FEATURE| A Japanese spirit and Western "rhinoceros" restaurant filled with dreams for the past 17 years.
A Japanese spirit and Western "rhinoceros" restaurant filled with dreams of the past 17 years.
The brand dares not to put on shows, and not having a store is probably part of its aesthetic, and such eccentricity (sorry) is also typical of Scye, which produces bold clothes without being fashion-forward. The news came as a bolt out of the blue for fans who had come to terms with their feelings. Sci Mercantile, which suddenly appeared in Sendagaya, Tokyo, at the end of August, is unmistakably under the direct management of Sci.
I was with them from the preliminary inspection of the property.
The news of the opening of the directly managed store was a surprise.
Hideaki Miyahara ("Miyahara")Many people around us were surprised (laughs). However, we always had the idea of opening a store someday, even when we started the brand. It was only in the last five years that we were able to put various things in place and start making concrete moves.
Even after the decision was made to open the restaurant, there was no hint of haste.
MiyaharaI looked for a building where I could use the first floor as a store and the second floor and above as offices, but I couldn't find the right property. ...... If I was going to open a store, I wanted to see the faces of my customers. The condition of renting the whole building was non-negotiable. If someone came to the store, I could go down there right away. Thanks to that, we got off to a good start, and I've been standing in the store all weekend, so I've had no time off since we opened (laughs).
The quiet area of Sendagaya is also very particular.
MiyaharaMaybe it is because Meiji Jingu Shrine is right next door, but I feel good vibes. I am supposed to be insensitive in that direction. In Sendagaya, there was also Mr. Suzuki's (Satoshi) "Roop Wheeler. We would like to hold various events at this store, and the first one was a collaboration with Loop Wheeler. (Wonderwall (for which I was in charge of interior design) is just a stone's throw away. If we shouted loud enough, they could hear us. (Mr. Katayama-san (representative) literally devoted himself to the project, from preliminary inspections of the property to researching materials.
Masamichi Katayama (Katayama)I said, "If you're going to do it, I'll leave it to you.
Why was it Katayama-san?
MiyaharaWe were afraid that if we, who love British classics, tried to create it alone, it would become old-fashioned. We asked Katayama-san to do it, believing that he would be able to absorb the essence of our work, and he exceeded our expectations.
Have you known each other for a long time?
MiyaharaWe've known each other for about 10 years, but strangely enough, we have the same horses. We are the same age and have similar values. Of course, we share the same interests. We both have aversion to drinking (laughs).
remote mountainI'm toasting with a Coke (laughs).
Mr. Katayama revived "The Bank," a bar in Kamakura run by Kaoru Watanabe (a leading art director), and asked Mr. Miyahara to create the staff uniforms for the bar.
remote mountainMr. Watanabe was very kind to me. After his passing, I thought about what I could do, and my answer was to revive "THE BANK. In fact, this bar was almost the first project I worked on after becoming independent. When it came time to decide what to do with the uniform, Mr. Miyahara naturally came to mind.
Thoughts on the Mercantile.
Mercantile means store.
remote mountainWhat I saw in the image/visual that Mr. Miyahara had prepared was a classic store where the owner and the customers were intimately connected. I thought it was a good idea from the bottom of my heart. Now that the Internet is sufficient, the importance of this concept becomes even more apparent to me.
MiyaharaAs I said before, if there are customers, I want to show up. I want to be a store master. I also wanted to display my favorite brands, not just "SAI. D. R. Harris, which I bought this time, has been my favorite cosmetics brand for a long time, and Hiromichi Furukawa of Arm Design Room has been my friend for 20 years. He is a friend of Mr. Furukawa (Hiromichi) of "Arm Design Room" who has been my friend for 20 years.
A capsule collection bearing the store's name was also launched.
MiyaharaThis collection is a test of the hypothesis of what would happen if the distinction between men's and women's clothing were eliminated. We thought that if the distinction between men's and women's clothing was eliminated, more people, regardless of gender, would be able to wear the collection, so we decided to offer the collection in six sizes throughout. It is difficult for a wholesaler to stock all of these items. This is an attempt that only a directly managed store can make.
How did Katayama-san take such passion and give form to it?
remote mountainI tried to create a stripped-down design, keeping in mind that the store should function as a store, yet have a certain tension, so that it will not become old even after decades. This may sound a bit conceptual, but SAI is an emotional brand that embodies subtle emotional swings. We thought this would be appropriate for the brand.
MiyaharaNobody knows about "rhinoceros," and their obsession with craftsmanship can only be understood if it is explained to them. This is exactly our stance. It may look like an ordinary store at first glance, but it is full of obsession.
My favorite of all is the floor. One piece is huge, isn't it? The floor is 120 centimeters wide. I had it made completely original. It is a terrazzo (polished artificial stone) finish that was once used in schools and government offices, but I couldn't find the right combination of white and so on, so I decided to make it (laughs).
remote mountainIf there is nothing that matches our image, we have to make it ourselves. This is a common stance at Wonderwall, but we have never had a client as enthusiastic as Mr. Miyahara (laughs). (Laughs) During construction, he was always there for me, just like a site supervisor. He would not listen to me when I said, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of it.
MiyaharaThe same is true for the horizontal shutters on the facade. The existing ones were unreliable because they had few rhombus-shaped parts connecting pipes. Overseas, there are many of them. When I asked the contractor for more parts, he said, "We have never made such a thing before. They said, "You might not be able to open and close it, so write us a note" (laughs).
remote mountainThe only thing I bought was a sofa. It is by a Danish designer named Poul Kjærholm.
MiyaharaThis sense of omission is the essence of Katayama-san's work. If we had chosen the sofa ourselves, I am sure it would have been a Chesterfield (a traditional English sofa with a stately feel). It is also nice that the original ceiling is exposed in places. It's just painted, you know.
remote mountainIt was good that we were able to make good use of this.
The wall objects are also cool.
MiyaharaIt's a garment drafting machine, a drafting tool used in the 1800s. You see, this is a brand that sells patterns. I bought them whenever I saw them, but I never had a chance to show them off. Ms. Hirabayashi (Naomi) made it into an objet d'art.
remote mountainMr. Hirabayashi was in charge of art direction, and he was even more particular than Mr. Miyahara. Mr. Miyahara, Mr. Hirabayashi, and myself. If any one of us had been in a different mood, this restaurant would not have been possible.
MiyaharaThe timing of putting the car in gear was the same, wasn't it?
By the way, Katayama-san is a busy designer who is active on a global scale. Even so, I heard that he gave a simple "yes, I'll leave everything to you" response (laughs).
remote mountainAs with any job, as long as I am doing it, I have to make people say, "This is how it's done. Of course, I cannot deviate from the "rhinoceros" style. Moreover, the customers who have been waiting for a long time have high expectations. And I was one of those who had been waiting for a long time. The tension naturally rose.
I am honestly happy that they were pleased. The store really starts after the box is completed. As one of the fans, I would like to support them.
Hideaki Miyahara(Photo right) Graduated from Bunka Fashion College. After working as a patterner for several apparel companies, he established Masterpiece and Co. in 2000 with designer Hisayo Hidaka and started the original "Scye" brand. Scye is an old tailor's term meaning "sleeve giri.
Masamichi Katayama(Photo left) He established Wonderwall in 2000. He is one of the leading interior designers in Japan and abroad. He is currently a professor at Musashino Art University's Department of Spatial Design. Last year, he published "WONDERWALL CASE STUDIES" (Gestalten). Wynn Creative, led by Tyler Brûlé, was in charge of editorial and design. www.wonder-wall.com
Scye Mercantile Address: 3-54-13 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Business hours: 12:00 - 20:00 Closed: Tuesdays , Wednesdays Phone: 03-5414-3531 www.scye.co.jp