One of his original experiences in fashion was with "Timberland.

Have you ever worn "Timberland" boots or shoes?

rice field in front of a temple's main hall: Actually, I was a b-boy in high school, so that's why I wore the yellow nubuck "6" Boot. It's a really representative model. I saw American hip-hop artists at the time wearing them, and I was totally influenced by them.

I see!　You originally worked at "Berberzine," right?

rice field in front of a temple's main hallI think I was about 24 years old when I joined. So it has been about 16 years already.

At that time, there seemed to be a strong division in fashion, with vintage being vintage, mode being mode, and street being street, so it is a bit surprising that Maeda-san, who liked hip-hop and B-boy fashion in high school, went into the world of vintage clothing. It is a little surprising that Mr. Maeda, who liked hip-hop and B-boy fashion in high school, went into the world of vintage clothing.

rice field in front of a temple's main hallI guess that's true when you put it that way. But it wasn't a contradiction in terms for me, it was something natural. I have always liked all kinds of things, so I was a b-boy in high school, but after that I went into the mode and followed the backstreets.

I first fell in love with vintage clothing when I was about 20 years old, and I have been a constant fan ever since. I guess you could say that vintage clothing is the starting point of everything, well, vintage clothing is vintage clothing even if it is from the 80's, 90's, or even 5 years ago.

I think the charm of vintage clothing is that you can pick up anything. Nowadays, it is commonplace to mix and match various elements, but I have always liked the mixing and matching of outfits and sensibilities from that time.

You were not a vintage supremacist at the time, but you saw the appeal of vintage clothing as something that had a wide range of uses.

rice field in front of a temple's main hallI mean, that's how it was. Back then, unlike now, there were many people who were hard-headed. American casual was American casual, and surf was surf. But thanks to them, I was able to create a style that was a mix of both. As a result, I am still alive in the industry (laughs).

Today you are wearing the "6" Boot" from the "Vintage Collection," and your styling also shows the mix of styles that you like, Maeda-san.

rice field in front of a temple's main hallI felt that if I matched them with normal denim pants, they would be really just the same, so today I dared to incorporate a sporting taste into them. When I put them on and match them like this, they seem to go well with our clothes.

It is not blurred at all as a brand. I like that.

What did you like about the products when you saw them in person?

rice field in front of a temple's main hallThe sole also uses a Vibram sole, and I felt the attention to detail everywhere. The look is classic, but it has been updated in many ways. The old "6" Boots" had a more rounded silhouette, and the chunky shape gave them a more street-like feel, but these have a sleeker, sleeker shape. I thought these would go with a variety of styles.

Is the "6" Boot" one of the most memorable items from "Timberland"?

rice field in front of a temple's main hallI think they are still being made today. I also used to wear models like deck shoes, which I think are still made today.

You mentioned mixing things up earlier, but in fact, the way "Timberland" is accepted in Japan in terms of fashion is a very mixed bag.

rice field in front of a temple's main hallYou are right. Like myself, I think there are many people who consider "Timberland" boots as an item with a certain cultural flavor. For me, it is no exaggeration to say that they are one of my original experiences in fashion and culture.

I have an image of "Timberland" as a brand associated with hip-hop culture. In fact, I have an old "6" Boot" on a shelf in my store where I keep photo books.

Your store has street-style art and photographs alongside your clothes.

rice field in front of a temple's main hallI have been doing this for a long time, and it is a natural feeling for me. However, I have been seeing a lot of shallow imitations of this sense of mixing lately. I think it's boring, so I'm going to try to go the opposite direction and say, "I like this," rather than "I don't care about mixing!　I think it's cooler to be simple and direct, like "I love this!

Lastly, what kind of brand image do you have for the "Timberland" brand, and what kind of brand do you want it to be?

rice field in front of a temple's main hallI think it is really great that the image of "Timberland" is not blurred between people in their 30s and 40s of our generation and young people in their teens and 20s. I think it's great that the image of the brand is not blurred between those in their 30s and 40s and young people in their teens and 20s. I hope it will always remain classic.