A hybrid denim set-up created through a new interpretation of vintage clothing.
N. HOLYWOOD, which continues to lead the Japanese fashion scene, and SEVEN BY SEVEN, a brand that has been in existence for only four years but has a solid presence. Both brands have created a new hybrid denim set-up. Both brands use the keyword "old clothes" in their designs, and the items in this collection are based on clothes from the good old days. However, the creation of both brands is not a simple matter. We asked Daisuke Ohana of "N. Hollywood" and Junya Kawakami of "Seven by Seven" to talk about their deep world. What is at the root of this unexpected collaboration?
Left: Daisuke Ohana, designer of "N. Hollywood" , Right: Junya Kawakami, designer of "Seven by Seven
America and vintage clothing that we both feel .
When I heard about the collaboration between "N. Hollywood" and "Seven by Seven," I thought it was unexpected. I don't think it was very common for the two of you to appear in the media together, but what kind of connection do you have to begin with?
Japanese pampas grassHe is a good friend of mine, and I have known him for quite some time. So I had known him for quite some time. However, I had not seen Junya for about 10 years. Then one day, one of our designer assistants said, "There's an interesting store in Shibuya, why don't you visit? So I went there, and there he was.
It's "7×7 (7 by 7)" in Shibuya.
upstreamAt that time, we met for the first time in quite a while, didn't we? I had only seen you in magazines and other media. It was a chance meeting, but I thought at the time that I wanted to leave some kind of mark on him since he had come to see me (laughs).
What did you feel when you saw Ms. Kawakami's creations?
Japanese pampas grassHe has a different angle on vintage clothing than most people, and you can tell he's honest about it. Is it vintage clothing with a sour taste? Or does he have a sour point of view? I don't think there are many designers today who look at vintage clothing from that angle. Junya and I are from different generations, and what we feel is naturally different, but I thought it was something good.
Also, I can relate to many aspects of how you understand vintage clothing, but I really like that your method of submission is different from my own. For example, the way you remake clothes. I know what he is talking about because I used to remake vintage clothing myself, but nowadays many people add too much, and even if they do subtract, it sometimes looks like they are cutting corners. But I felt that the clothes he made were not like that, and that he was presenting proper clothes to the world.
Mr. Kawakami, were you conscious of the "sour" feeling that Mr. Ohana just mentioned?
upstreamYes, that's right. I was in San Francisco for a long time, buying used clothing, and at that time I knew that I wanted to do things from a different angle. In terms of remaking, I feel like I am making something new out of old clothes rather than altering them. In essence, I am making new clothes from scratch, and I think that was a good idea.
When did you go to San Francisco?
upstream. since the end of the 90's. I went there right after I graduated from high school. I was going to language school, but I happened to find a place nearby where donated vintage clothing was collected, and I started going in and out of there.
Japanese pampas grassIs it different from a rag shop?
upstreamIt's not a rag shop . It's really a collection of donated used clothing.
Japanese pampas grassDid you let the public in?
upstreamI was able to get in. But it was not a very safe place, because there were Mexicans there, homeless people, and so on. There were also many people who looked like junkies. . However, there were all kinds of used clothes being sold at low prices on the street, so we were able to buy good stuff at low prices. We sold them to dealers, and they probably sold them to the Japanese at the Rose Bowl. So I really felt like I was at the end of the used clothing line.
Japanese pampas grassFrom what I've heard, it's really unique. It's probably the only place in California that uses that system.
upstreamMaybe so. There were a lot of people fighting inside, the police came by often, and the guy I talked to was a junkie and his eyes were often out of focus (laughs). (Laughs.) But they had good taste and were very cool. It was a great experience for me to see such local people.
Japanese pampas grass. it's great that you were able to see it on the street.
Did the two of you interact with each other during your time in San Francisco?
upstreamNo, I don't . . but I had heard about Mr. Ohana's activities. I used to go back to Japan at least once a year, and I had the impression that Mr. Ohana's store was completely different from other vintage clothing stores. It had what I had seen in San Francisco and found interesting. Even after I started "Mister hollywood," I kept coming back. There were no other stores like that.
Japanese pampas grassThat's right, because I started without knowing what direction I wanted to take it. I was just laying out everything I saw.
upstreamBut it was really cool. I could see it all coming together.
Japanese pampas grass. I wanted to bring out everything I had experienced. When I was working at a vintage clothing store called "Voice," we had a dormitory in downtown Los Angeles, a place that is often used as a movie location, and I built the store in the image of the living room. The shop was designed to resemble a living room, with a gallery space and clothes displayed on the floor. I was inspired by the selection and VMD of select stores in the U.S. There were no rules. There were no rules.
upstreamLos Angeles in the early 2000s was interesting.
Japanese pampas grassIt was a time when information was not available instantaneously as it is today. I would absorb what I saw and think, "If it were me, how would I do this? Anyway, I was stimulated. I was young, so I had the straightforwardness to immediately put into practice what I saw.
upstreamThat was very interesting and cool.
A creation with a hybrid feel that is not a mere replica.
. it's time to move on to the items. Previously.Video of the collaboration with LOOPWHEELERIn the "Mutual Collaboration" section, Mr. Ohana mentioned that he would not collaborate unless there was a good reason. In this case, what was the reason?
Japanese pampas grassIf we don't base our work on something that is in line with the path we have been on, such as vintage or military, we won't have a reason to do it, and our customers will wonder "why? During the Urahara boom of the 1990s, there were many collaborations between brands that were close to each other, and there was a solid reason for them to be friends who were playing together. However, I don't think that is the case today, and I myself am not the type of person who creates things out of a passion born out of play.
This overlaps with what I mentioned earlier, but the reason we were able to collaborate this time is because Junya is someone who digs deep into vintage clothing, digs and selects. Also, I could sympathize with his approach to remaking, in which he sees vintage clothing as a single material, and I felt that we share similar values.
N.HOOLYWOOD × SEVEN BY SEVEN〉Blouson ¥45,000+TAX , Pants ¥35,000+TAX
N.HOOLYWOOD × SEVEN BY SEVEN〉Blouson ¥40,000+TAX , Pants ¥30,000+TAX
. So this set-up is the result of that. What was the inspiration for this item?
Japanese pampas grassI originally wanted to make these pants. . That was the beginning.
What kind of pants are they?
Japanese pampas grassThere is a royal vintage item from a royal brand of jeans that everyone knows , isn't there? The pants in this case are made from that vintage fabric, using a recipe similar to the one used back then, with craftsmen in Okayama.
The silhouette is also unique.
Japanese pampas grassThe silhouette is based on a part number that was created from the late 90's to the 2000's and was inspired by that vintage. So, both chronologically and in terms of detail, they are a hybrid item. However, in my mind, I didn't want to end with just the pants; I really wanted to do a top and bottom version. And I didn't want the blouson to be a mere replica.
. So, since the pants are hybrid, you wanted the blouson to have that same feel.
Japanese pampas grass. Yes, that's right. When I visited the "Seven by Seven" exhibition, I saw among the items he had designed a first G-janes inspired by the royal brand. It was not a replica, but an item with a strong sense of fashion, and I thought, "This is great. Furthermore, when I asked about it, I was told that they make this jacket every season, which made it even more appealing to me. There aren't many items like this that are made on a regular basis, are there?
upstreamYes, it is.
Japanese pampas grass. So, this was at the core of what he had in mind. The silhouette was unique, and there was a strong sense of hybridism, so I connected the dots in my mind. So I asked Junya, "Why don't we do it? I asked Junya if he would be interested in doing it.
upstreamI was very honored. And when I saw the finished product, I thought, "That's what I expected. The workmanship is amazing. As Mr. Ohana said, it is not a mere replica, and I think it is an item that can be worn by people of all ages, from young to old.
Japanese pampas grassThe guy at the denim factory in Okayama said to me, "That's an unusual order for you, Mr. Ohana" (laughs). (Laughs) . Even the way the thread is stuffed, it's already a very gory reproduction of the vintage of that time. People who like vintage clothes will understand this, but the fabric, the color and pitch of the stitches have been changed as well. . And the same goes for the hand-hammered rivets. . Also, the red ears, although the factory workers were very much against it. When you look at dead stock denim, red ears are pinkish in color. Do you see the pale pink line that may or may not be visible to the naked eye? Before I did it, I thought, "It's going to disappear. Do you want to do it? (laugh), but it turned out to be a great success with a very subtle difference.
Japanese pampas grassAlso, I've changed the fabric on the back side of the flap pockets of the jacket. Until the early days of the third, for some reason, they used a different fabric only here, and we are reproducing that.
upstreamThe one-wash is more easily recognizable for the difference in fabric.
Japanese pampas grassAnother key point is this button. Normally, I would put the brand name here as well, but I went for a plain button to create the mood of a designer brand from the 1990s or 2000s.
upstreamI thought that was interesting, too. I saw the details and silhouette of these pants, and I was impressed with what they brought to the table. I don't want to wear vintage or replica pants, but I honestly felt that I want to wear these pants now.
Also, the background strength of "N. Hollywood" really comes out in the fineness of the stitching and the reproducibility of the fabric. I prefer to see the strength of the product as an object rather than the design as a whole. It's simpler that way. . So, when I saw the finished product, I was impressed.
Japanese pampas grass. Lately, you see a lot of big maisons selecting young designers. This collaboration may be similar to that. Because they are small maisons, they have no choice but to compete with outstanding ideas, and I think this is what makes independent designers interesting, but depending on the capacity of the brand, there are some places where this is not possible. What we can do, therefore, is to create something interesting by facing their independent ideas and combining them with what we have cultivated.
upstream. I don't think you are doing vintage as it is for this item. That's what I like about it. It was new for me to see Mr. Ohana give shape to the vintage items.
Self-styling and reality starting with thrift stores.
Looking back on this collaboration, how did you feel about it?
Japanese pampas grass. It was good to get to know Junya through this production. Although we met again after a long time, it is not as if we had a deep relationship before that. I finally got to know him. I was happy to find similarities between what I have been doing and what he is doing now. I was also inspired as we talked about various things. Moreover, I felt that I could teach him some things.
upstreamI really learned a lot.
Japanese pampas grassThe landing point was clear before we made it, so it was probably more significant that we got to know his thoughts on the matter. . That kind of part definitely spices things up in the final product, doesn't it? . Because that kind of magic doesn't happen when you simply talk about things.
upstreamI was simply happy to work with Mr. Ohana. I think our customers will be very happy as well. I also think that it will change the way they look at the "N. Hollywood" brand. I also feel that it will change the way people view the N. Hollywood brand. Mr. Ohana and vintage clothing are inseparable, and I think the collection line will look even better if we promote that aspect of the brand.
Japanese pampas grassIt is true that some young people may not know that I am from a thrift shop.
upstreamBut, Mr. Ohana, even when you wear vintage clothes, they don't look vintage. I thought that was nice.
Japanese pampas grass. it's not what we call a traditional way of dressing. . If you make a mistake, you might look like a strange person wearing tattered clothes. So I have to think about how to dress in relation to my age, which is not an easy thing to do. . That's why it's fun to think about it.
upstreamI like that kind of thing, too. We went to a vintage clothing store in Machida together the other day. At that time, I saw you trying on various items and thought it was nice. It was fun to see you take one item in your hand and see how you would wear it. It was fun to hold an item in my hands and see how it would be worn.
Japanese pampas grass. Because that's where it all starts. We have to wear our clothes with sleeves on, and the way wrinkles appear in large-size clothes, etc., become a part of our design. That kind of self-styling and reality is the starting point for us.
upstreamThrough Mr. Ohana's attitude, I started to try various things. It is definitely better to not just wear something, but to wear it in a cooler way. I would like more people to enjoy this kind of thing.
