PROFILE
Born in 1976. After working as an editor for a men’s fashion magazine, he went on to work as a designer for domestic brands and as a buyer for select shops. In 2013, he launched his own brand, 〈KAPTAIN
SUNSHINE〉. Drawing on Japan’s high-quality manufacturing heritage and his deep knowledge of vintage fashion, he uses his curatorial expertise to create products based on traditional designs, with an uncompromising commitment to quality—from the fabrics to the finest details.
Instagram:@ks_shinsukekojima
“A pair of shoes created to become an ”essential.”
—Mr. Kojima, what was the first thing that came to mind when you heard the word “essential”?
Kojima: As expected, fashion items were the first things that came to mind—like vintage coveralls. Then there’s mid-century furniture, I guess. I’ve been collecting vintage pieces of both for a long time, so they might be “essentials” for me. I’ve been buying coveralls for over 30 years now.
—I see. I’m curious about that, too, but the item you’re introducing this time is something different, isn’t it?
Kojima: The item I chose is the “Unlined KS Trainer” from Captain Sunshine. In my own creative work, there are a few items I consider essential, and this is definitely one of the ones I’m particularly attached to.
A collaboration with created to commemorate the opening of the Aoyama store. The white and black shown in the photo are staple colors that remain part of the ongoing lineup.
—Last year, when the Aoyama store—the flagship store of *Captain Sunshine*—opened, you introduced this German-made sweatshirt to us during our magazine’s interview.
Kojima: That’s right. We created it in collaboration with *Reproduction of Found* to commemorate the store’s opening, and it has since become a staple item that we release every year. I’ve always really liked the German-style sweatshirts that Repro makes—they’re one of the brands I really respect.
—They’re carefully handcrafted, one by one, at a factory in Czechoslovakia that actually manufactured military training shoes from the 1950s through the 1990s, right? To begin with, what do German trainers mean to you, Mr. Kojima?
Kojima: I have so many pairs of German military shoes—both originals and reproductions by brands like Margiela—that I often wonder, “Just how many do I have?” I’ve worn them for years, but when it comes to my formative experiences, I think I was heavily influenced by the seniors who were digging through vintage European clothing back in the ’90s. Back then, there weren’t many people digging through European vintage clothing, so I think the modern vibe—which was different from that of U.S. military service shoes—felt really fresh to me.
—So why did you choose a custom model rather than an original one as your “Essential”?
Kojima: That’s because the production of these shoes began with the goal of “making them an essential part of Captain Sunshine.”
—It was created to be an essential item from the very beginning. It’s an approach unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Kojima: To make something a core part of the brand, it’s important that it has staying power and that it’s something we can continue to offer long into the future, even as times change. I wanted to create a series that we could offer year-round, while varying the colors and materials. We also have denim and T-shirts, but since this was our first shoe collection, it’s a line that’s particularly close to my heart.
—So that means there’s a possibility that, at some point, the entire lineup Mr. Kojima has envisioned will come together.
Kojima: Of course there are, but if that happens, I think I’ll be okay with some twists on the design. With this German Trainer, we started with just two colorways—all-white and all-black—but as the seasons go by, we might create various other colorways. Some aspects will likely change with the times, and that’s something we can accept precisely because we have a solid foundation to build on.
The “Unlined KS Trainer” is available in classic colors as well as seasonal colors. The photo on the left shows the 26SS collection, and the one on the right shows the 25FW collection. The subtle Panna (beige) and gray shades are the result of repeated color testing and trial and error.
—That’s true. It’s just like with magazines: even if the theme is the same, changing the perspective or structure makes it something entirely different.
Kojima: Oh, right—it’s like they’re changing little by little. I really love the Adidas Stan Smiths, too—in fact, I own several pairs made in France—but just like the original German trainers, while they have that “unique charm of old shoes,” when I wear them now, I get the feeling that “something’s just not quite right…”
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