.
	Jul	Descente France is established in Paris (closed in 1985).
	Aug	Descente America (currently Descente North America) is established in New York.
	Sep	The first FINA Cup (Descente Swimming World Cup) is held.
1980	Jan	Descente's listing changed to the First Section of the Osaka Stock Exchange.
	Feb	Eric Heiden, wearing a Descente racesuit, wins five gold medals in speed skating at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics.
	Mar	Descente is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
	Nov	Production and sales of the Le Coq Sportif brand of athletic wear begins in collaboration with Le Coq in France.
1981	Jan	Descente begins production and sales of Cerruti 1881 Sport products under license from Cerruti 1881 Sport in Italy (terminated in 2002)
1982	Feb	Descente begins production and sales of Courreges Sports Futur under license from Andre Courreges.
1983	Aug	Descente sponsors the International Invitational Swim Meet (Descente Swim Meet), which later became the Pan-Pacific Swimming Championships.
1984	Feb	Descente begins production and sales of dunhill Sport products under license from Dunhill in the UK.
	Dec	Descente acquires the trademark for the Munsingwear Brand.
1985	Mar	Descente displays products at the Science of Health & Sports exhibit at Science Fair Tsukuba '85.
1987	Feb	Descente begins sales of “Huitieme Sports Studio,”a lifestyle sports brand for women.
1988	Feb	At the Calgary Winter Olympics, Descente opens the “Igloo” Pavilion for Olympic athletes, many of whom use Descente products, including the new fabric Solar α.
1990	Dec	Descente acquires the Arena and Le Coq Sportif trademarks in Japan and Southeast Asia.
1991	Sep	Descente begins sales of the outdoor brand Whole Earth.
1992	Feb	Descente supplies apparel to athletes and delegates from various countries at the Albertville Winter Olympics.
	Apr	Descente sponsors the first Descente Classic Munsingwear Cup.
	Jul	Descente supplies official training wear for the Japanese national team at the Barcelona Olympics, as well as sportswear for the Japanese national men's swimming team.
1993	May	With the inauguration of J-League, Japan's professional soccer league, Descente supplies Adidas sportswear to Gamba Osaka and Yokohama Marinos, and Le Coq Sportif products to Nagoya Grampus Eight.
1994	Feb	Descente supplies competition and training wear to teams from Japan and other countries at the Lillehammer Winter Olympics.
	Dec	Beijing Descente Co., Ltd. is established in Beijing.
1996	Sep	Descente begins sales of the A7 snowboard brand.
1997	Oct	Nautica Japan Ltd. is established in a joint venture with Itochu Corp. (collaboration dissolved in 2000; sales rights transferred to Descente. Terminated in 2007)
	Dec	Descente and Matsushita Electrical Industries Ltd. jointly develop and commercialize Mobile Thermo, the world's first sportswear to use a catalytic heating system.
1998	Jan	Construction of new Tokyo Branch in Mejiro, Tokyo, is completed.
	Feb	Club Descente locations are opened in Hakuba, Nagano, and Shiga as service centers for the Nagano Winter Olympics, where Descente supplies apparel to several national teams. Descente supplies DIMPLEX low air resistance skiwear to Swiss and Canadian national teams. Kazuyoshi Funaki, an employee of Descente's Ski Department, captures three medals in ski-jumping events.
	Jul	Descente acquires the trademark for the soccer brand Umbro in Japan.
1999	Jan	Descente and the Japan Racing Association jointly develop a protective vest for jockeys.
2000	Sep	Club Descente is established as a service center for the Sydney Olympics. Descente supplies official training wear, caps, and shoes to Japan's national team, including swimwear for the national swimming team.
	Dec	Descente Korea, Ltd. is established in Seoul.
2001	Apr	Arena announces the new Spiral line of swimwear.
	Jul	The 9th World Swimming Championships 2001 is held in Fukuoka, with Descente serving as an official sponsor. Descent supplies Spiral swimwear as well as the official uniform of the Japanese national team.
2002	Jan	At the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Descente supplies various teams with innovative apparel designed by Eiko Ishioka.
	Mar	Mila Schon Sports, a new golf wear brand, is launched.
	Jun	Descente Apparel, Ltd. acquires ISO 14001 certification.
2003	Jan	Shanghai Descente Trading Co., Ltd. is established in Shanghai.
	Mar	The Town & Country snowboard brand is launched (terminated in 2007), along with two other new brands, Cutter and Buck golf wear and Lanvin Sport.
	Oct	Descente launches the outdoor brand Marmot. Jiangsu Descente Co, Ltd. is established in China (collaboration dissolved in 2003).
	Nov	Hong Kong Descente Trading, Ltd. is established.
2004	Feb	Le Coq Sportif (Ningbo) Co., Ltd. is established in China.
	Apr	Arena launches “aile-bleue” swimwear, designed using the theme of the kingfisher.
	May	Shanghai Munsingwear Golf Technology Consulting Co., Ltd. is established.
	Jun	Descente participates in the “Daito Dynamic Project,” initiated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to support the development of the health service industry.
	Jul	Descente develops “Video Proof” material to prevent swimwear from appearing transparent when filmed with infrared cameras. Descente supplies official apparel, polo shirts, and socks to Japanese national teams at the Athens Olympics. Arena sportswear is supplied to the Japanese swimming and triathlon teams. Descente sportswear is supplied to the Russian women's volleyball team. Ai Shibata wins the gold medal in the women's 800m freestyle in Athens wearing Arena's “aile-bleue” swimwear.
	Sep	Le Coq Sportif begins development and sales of clothing and shoes for nurses. Descente announces the “Le Coq Sportif Revolution,” a joint project with Bunka Fashion College.
	Oct	Descente announces cut-resistant underwear for short track speed skaters.
	Dec	Descente supplies products to Japanese national teams at the 22nd Winter Universiad in Innsbruck, Austria.
2005	Feb	Descente announces the new golf brand Cresson (terminated in 2008). Specially treated fitness wear and swimwear jointly developed by Phiten Co., Ltd. and Descente's Huitieme Sports Studio are introduced.
	May	Descente announces the new tennis brand Babolat. Descente Health Management Research Center is established for the development of preventive and daily health care services.
	Jul	Descente serves as official supplier of sportswear, bags, caps, and footwear for the Japanese national team at the Macao 2005 4th East Asia Games.
	Aug	Descente announces joint development of athletic footwear with the French company Michelin.
	Sep	Descente announces new pants for horse jockeys. Descente announces the Arena Creation Project in collaboration with Bunka Fashion College.
	Nov	Descente publishes a Keep the Earth Beautiful declaration as a part of corporate environmental policy.
2006	Feb	Descente serves as official supplier of sportswear to Japanese athletes competing at the Turin Olympics, providing warm-up suits, training suits, caps, gloves, socks, and mufflers. Also serves as official supplier of sportswear to Swiss and Spanish athletes, including racing and warm-up suits for alpine teams. Also supplies racing and warm-up suits to Canadian speed-skating team. Club Descente service center opened during the Turin Olympics. Shizuka Arakawa, a contracted JOC Symbol Athlete, captures the only gold medal taken by a Japanese athlete at Turin, in the women's figure skating competition. Umbro announces worldwide release of the England Away Kit.
	Mar	Descente announces Compass 50 mid-term management plan. Descente announces that F1 driver Takuma Sato has been signed as an advisor. Descente becomes official supplier of sportswear to professional cycling Team CSC. Shanghai Munsingwear Golf Club opens in Shanghai, China (collaboration dissolved in 2008).
	Apr	Descente announces the new casual sports brand: "penguin by Munsingwear."
	Jul	Children in seven cities throughout Japan learn to enjoy sports at the Healthy Kids Sports Workshop.
	Sep	Descente announces a new brand of golfing apparel: "nuni." (terminated in 2008). Descente enters the health business, establishing a tie-in as well as investing in the bathing "Ishi-no-yu."
	Oct	Descente announces a new brand of yoga apparel: "lululemon athletica" (terminated in 2008). Opening of the fitness club Mejiro Tsubaki-no-saka Studio. Descente supplies Japanese athletes competing in the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006 with windbreakers and Boston sports. Descente enters an agreement to supply arena brand swimwear to China's National Physical Education Bureau. Descente announces a new brand of women's undergarments: "shiseist."
	Nov	Descente contracts with the Japan Volleyball Association as an official supplier of beach volleyball apparel. Descente announces a dance brand Freddy.
2007	Feb	Descente concludes a contract to serve as an official partner of the FIVB for beach volleyball.
	Mar	Worldwide release of Umbro’s England Home Kit. Descente announces a new brand of women’s wear designed for travel: "L,oiseau." (terminated in 2008).
	Aug	DESCENTE serves as official supplier of sportswear, bags, and footwear to the Japanese national team at the 24th Universiade (2007, Bangkok).
	Oct	DESCENTE launches protective clothing for fire-fighters based on skiwear technology.
	Nov	DESCENTE concludes a comprehensive contract with the Chinese Ski Association’s national aerial ski team and national instructor team.
2008	Jan	DESCENTE launches the “Shin_rev” line of the Arena swimwear brand, developed around the concept of central body alignment.
	Mar	Simultaneous worldwide sales launch of England soccer team away kit under the Umbro brand.
	May	The Munsingwear Open KSB Cup 2008 is held (since 1992). As the official supplier to the Beach Volleyball World Tour, the Descente brand provides wear for players and officials.
	Aug	Descente brand supplies official wear (T-shirts and shorts) to the Japanese team at the Beijing Olympics. The “Club Descente, ” the service center, is set up onsite during the Olympic games. The Freddy brand supplies outerwear to the Japanese rhythmic gymnastics team at the Beijing Olympics.
	Sep	The Munsingwear Ladies Tokai Classic is held (since 2000). Marketing launch of “Heat Navi,” a newly developed heat-retaining thermal material that makes efficient use of sunlight.
2009	Jan	Descente brand supplies sweaters, caps, and bags to the Japanese national team at the 24th Universiade (Harbin, 2009).
	Feb	Descente brand supplies speedskate wear and gloves to the Japanese national team at the 2009 Special Winter Olympics in Idaho.
	Mar	Simultaneous international sales launch of the England soccer team uniform by the Umbro brand.

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