The Purpose of Select Shops.
—I understand it’s been about four to five years since “Midwest” began carrying these three brands. Mr. Osawa, based on your experiences at trade shows and events, what do you think are the strengths of these three brands?
Osawa: He's quite the charmer, isn't he?
All: (Laughter)
—What do you mean by that?
Osawa: Of course, the clothes are a big part of it, but I think it’s really the designers themselves who have such a strong appeal. Each one has a dedicated community, and when they hold events, you see customers dressed head-to-toe in their brands—you can really feel that they’re growing alongside their fans. I think the reason I want to collaborate with them is that, while the quality of their clothes is a given, it’s really their personalities that make all the difference.
Kamiya: I just genuinely want our customers to have a good time. I’m sure the two of you (Mr. Goto and Mr. Okamoto) feel the same way. Of course, there are aspects we have to focus on from a business perspective, but above all, our core goal is to get our customers excited. So I think that’s what Mr. Osawa meant when he called you a “people person.” It’s not something you do on purpose—it just happens naturally.
—Do you ever attend each other’s events or exhibitions?
Kamiya: I'm off then.
Goto: But Dairiku-kun doesn't call me.
All: (Laughter)
Goto: Well, they do exhibit together at places like the Paris showroom, so I do see them there.
Okamoto: Sorry about that. I'll invite you next time (lol).
—I imagine that the way buyers operate varies from store to store. Mr. Osawa, do you ever tell brands at trade shows, “We’d like you to make items like this”?
Osawa: Occasionally, I might say something along the lines of, “It would be nice if we had something like this…,” but generally, I don’t interfere. It goes without saying, but the brands don’t just do business with us, after all. Sometimes items that sell well at “Midwest” don’t do so well at other stores, and vice versa. Ultimately, it’s my job to assess that, and I don’t think it’s right to impose restrictions on the brand’s merchandising decisions.
—Designers don’t create their designs specifically for retail stores, do they? Rather, they develop collections that are tied to the brand’s vision and seasonal themes.
Goto: Hmm. I guess I do tend to focus on our wholesale customers.
Goto: Even without actually talking to them, there are times when you can sense things just by looking at a buyer’s order, right? Like, “Oh, this is what really resonates with them,” or “Last season it was like this, but this season it’s like that.” Since 〈M.A.S. U〉 doesn’t have its own store, it really all starts with them buying our products. Sometimes we ask for specific feedback, and other times we just pick up on their preferences. I’m always paying attention to that.
Kamiya: I find myself thinking things like, “Oh, I came here because I thought [Name] would like this.”
Goto: That's true—that's part of it, too.
Kamiya: Since I often find myself working the sales floor at pop-up events, scenes from those moments sometimes pop into my head when I’m designing. Like, “Oh, that customer was looking at it from this angle,” or something like that.
—Is that the same for you, Mr. Okamoto?
Okamoto: That's right. It all depends on the people who buy our products. Maybe that's especially true in times like these.
—In an era like this… I assume you’re referring to the information age, but what exactly is the role of a select shop in an era like this? I imagine there are those who argue that with social media, online stores, and company-owned stores, select shops are no longer necessary.
Goto: I feel like this is exactly why we need this in today’s information-driven society. Basically, we live in a world that’s so perfectly organized that unexpected events rarely happen. In a store where the collection announced on social media and the items sold online are displayed exactly as shown, while the brand’s vision may be conveyed directly, there’s simply no room for the kind of unexpected surprises that customers might look forward to. On the other hand, even if you visit a select shop specifically to look at even if you visit a select shop specifically for 〈M A.S.U.〉 items, you’ll naturally catch sight of items from other brands as well, right? By creating unexpected surprises, they broaden the customer’s horizons. I think that’s the role they play.
Also, this might just be my personal opinion, but I feel like there’s a trend among collection brands where they feel they “have to act cool.” They want to talk about the brand, but they worry that if they talk about it too casually, it might come across as cheap or frivolous. In that sense, select shops understand us and convey all sorts of things to their customers. In a way, I see them as spokespeople for the brand. So, in conclusion, we need both. I think it would be ideal if our flagship stores and select shops could form a partnership.
—Mr. Kamiya, you own “THE PHARCYDE,” a Kamiya-branded store in Nakameguro, don’t you?
Kamiya: Yes. We’re building the “Kamiya” brand universe there—it’s like having a home base, so to speak. So, I think it’s a huge advantage to have a place where we can welcome people who discovered “Kamiya” at a select shop and are thinking, “Maybe I’ll check out the flagship store next.”
Kamiya: Also, with select shops, people actually become fans of the shop itself. I feel this especially strongly when we hold pop-ups in regional areas—the shop itself, or the owner, is often loved by the local community. For example, regulars from the owner’s favorite restaurant might come to the pop-up. When that happens, it leads to unexpected encounters—in a good way. I think that kind of expansion is wonderful, and it really feels like something unique to select shops.
—What about you, Mr. Okamoto?
Okamoto: I really feel the immense importance of community. I often visit rural areas myself, and there I find connections that you just don’t get online—it allows me to rediscover what a true, human community is like. I believe that our brand exists today precisely because of the new connections we’ve made there.
I share Kamiya’s view on company-owned stores; I’d like to have one of my own in the future as a place where I can express myself freely, just like at home. I love movies, so while I wouldn’t go as far as opening a movie theater, I’d love to have a shop where people could rent DVDs, for example, and I’d like to use a company-owned store to showcase the unique style of my brand. It would be wonderful if we could operate in a mutually supportive, “collaborative partnership”—in the best sense of the word—between our select shops and company-owned stores.
—After hearing from those three designers, what are your thoughts, Mr. Osawa?
Osawa: It really makes me sit up and take notice. Making our customers happy, ensuring that our brand partners can run their businesses properly, and making sure we enjoy our work—our ideal is a situation where all three of these elements are equally well-balanced. It made me realize once again that none of them can be overlooked.
—From the perspective of making customers happy, I think selling “select shop originals”—which are more affordable than designer brands—might be one approach. Could you share your thoughts on that?
Osawa: We’re a “select” shop. That’s all there is to it. We believe we should maintain a strictly equal relationship with the brands, and we’re uncomfortable with the idea of being the only ones to reap the benefits. While sales are important for the business’s long-term sustainability, we don’t want to get caught up in short-term profits; instead, we want to keep our focus on the future—on the brands and designers of tomorrow, and our future customers.
Goto: People tend to shy away from “seleori,” but I don’t think it’s entirely “bad.” Sometimes it’s actually necessary to make up for other shortcomings.
—What do you mean by “to make up for it”?
Kamiya: That’s because they offer suggestions that blend the strengths and perspectives of select shops. It’s like they fill in the gaps for us—the parts we can’t quite cover when making recommendations to our customers.
Okamoto: It depends on the amount of heat, doesn't it?
Goto: That's exactly right. From our perspective as designers, we think it's fine as long as they sell products of the same standard and quality in their stores with the same level of enthusiasm.
Kamiya: Yeah, so I guess you can't really generalize. There are probably some places like that, and others that aren't.
Okamoto: If a shop has broken free from the “select shop” mold and established itself as an independent entity, I suppose that’s acceptable. For example, if it puts on fashion shows or invests time and effort into lookbook shoots—or if its items have a clear core or central theme—I think it can be considered a successful shop-original brand.
Osawa: In that sense, our conclusion is that if we’re going to end up doing something half-heartedly, we’d rather not do it at all. As a select shop, we want to constantly reflect on what retail is, what our goals are, and what we want to bring to the world, and act accordingly.
—Finally, could you tell us about the future of “Midwest”?
Osawa: Within the fashion industry, designer collection brands represent a very niche world. I believe that when it comes to how far we can go to support a brand and how much joy we can bring to customers, it doesn’t matter whether the brand is just starting out or is a veteran in the industry.
Osawa: Whether it’s opening company-owned stores or holding shows overseas, we’re simply here to provide as much support as possible so that the brand can steadily climb the ladder. I hope that over the next 10, 20, or 30 years—as long as the shop continues to operate—we can keep moving forward every day without wavering from that commitment.
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