He was in Denham , one of the best denim doctors in the world.
Hiroaki Negishi, president of Denham Japan, welcomes a guest for the second installment of a conversation exploring the appeal of Denham's products with Hiro Yoshikawa, whom Jason Denham, owner of Denham, recognizes as his one and only partner in manufacturing. He has served as a sounding board for nearly 70 brands to date, and can be called a denim doctor.
Creative and production director. After graduating from university, joined an apparel company. He became an expatriate in Hong Kong and managed production at a factory in China. There, he encountered denim and built his career at a major washing factory in Okayama, Japan. He has worked as an advisor for nearly 70 brands. He has lived in Hong Kong for 30 years.
Yomei Negishi
President and Director of Denham Japan. After graduating from university, he worked in various industries in fashion companies. After serving as COO of Glamour Sales as a start-up member, he became President of Denham The Jean Maker Japan in 2011, and has also served as Brand Director of Denham Japan since 2002.
Instagram:@denham_japan_by_aki_negishi
Jason Denham's pocketbook.
You have a very unique background.
YoshikawaI was born the second son of a sake brewer that has been in business for 400 years. Because it is an old industry, the heir is always the eldest son. I grew up being told to do what I wanted. I just wanted to get out there. I wanted to be in a world where I could test my ability. So, after graduating from college, I entered an apparel company. I focused on working overseas. That's how I ended up in Hong Kong. At the time, OEM production was flourishing. It was just as I had planned.
How did you go from there to the denim world?
YoshikawaThis is where I discovered the allure of natural materials. Silk, linen, cotton. I was amazed at how profound the potential of natural materials is. Then one day, I came across denim. I was excited like a child. Colors can be changed, holes can be made.... Silk also has an aging process called sandwashing, but it was very modest compared to denim.
How did you acquire your skills?
YoshikawaThrough the help of the president of an inspection company with whom I had a relationship, I infiltrated a washing factory in Okayama. That factory worked for Levi's®, so it is no exaggeration to say that I learned the basics of processing from Levi's®. However, even though I have mastered the techniques, I still think I have a long way to go. 25 years later, I am still in the midst of my training. And training may continue for the rest of my life.
I heard that you have lived in Hong Kong since you were transferred there in your 20s. It has been 30 years.
YoshikawaPart of it was because I was comfortable with the national character that clearly says yes or no, but the biggest reason was that I felt a sense of crisis that if I returned to Japan, I would end up immersed in a factory and end up being a technician. Hong Kong is a difficult city to live in, considering that the rent goes up every year (an average apartment for a Japanese person costs 500,000 yen/month, and the average Japanese person can live on average on average on average on 500,000 yen/month)! ), but it made me feel like I could do my best. Besides, Hong Kong is a transit city. Everyone is very easy to come by. I rent an atelier for them that costs more than my house (laughs).
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoThe archives are all over the place there. It's a huge number.
YoshikawaYes, I think it will be 3,000 bottles.
3,000 bottles!
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoSo a world-renowned designer suddenly comes wandering in (laughs).
I understand that you have worked with some of the most prestigious brands.
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoI think we have taken care of almost 70 brands so far.
What is Yoshikawa's area of work?
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoHe is the person who decides the luster of the denim. In other words, from design to production control, not to mention processing. In short, it is not an exaggeration to say that I make everything. Once production starts, I am always at the factory.
40 specification sheets per denim.
I understand that you and Jason have known each other for a long time.
YoshikawaI've been working with Blue Blood (Denham's predecessor brand) for about 20 years now. Denham is the only brand that has been around this long. Anyway, Jason is a wonderful person. It's hard to get people to understand my kind of work as a job, but Jason showed me the respect I deserved.
And the attention to craftsmanship is amazing.
YoshikawaYes, we make 40 to 50 samples a season, but only one hand is used.
That's uncalled for (laughs). But how do you come up with that many ideas?
YoshikawaSometimes we struggle with output. In such cases, I go on a trip. I once sketched an image on a desert when I was riding a camel (laughs).
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoThe revisions after the employment decision is made are also amazing. We put duct tape all over the samples and put instructions down to the whiskers," he says.
YoshikawaI created a bible to give this a proper form. This is what we call a specification sheet. For this "JAL," there were over 40 specifications.
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoThe process of processing is also amazing, so please listen to them.
YoshikawaWith strong chemicals, it can be completed in 3 days, but I wash by hand. JAF" took 40 to 50 days. Drying is also done in the sun, so it takes not only time but also space. Factories don't like it (laughs). But denim that borrows the power of the natural world can be worn for 10 or 20 years. Indigo is alive.
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoThe texture is so different from the way it's worn down.
YoshikawaIf these techniques are left alone, they will become obsolete. If they are abandoned, they can never be reproduced. Fortunately, there are more young kids in the field, and they are all motivated. They are the ones who did the yancha, and it seems that burning and drilling was in their nature (laughs).
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoThe stitching is cotton, right?
YoshikawaYup. Because it's strange that the body is tearing, but with polyester it shines forever.
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoNowadays, they make their products from denim threads.
YoshikawaThis is when we started making our original products. As the brand name "WASHI" suggests, we use Japanese paper for the weft. In fact, it is durable, quick-drying, comfortable to the body, and gentle to nature. It took seven years for the threads and three years for the weaving. I have used it at [Denham], but only once. That fabric is from [Washi], so I think Jason was aware that it shouldn't be naff. He is such a manly man.
I am left overwhelmed, but what is so interesting about processing in the first place?
YoshikawaDenim may be best grown from its raw state. However, there are many people who do not have the time to do so, which is why the market is established. However, I am more interested in the fact that the denim is processed to simulate the life of the wearer, which is expressed through the processing of the denim.
For example, "JGV". This is inspired by American coal miners. They wrap bombs in denim and throw them into the coal mine. The fabric is different on the top and bottom because the disparate denim is sewn together at random. If you wanted to reproduce this, you would have to do two pieces of processing. It is very costly. Jason dropped it, but Mr. Negishi found it in his atelier in Hong Kong and it saw the light of day.
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoThe reason why Mr. Yoshikawa is a master of his craft is not only in the processing. The detailing is also impressive. The "CROSSBACK," which is full of specs that made denim geeks shed tears of joy, and the "FORGE MIJ10YVS," which has 10 threads of selvage, are good examples of this.
SKIN JAL
A masterpiece of all masterpieces, this pair of jeans is inspired by the coal miners of the 1930s, and has been painted, damaged, and otherwise treated in various ways. The washing process alone takes 72 hours per pair. ¥52,000+TAX
SKIN JAF
As with "SKIN JAL," every process from fabric, sewing, and washing to processing has been thoroughly considered. As mentioned in the interview, the processing that does not rely on chemicals is realistic and durable enough to be worn for 10 or 20 years. ¥56,900+TAX
CROSSBACK
A classic from 2011 is back with Japanese production, with the iconic bag cross design inspired by the work overalls of the 1840s. The one-piece button fly, one-piece fabric pattern, and drop yoke are sure to bring tears to the eyes of geeks. ¥27,800+TAX
FORGE MIJ10YVS
The selvedge, consisting of 10 stitches, commemorates the brand's 10th anniversary. The orange color is inspired by the Netherlands. ¥47,000+tax
Knowing the difficulty of manufacturing, they do not allow compromise.
Tell me about the license line, I hear that it sells from right to left when introduced on social networking sites.
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoFirst of all, to avoid any misunderstanding, what I want to make are items that play a supporting role for the Denham denim. I want to add what is lacking in the Japanese market.
This is the third T-shirt in the licensed line that sells out in an instant. The pattern, which is completely different from the previous ones, is the most important feature. Unfortunately, it sold out within 5 days of its release.
That kind of profundity gave birth to the Pack T, which sold out 4,000 pieces in one month.
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoThe first version is made of a material that pursues a luxurious feel, while the second version is made of a material that has the ability to cut 99.9% of ammonia, but has a vintage feel. The third version uses Dodume fabrics, but is made a little larger so that the collar is not too stuffy. I was embarrassed by the new look, so I always stretched the collar of any high-end brand T-shirts before wholesaling them. I expressed this through the ingenuity of the sewing process.
This is a collaboration with "Minotaur," a company known for its bold craftsmanship, which was released in the fall of the year before last. The highlight is the shell made of salt shrink nylon, which has a paper-like texture. This fall, a piece that boldly proclaims itself as the definitive down jacket will be released. If you are interested, check out the SNS!
Outerwear is also attracting attention.
cliff along the shore of a river in Niseko City, HokkaidoThe first one was made because we liked the texture of salt shrink nylon. After a year of work, a new version will be released this fall. This is the strongest down jacket ever, filled with so much down that the jacket can stand on its own. Other functions are also at full throttle. Once you hold it in your hands, you will be amazed.
It's a natural but hard-to-do feat to create products that people want without being constrained by conventional wisdom. It's no wonder that customers are jumping at the chance to try it.
