Fashion and sports. The line between them has disappeared.
――In recent years, the gap between sports and fashion has narrowed dramatically, with running leading the way. How do you view this relationship?
Yoshikawa: I really felt that during Paris Fashion Week. We’d all go for a run in the morning, then have breakfast and head straight to the shows. These days in Paris, there’s someone running somewhere every morning—so much so that I find myself wondering, “Is this really Fashion Week, or is it more like Running Week?”
――So it’s common to see people in the fashion industry out running, isn’t it?
Yoshikawa: That’s right. With the emergence of brands like 〈SATISFY〉, the line between performance and fashion has shifted. It’s sportswear, but it has a certain flair, so you can wear it on the street. Since I’d been observing this trend firsthand, I had a feeling it would spread to Asia as well.
Makino: I started running about 20 years ago, but back then, it wasn’t nearly as common for people in the fashion industry to run as it is now. If anything, there was a bit of a rebellious spirit to it—like, “Let’s try running, even though it’s a little uncool” (laughs).
――And now, it has become part of fashion.
Makino: That said, I think my time at “BEAMS” played a major role in my case. I was able to engage with outdoor gear—including brands like 〈ARC’TERYX〉—on a daily basis, and I was able to incorporate those elements into my running in my own way. I think it was because I had “BEAMS” as my foundation that I was able to reinterpret sports as fashion.
