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This article is a joint project with the radio program "Jeep® CREATIVE GARAGE" on J-WAVE (81.3 FM). AKO and HOUYHNHNM's editor-in-chief Ryo Komuta will be the program navigators, and will delve into the roots and staples of the guests on the theme of "standards" for about an hour on the last Sunday of each month at 10:00 p.m. In addition, using "radiko," a service that allows you to listen to the radio on your computer or smartphone, you can listen to the show in real time or at your own leisure with the time-free function. We hope you will enjoy this new approach to radio and HOUYHNHNM's together!

• Jeep® CREATIVE GARAGE
• Last Sunday of every month 22:00-22:54
• Navigator: AKO, Ryo Komuta (Editor-in-Chief, HOUYHNHNM)
• J-WAVE 81.3FM "Jeep® CREATIVE GARAGE
• www.j-wave.co.jp/original/creativegarage

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It all started with America and vintage clothing.

Established in 2001, N. Hollywood has been active in the Tokyo Collections and has participated in New York Fashion Week every season since the spring/summer of 2011. N. Hollywood" has established itself as a global brand beyond the boundaries of Tokyo. At the heart of the designer Mr. Ohana's brand is something that has existed unwaveringly since before the brand was established. It is vintage clothing, America, and his innate sense of "digging.

I had relatives living in San Diego, so I was familiar with the U.S. from when I was a child. I was also able to buy used clothing at low prices at stores that were scattered around Machida, a neighborhood not far from my hometown, where the U.S. military had disposed of its equipment. A store that had been sold out by the U.S. military naturally had an American smell, and I often visited there and talked with the store clerks, and my yearning for America grew stronger and stronger. When I became a high school student, I was in the middle of the "kirekaje" (beautiful casual) trend. Wearing a Ralph Lauren navy blue blazer or a Brooks Brothers BD shirt was a kind of status. I came from an ordinary family, so I could not afford to buy such things. So I decided to look for used navy blue blazers and BD shirts that cost 2,800 yen. While searching for and wearing vintage clothes in my own way, I started working at a legendary store called "Vacation" in Sagamiono, and I came to know the depth of vintage clothing. From there, I was hooked.

In 2000, he opened his own store, Mr. Hollywood, on the floor above Go Getter.

. "Ever since I started buying vintage, one of my main goals was to one day become a buyer and go to the United States. So after graduating from high school, I dropped out of a vocational school and joined Voices right away. I was lucky, or rather, I was allowed to go to the U.S. within six months of joining the store because there happened to be a vacancy in the buying team. That is how my life as a buyer began, and I participated in the launch of GoGetter, but gradually the good used clothing in the U.S. started to disappear. I began to worry about making a living from used clothing in the future. So I started remaking clothes with what I had. That may have been the beginning of Mr. Hollywood. We started the store with a hand groping approach, making 5 items of clothing from scratch, 10 items of remakes, and 15 items of used clothing selections.

N. Hollywood is what it is today because it did not set a ceiling.

Despite its small size, "Mr. Hollywood" slowly began to gain support from fashion-conscious young people as a store known only to those in the know. Soon after, its original brand, "N. Hollywood," became known nationwide. The first was the launch of the 2002 collection.

A model named Satatemichiaki, who often appeared in men's magazines at the time, wanted to put on a fashion show sponsored by the French Embassy. So, through an introduction from our stylist, ( Tsuyoshi ) Futamura, we decided to do it. At the time, I had no idea about a show, and I wondered what on earth would happen ( lol )".

As a result, the show had a huge impact on the Tokyo fashion scene and led to N. Hollywood's subsequent brilliant trajectory. Since then, N. Hollywood has continued to make a strong presence at the Tokyo Collections with its conceptual themes and model castings that surprise and delight every season, and its style and passion have not waned since its expansion to New York Fashion Week in 2011.

Looking back, I think I was able to present an installation that was filled with my initial impulsive passion, even though I had no idea what it was about. The third show, which was based on the theme of US hardcore, was very significant in that it allowed me to honestly reflect my thoughts and feelings at the time. The last show in Tokyo, which was based on the Vietnam War and cast real soldiers, was also memorable because it was a "Kamehameha" show, something that only a brand with many years of experience could pull off. And the first show in New York, where I challenged myself to "start from scratch and retighten my loincloth," I was able to express what I had accumulated over the past 10 years. I am proud to say, however, that the turning point may have been the driving force behind the resetting and the strong presentation. However, the fundamentals, in fact, have not changed since the days of the vintage clothing store. GoGetter was not just a store that sold vintage clothing, but also decided a theme for each season, for example, "This season, let's collect down jackets with an image of the outdoors in the 70's. At N. Hollywood, we design clothes and present shows while also valuing the selector's sense of vintage clothing. N. Hollywood designs clothes and presents shows with a vintage clothing selector's sensibility in mind.

He has been showing his collections in the U.S., where his favorite vintage clothing has been the basis of his creations, and where he has longed to work. He also talks about where he is now.

I haven't caught the American dream yet. ( lol ) That's a joke, but as with the current street trends, fashion is often revolutionized in the U.S. when you notice it. From that aspect as well, I think it makes sense to continue presenting in New York, and as long as I want to do it, I will do it in New York. Also, I have not decided how many years I will continue to do so. I think I am where I am today because I have done this without setting a ceiling. I believe that since I made my debut, I have a responsibility to do so.

In recent years, Mr. Ohana has been collaborating with various brands and directing more and more brands other than N. Hollywood. He has also been fully demonstrating his unique sense of aesthetics and selection.

I try to pick up items that were the biggest hits of the brand. Because items that were popular often have a lot of extra things on them now because they are well-known. So, my role is to remove the extra things and return the item to its solid form. It is my role to try to remove the excess and return the item to a solid form, so that the item can make a better restart.

Hot springs became his new life's work.

Now, apart from his work as a designer, Mr. Ohana has delved into "hot springs" as deeply as he has into fashion. In the magazine UOMO( Shueisha), he wrote a series of 50 articles, "The Nyu Yoku Times," over a period of four years, reporting on hot springs throughout Japan. The "Shuzenji Onsen Arai Ryokan" in Izu, which he visited on this day, is another place where he once experienced firsthand the charms of hot springs during a report.

My parents love to travel and eat well, and we have been going to Hakone especially since I was a child, probably because of its proximity. . As I got older and started to have more money to spare, I started going on hot spring trips often. I was shocked to read in a magazine I saw at a ryokan that "there are only 66 ryokans in Japan that offer hot-spring water from the source. That was when I was shocked to read that there were only 66 ryokans in Japan that offered onsen with hot spring water from the source. Then, after spending about a year visiting various hot springs, I was approached by the editor-in-chief of UOMO at the time. At first I was going to turn him down, saying, "It's only been a year since I started seriously researching," but he said, "Then why don't we study together and delve deeper? So, I myself became more knowledgeable while working on that Series. I still think to this day that there are few experiences in my life that are as valuable as that one.

Even though the Series has ended, his favorite water quality meter is always in his car. . He continues to visit hot spring baths, of course.

. it may be correct to say that it is now a habit for me to delve deeper and deeper into things that I like. . but I try not to overdo it, even if there are a lot of things I could potentially get into. Like with collection themes, it has to be something that I can feel goofy about and that I know will last more than a year. It's no fun if it becomes an ordeal along the way. That is why visiting hot springs is still as enjoyable as ever. I have been to many hidden hot springs that cannot be accessed without climbing a mountain, as well as many hard-core hot springs in the field, and even now, when I have the time and the inclination, I would like to go to such hot springs! However, these days, I am more interested in hospitality. My family doesn't like to go to hard-core hot springs, so I tend to go to places where I can relax and enjoy myself.

Jeep" is in line with my standard for choosing things.

. Of course, his companion on his hot-spring excursions is, of course, his car. Mr. Ohana, who is known as an unrivaled car enthusiast, uses two or three cars at any given time, depending on the scene and purpose.

A car is a room. So it is true that everything around you is always in the car. A long time ago, I used to set up a table in the back of my campervan and do office work, calling it a "gadget office," or I would park it in front of a park and draw pictures. Now, I have a partner for tough work, a hospitality car for going to hot springs with my family, and a car that is completely a man's hobby. I still remember what Mr. Tokudaiji Aritsune said to me before his death: 'Mr. Ohana, cars look vain to people, so you should keep telling people that you like them.

Many of the cars he has used so far have been four-wheel drive. Mr. Ohana has his own reasons for this.

I started my love affair with cars when I was in radio-controlled cars. . In fact, I participated in TAMIYA's "RC Car Grand Prix" when I was a child. Even as an elementary school student, a plastic model shop in Machida sponsored me, and I made a duralumin rear wing and sold it on consignment, using the money to buy parts and ( lol ) . I had always loved off-road buggy RC cars, and when I was old enough to get a license, I naturally chose 4×4 cars. I chose a 4×4 vehicle, as I did when I was old enough to get a driver's license."

Four-wheel drive, America, and military. All the elements that Mr. Ohana loves and has been delving into are mysteriously linked to "Jeep.

As a military enthusiast, the name "Jeep" and its history are very attractive to me. When the Wrangler Unlimited first went on sale, it was praised by a specialist magazine that was known for its dry reviews, and I was hoping to go for a test drive someday. When I actually drove it, I found that the flat paneling was reminiscent of the CJ series, the so-called original Jeeps, but that it was not only authentic, but also had fanciful elements such as the windows with a graphic of a car climbing up a slanting slope, making it a truly interesting vehicle. Also, it has a sense of specs that can only be found in American cars, and it pays homage to old-fashioned products, but it is also attractive in that it successfully sublimates the inspiration from these products into a modern form. . And yet, of course, it is highly utilitarian and can comfortably accommodate five adults. . Recently, I have the impression that more and more people are choosing cars based on their individuality, and I think it fits in well with this trend. Personally, I am also interested in the "Renegade," which has the uniqueness of a concept car.

Clear criteria and aesthetic sense in choosing a car. . This is exactly connected to Mr. Ohana's personality itself.

. I want the car itself to be casual, like a pair of sandals. I prefer something that is not too comfortable for me, the driver, but is rugged, not vain, and has a sense of unity. . I especially like the lower-priced versions that come from the respective car models. . I like the minimal functionality of the car itself, and the more direct appeal of the car itself. . For me, this is true not only for cars, but probably also for brand-name clothes-making, and in some respects, it is connected to the hot-spring tour. I guess that is my style and standard that has become ingrained in me over the years.