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One of the shirts - a flannel with several technical features - includes an added collaboration with NEIGHBORHOOD. How did that garment develop? Similarly, the take on the Campus 80 follows those same lines. How did that shoe come to fruition?
At the very first meeting, Mr. Takizawa (NBHD) and I discussed what we actually want for the item and I summarized the ideas. Then I chose the material based on what I thought that goes well with what I wanted to make. Mr. Takizawa told me that he wants to make the 3 stripes out of small holes and I thought it was a good idea.
Something that seems to follow in much of your work is a delicate balance between the classic and the technical. This is evident in the Levis/Fragment projects. Where does this come from? What’s the impetus for, if you will, stretching the boundaries a bit?
I feel like what I design is based on what I have experienced in music and clothing and what I like myself. The essence of how I currently feel is reflected in every product.
Animal prints... a bit like technical features... these tend to stretch boundaries. What is the appeal in these prints?
This print is also sampled from the clothes I used to love in my youth. I developed a print pattern from the garment and included it in the outerwear. Mr. Takizawa said he also loves animal pattern himself so we thought it was a good opportunity realize it within Originals by Originals.
The remaining color palette, aside from the blues, also stems a bit from the animal prints. Yellows and browns dominate. When you conceive of a collection, how do you figure color schemes into your work? Does it come first? Last?
When I decide on the color ways, it is usually after I have decided what I am going to design. I like black so it always comes first… I also like bright color on black base as highlights. For example, I use the same color that I used as highlight for the clothing on the shoes as well so that it would be more fun to coordinate, I think.
I’m interested in your take on classics, given your work and the companies you’ve worked with. How did you become interested in Americana, leisure wear, and sneakers? Where does the vision to reinterpret them come from?
As I already mentioned above, I think what I design are reflections of the clothing or music that I liked. I personally love British bands and the music so I think I am very much influenced from them when it comes to fashion.
Are you attempting to define a particular look? Do you see pieces you design working as a whole, but also when divorced from each other and paired with other items?
I design with with a balance which kind of just comes from within me… I do try to make things that you can coordinate so you have a complete look. Also I always have the other parts of the design process in mind like packaging...
Finally, was there anything in the adidas archive that you really wanted to tackle, but didn’t fall into the scope of the project?
They allow me to interpret their great shoes like the Superstar, so I feel like I am completely able to make what I have passion for. To stretch the point, I like football so I think it would be really cool if I could design for Japan’s national team in the future.
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