Recent status report meeting by Wism and Reshop in Ebisu.

moneyI think we are at a bit of a tipping point.

moneyThat's right. Since we were able to use the space on the second floor, we decided that if we were going to do this, we should do a women's shop. However, in my initial concept sheet, I had not decided on a men's store, and my original target was both men and women. So, when I thought about it, I felt that there was no need to do only men's shops, so I naturally decided to do women's shops as well. The concept for both men's and women's wear remained exactly the same. Our target customers are people in the same industry or graduates of select stores. We will continue to work on that without wavering.

moneyPeople who have grown up in a certain age group and have bought many different kinds of clothes often end up wearing the same clothes in the same order, even if the trends change from time to time. So, even if something has changed a little, they still have similar items. Many people get bored and end up wearing only basic items. We select items while thinking about what these people would like to have now. This is true for both men's and women's wear. For men's wear, we have finally reached a scale where we can do special orders, so rather than saying, "We've collected items from all over the world! Rather than saying, "We have collected items from all over the world," we are now creating items that are edited by us.

moneyThat's right. Before, I would have just stocked this knitwear, but now I am able to talk about putting a logo on it like this.

moneyYes, because the brand originally made knitwear for fishermen. But knitwear for fishermen was a thing of the past, and now it's like a specialty item. Considering this current situation, the idea was born from the idea that it would be nice to have a sweater made for souvenirs. After all, the ones we edited had blatantly good sales and a good response. On the other hand, items that we simply brought from overseas may not have that much of an impact. That may be what makes it different from "wism.

moatThe customer might not be satisfied.

moneyI wonder if there is a demand for something with a bite. Even for events, such as coat order events, they are often very well accepted. So, I think it would be better to do more of such events than to just introduce a bunch of brands.

moatI don't have any. I add colors and things according to my mood at the time, but it is not so fixed. But on the other hand, I also feel uneasy about not being set in my ways. In the first place, I am not chasing fashion, and I wonder if my choice is really the right one. Our job is to make decisions, so when we do something, including purchasing, we ask ourselves a lot of questions. But that doesn't mean that the answer will change. It's a repetition of the process of kneading and piecing things together in my mind, coming up with an answer, and then answering it in an orderly fashion. Even the final decision is not necessarily backed up, but only that I have made the decision within myself. I probably took longer than Mr. Kaneko to reach that point.

moneyI may be too quick to give an answer. I think it is too early to give an answer, because I have a "misconception". Our work is something for which there is no right answer. It may be the same for all of us, but there is a misconception that "we think it's good, and everyone else must think it too! I think it is impossible to create something that has no precedent unless there is a misunderstanding somewhere. It's all about what we saw and what we thought was good.

small hillBuyers think about what kind of story they should tell in order to sell the products they purchase, and I think that Kaneko-san and Horike-san are particularly skillful in this storytelling. I think that Kaneko and Horike are particularly skilled at storytelling! I'm fine with this! If I were to put them on a pentagonal radar chart, they are both unbalanced, but because of that, they have a very sharp point, and that is what attracts people to them. On the other hand, if you think of a store's lineup with an emphasis on MD, the corners will become rounder and rounder. It's the same with media planning. If you just pick something because it's trendy, it won't shine in a special way. However, not everyone can do what the two of you are doing, so I want those who can do it to go ahead and do it. Otherwise, fashion will become more and more uniform. I want to protect people who are doing interesting things.

moneyI want to be protected (laughs).

moatWell, there is a part of me that is open to it. If I can't do something, I can't do it. However, when I decide to do something, I give it my all, and I am very grateful to the staff for being there for me. If it had been anywhere else, it might not have turned out this way. So I am blessed to have the people who surround me. Without them, there is no doubt that "wism" would not be what it is today. We are doing this because we want to make a name for ourselves in the fashion industry. Even if we stand in stores from now until we die, the world may not change much, but I think we are doing everything we can, even if it is inefficient, to increase the number of people who think that clothing stores like this are cool. I think that Kaneko-san is the one who can talk about this openly with us.

moatThat's how I feel.

moneySame as above.

small hillIt is interesting, first of all, that within the large company "BAYCREW'S," there are stores like "Wism" and "Reshop," which are heretical. I think their presence is significant not only to the media and customers, but also to the employees of "BAYCREW'S". Everyone loves clothes when they join BAYCREW'S, so having stores that are clearly doing interesting things within the company is sure to be a source of inspiration. I have a feeling that many people would like to work at Wism or Reshop.

moatOh no, it's just by chance. We meet by chance, or we connect with each other through some chance encounter. I don't have a sense of fashion, so I try to get into the "human" part of things. I am not trying to be eccentric, but I feel that I am able to do so in a normal way.

moatYes, it is. What kind of person and what kind of thing are they thinking about when they are making the product? And also, whether or not it is told in one's own words. Even if it is poorly expressed, I think that is fine as long as there are no lies. I think that's why celebrity blogs are so popular. Everyone is interested in what kind of person that person is.

moneyIn terms of buying, we do our best to involve our staff in the buying process, and all of them aspire to become buyers. I think the scope of "reshop" should be unlimited, so I ask each staff member to come up with an order for products in his or her area of expertise, and we stock those items as well.

small hillYou are empowering them a little bit at a time.

moneyThat's right. A staff member who recently transferred to our company is also strong in American native items. What he wears is amazing. When I find an item I like, I call on him to stock it immediately. It's like we are taking advantage of everyone's strengths.

moatI see. That's good!

small hillWhen you start doing that, you start to feel like a team. If the initial stage was for everyone to desperately follow the leader's efforts, I feel that we are now at a different stage. I think a groove is created when everyone is working together.

moatA sense of participation is important.

small hillWe need to make it our own business, not someone else's.

moatYou are managing properly!

moneyThe other day, I took a newly graduated "Journal Standard" staff member who happened to be shopping at the store to an exhibition. There is a women's brand for which we have a special order for men's wear, and he happened to be shopping there, so I asked him, "I'm going to an exhibition for that brand now. I said, "I'm going to that brand's exhibition now.

all of usHeh!

moneySo I went to the exhibition with him and showed him all the meetings. I took her to another exhibition. She was from the Kichijoji store of "Journal Standard" (laughs).

moatThat is quite a wizard!

moneyOddly enough, when I was having a business meeting at a store, if someone I knew came into the store, I would ask him or her to join the business meeting and ask his or her opinion. We like to involve them. It's a great way for us to hear interesting opinions. I also think that the people who are involved in the process will be surprised at what they can experience when they come to "Reshop" and think that clothes are fun. The children we took to the exhibition are probably also very fond of clothes, so it would be nice if they could use this as a springboard to pursue something else.

moatThat's a good story! I, on the other hand, am very secretive when it comes to buying. I'm very meticulous, so I can't make such "moves on the fly".

small hillAt first glance, "Wism" looks like a restaurant that focuses on momentum, but it's not at all. That's what makes it so interesting.

moatThat's about all I have to say about that (laughs). But it is true that many people in my company have recently told me that they like "wism" and "reshop. Actually, when "Reshop" was first created, I didn't understand it at all. Mr. Kaneko is a legend within the company, but I had not been at BAYCREW'S all my life, so I didn't really get it. I thought his worldview was amazing, but I didn't really understand it. On the other hand, "Wism" is a store that abandons the parts that I don't understand, so I think it's pretty amazing that I like both a store that makes its living doing that and a store that abandons that. I think it's quite an amazing thing to like both shops that make their living and shops that abandon that part of their business.

moneyIn terms of range, Horike has a range that I don't have. But if you look at it from a broader perspective, I don't think there is much difference after all. When it comes to buying, my approach is that I meet people through chance encounters, or I happen to find something good at a place I pass by, but I don't think that Horike-kun is much different. Neither of us sees the market or understands the world. I think it's about what we can pick up on our own path. In that sense, the tastes of what we do are totally different, but I don't think they are very different. I think that's why we can relate to each other.

moneyIf we were both asked to do the opposite store, I don't think we'd be able to move at all.

moatIndeed. You have to start at the very bottom of the sales staff (laughs). (Laughs.) I'm afraid I'm going to say "Welcome! I think I'm going to make a mistake in the volume of my voice (laughs).

moneyBut I think the goal is the same and the process is close. I think that "wism" is the only one I know of.

small hillBoth of you write blogs for us, and sometimes you write about the story behind your purchases. Kaneko-san writes in a proper style, but Horike-san writes with a sense of momentum, as if he were saying, "I was walking around and found something amazing! I found something amazing while I was walking around! But in the end, what they are doing is the same, isn't it? It is interesting that they have the same mindset, even though they are completely different from each other. It's been a while since I visited both of your restaurants, but I found each of them very interesting.

small hillMaybe I am just uninformed, but there are always brands in both stores that I have never heard of. As for "wism," I think people have completely different impressions of the store. It shows many different faces depending on the person who receives it. For example, I like brands that are not well-known but are very well-made, but at the same time, there are many brands with great graphics. On the other hand, there are also many brands with great graphics that I wouldn't wear myself, but that's all part of the "wism. The reason why the store is like that is that Mr. Horie has so many different styles to choose from. He doesn't usually show that side of himself, so that's interesting.

small hillLately, it seems to have a certain elegance to it. It used to be a store for experts, where people who liked to shop would go with solemnity, but now it has a more open atmosphere, including the store's special order items. However, the layout of the store is always changing, and there is always something on every rack. You can never be too careful. It's also great that every item in the store has a story behind it. Also, I can say the same thing about "wism," but even the same brand and items look completely different in this store. That is the power of the store, and it makes customers feel that if they are going to buy something, they want to buy it here. Since we don't have original products, we have to compete by purchasing, and of course we have to have that kind of power, but this part of our business is visibly strong.

moneyWe have a lot of challenges. The biggest challenge is how to communicate it, because we are doing something that is difficult to understand in the first place. If we fail to communicate it, it will really just be something we like. Each piece has its own story and feelings, and there are many things that can be conveyed, but it is difficult to say whether all of them are conveyed appropriately. Anyway, now I have to spend time on that. The issue for myself and all the staff is how to convey each of these ideas one by one. I think the product lineup will change significantly in the future. We will be exploring more local artists and designers, and discovering forgotten brands. In Japan, product development efforts with designers will increase. The ideal is not to force ourselves to search for something, but rather something that is born out of dialogue, or something that is found by chance in an unfamiliar place. I don't think it is possible to satisfy customers with products that I can only imagine. This time, I went to the U.S. for about two weeks and challenged myself to see what I could find in New York, Texas, and LA. I am not sure if this is really the best way to go about it (laughs). (laughs). (Laughs) During the collection season, there is a lot going on in Paris, Italy, and New York, isn't there?

moatI ask myself questions like that.

moneyThat's right. I don't go to the places where everyone else is looking the most, and I don't look online for information. I don't go to other stores at all now. I ask myself if my way is the right way or not.

moatI don't go to any Japanese clothing stores either. I think they are all amazing. The theme for this season is "Genderless! (laughs). (Laughs.) From my point of view, I don't think it's possible to set a theme. Both stores are focused on delivering the goods. I would like to work hard until it becomes a phenomenon, and after that, "suppression" will emerge. And after that, "control" will emerge.

small hillSuppression (laughter).

moatOf course, you want to conquer the fashion industry. It would be cool if we could conquer it with this stance. If everyone brings good things to the store, it will be a good store, and it will lead to good results. In that sense, what we are doing with "reshop" is the same. It's just a different way of showing it.

moneyWe have been in business for almost four years now, and while we are gradually growing as a business, it is a bit dangerous right now. I think it's the same for both of our stores, but if we are not careful, we could become an ordinary select store. In other words, if we were to bend. So while we are getting bigger, we are also trying to be more conscious of our original intentions. I think "Reshop" is a challenge to see how we can realize what the pioneers in the early days of select stores pioneered in today's information-overloaded world. That's why we are becoming more and more information-shy. In those days, without any information, people would go to the U.S. just because they liked it, spend days crossing the country, and bring something back to Japan after finding it in a strange place. I think I am becoming more and more like that, even if I am not very conscious of it. It is as if I am forcing myself to do so in the midst of information.

moneyYes, it is. That kind of approach is getting worse (laughs).

moatAs Mr. Kaneko just said, it becomes normal. If we talk only in terms of results and make judgments based on numbers alone. If we do that, things will become more and more strange. I want to bring back to health even if it is only "wism" and "reshop. I want to be a cool store that everyone would want to be a clothing store!