FILL THE BILL" blends various essences based on its deep knowledge of vintage clothing and proposes new ways to enjoy fashion. FILL THE BILL has recently collaborated with Buzz Rickson's, a well-known brand of flight jackets. Based on the "B-15D," the final form of the model with a boa collar, the silhouette has been reconstructed in a modern way, with a bold bi-colored specification. Here, the designer Junichi Kaneda delivers his thoughts, while stylists Ramuda Takahashi, Daisuke Araki, and Naoki Ikeda coordinate their work. We will show you the full appeal of the flight jacket, which has evolved into a modern gem.
. Born in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. After dropping out of fashion school, he worked at a fabric store, a print shop, and an interior decorating company before joining an OEM company. After working for a number of domestic brands, he became independent and started "Filsaville" in the fall/winter of 2012, and opened a store in Ebisu, Tokyo in 2015.
. not necessarily focusing on a particular decade or theme, but rather daring to mix things up.
Filsaville was launched in the fall/winter of 2012, and you were with an OEM company before that, right?
(gold) paddy fieldYes, that's right. The company is strong in denim, and I worked there producing original items for various select stores and domestic brands.
Is it a famous brand?
(gold) paddy fieldIf you like fashion, you know what I'm talking about. There were popular brands of the moment, as well as masculine and particular brands.
Were you in charge of the production of that brand, mainly denim?
(gold) paddy fieldI also made cut-and-sew and other things . I was with that company for three and a half years, and when I was 30, I went independent and was in charge of production on my own. I started my own brand when I was 32.
. from the "FILL THE BILL" 2018 AW collection. . Styling by Daisuke Araki, who will be showing us his coordination later.
The first season was somewhat masculine and the use of color and design was modest, but six years have passed since the start, and I think the creations have changed a lot.
(gold) paddy fieldThat is often said. . I think it's largely because we started making women's collections as well, starting with the fall/winter 2015 collection, I think. It's a rather recent thing, but when I do womenswear, the menswear designs become softer as well (laughs).
Why did you decide to start a women's line?
(gold) paddy fieldSince I had been doing women's wear as OEM in the first place, I wanted to do women's wear from the very beginning of starting the brand. Moreover, there were many people around me who were working on men's brands, and I know from my own experience that it seems like a lot of work to make them... (wry smile).
When I started the brand, I had another partner who was in sales, and he was the one who suggested that we work together on the brand, but he was from the men's field, so we decided that we had to start with men's wear.
I see. So you always had women's clothing in the back of your mind?
(gold) paddy fieldYes, I did. . but I was able to start women's wear earlier than I thought I would be able to. Women's clothing is still fun to design.
I think the keyword "vintage" is an unavoidable part of [FILZAVILLE]'s creations, but I don't think that's the only thing that comes through. There is a unique mood in the choice of fabrics, use of colors, and silhouettes.
(gold) paddy fieldOf course I like vintage, but I'm not particular about the decade, I like a wide range of styles, and I like everything from the 90s and the 30s, so I think it's okay to mix them up when I make clothes.
No matter the country?
(gold) paddy fieldIt doesn't really matter. However, I often go to the U.S. to buy vintage clothing for design reference, and I guess that's because I like American things. I like the mix of people from different ethnic backgrounds.
When you actually design an item, do you mix the essence of various ages in one item?
(gold) paddy fieldYes, it is. While I was designing, I thought, "Oh, this looks good," and then I combined them. I don't think it was intentional. I just thought it would be cool in the end when the styling was done.
That's a very flexible way of thinking.
(gold) paddy field. maybe. . if I stick to a theme or an age, I will be tied down too much. . Rather, I want to be more free and have fun, and I want the audience to have fun too.
. However, I do not feel that the brand is running in the direction of "sales.
(gold) paddy fieldThat is something that bothers me... (laughs). . When I am designing, there are times when I think, "This would definitely sell better. To put it simply, it would be safer to make plain clothes without using patterns. . But if I do that, the clothes suddenly become boring, or even false.
So you respect the individuality of the brand.
(gold) paddy fieldYes, that's right. I think it would be nice if you could do a special order for solid colors and such, but first you have to output what is inside of you in a pure way.
(FILL THE BILL × BUZZ RICKSON'S) Flight jacket ¥110,000+TAX
. Based on the "B-15D," the final form of flight jacket with a boa collar. The changeover from the sage green fabric used in the "B-15C" gives the jacket an impactful finish. The shoulders have been lowered and the body has been widened to create a modern silhouette. Primaloft Gold Insulation" is used for the padding.
The design is inspired by military irregulars.
How do you feel about designing military wear?
(gold) paddy fieldWe can make military shirts, but for outerwear such as flight jackets, it is very difficult to produce high quality products with our production background. That's why we borrowed the help of "Buzz Lixons" for this flight jacket.
He said that the best way is to ask a rice cake maker to make a rice cake for you.
(gold) paddy field. yes, I do. We have a serious desire to make this kind of outerwear. However, we could not reproduce even a single zipper specification on our own.
(gold) paddy field. And then there is the sewing. The specifications for puckering with wavy seams are not something you can simply consult with a factory and say, "Well, let's do it. They have probably reproduced this kind of thing through various trial and error processes, so it is not something that can be done immediately even if we wanted to do it ourselves.
What made you decide to make a flight jacket this time?
(gold) paddy fieldI had always wanted to make a ska-jan, and I had designed one myself, but I couldn't get it to look authentic. So I thought, "Maybe I should ask Buzz Lixons to do it for me. I thought about asking Buzz Rixons, but I also felt that we were still inexperienced and it would be difficult to ask them to do it... (wry smile).
So you took the plunge this time and asked for it.
(gold) paddy fieldThe timing of the planning of this item was around the time of the brand's 5th anniversary, so I thought it was about time (laughs). I already had the idea in my head of switching the fabric and changing the pattern, so I made a drawing of it and took it to Buzz Rickson's, and they agreed to work with me on it.
This collaboration item is based on the "B-15D," which is the final form of flight jacket with a boa on the collar.
(gold) paddy fieldMarilyn Monroe wore the B-15D. . As I mentioned earlier, I am often influenced by women's design, and so when I saw Marilyn Monroe wearing it, I liked it.
Where did you get the inspiration for the switching design?
(gold) paddy fieldThere are irregularities in military wear, aren't there? For example, belt loops of pants are made of a different color fabric. It is the same kind of nuance. This flight jacket is based on the "B-15D" and uses the "B-15C" fabric as well.
I know "B-15D" is olive drab , and "B-15C" is sage green.
(gold) paddy fieldYes . So I designed it as if the fabrics got mixed up during the transition from C to D. . . And we used "PrimaLoft Gold Insulation" for the padding. Ordinary padding is very heavy. When it absorbs moisture, it becomes even heavier, and it feels like walking around in a blanket (laughs). . It also makes it harder for the shoulders to fall off, and it makes me feel macho.
. So the design is modern and flexible.
(gold) paddy fieldIt is better to wear something that is easy to wear. Besides, I myself would not wear it if the pattern was bad. Therefore, I have restructured the silhouette to be more modern by lowering the shoulders and widening the body width. I think this made it easier to wear.
If you were to wear it yourself, how would you match it?
(gold) paddy fieldIf I wear jeans with it, it will be a very straight style, so I would like to wear the opposite.
. Finally, what are your future plans for the brand?
(gold) paddy fieldOverseas expansion? Right now my wholesale partners are only in Japan. . I can't say it will be soon, but I would like to have a show someday. That has been one of my goals since I came to Tokyo, and I would like to make it happen.
The three stylists show three different styles.
After having the designer, Mr. Kanada, talk about the brand and the collaborative items to his heart's content, the three stylists showed off their self-styling. According to Mr. Kanada, "All three of us have different styles, and I think the items fit all of them. So, let's take a look at the three different styles.
Case 01_Lambda Takahashi
It may look flashy in the picture, but the colors are similar, so I think it is an item that can be worn easily and without much effort. I don't think a flight jacket is something you wear with your shoulders stiff, so today I wore it in an everyday mood. The PrimaLoft padding makes it lightweight and easy to wear.
Case 02_Daisuke Araki
. it has a good volume and is warm . . I feel like I only need this in winter. Also, the color of the boa is exquisite and stylish. It looks a bit luxurious. . The color matches the color of the zipper, and I feel the design is very unique. The item itself has a strong presence, so I simply coordinated it without being too fussy. I was only a little conscious of the color combination.
Case 03_Naoki Ikeda
. It retains the impression of an authentic flight jacket, but the silhouette is oversized, making it easy to wear. I used to wear a Buzz Lixon's B-15D in the past, so I felt nostalgic. Since this is a military jacket, the thermal innerwear and "New Balance" feet give it a sporty look, while the wool shirt and slacks give it a more mature look.
