Embodying the elegance of the 80's. The first collection of Solaris & Co. by the parties involved.
SOLARIS HATMAKERS&Co. creates vintage-inspired hats with a modern interpretation based on the concept of "old & new. The brand will launch a clothing collection in the fall/winter of 2019. The name of the brand is "Solaris & Co. The designer Ryuichi Tokaibayashi's love of vintage is everywhere in the collection, and the 80's elegance that he says he was inspired by is generously expressed. In addition to an interview with the designer himself, we also spoke with stylist Ryota Yamada, who has been styling the brand's looks since its inception. We take a closer look at the appeal of this rising star brand, which will make its debut next season.
A high quality collection that feels delicate and careful when you hold it in your hand.
Please tell us about the "old and new" concept of "Solaris Hatmakers.
TokaolinI have always loved vintage clothes, and I am inspired by them, but I do not want to reproduce the good old things as they are, but to reconstruct them through my own filter and incorporate them into modern fabrics. Vintage clothes have a charm that today's mass-produced items cannot match, and I hope to convey that charm with today's technology.
Why did you start out as a hat brand?
TokaolinI have loved clothes since I was young, and bought many different kinds of clothes, but after I turned 30, I settled on vintage again, but I didn't find many hats that I wanted to wear with those clothes. Even if there were some, they didn't fit, and I felt I had no choice but to make my own hats.
I see.
TokaolinVintage items can be worn for a long time. Both in terms of quality and design. The reason is that function is a prerequisite. That is also what makes them attractive as a design. We express such functional beauty in our hats at "Solaris Hat Makers.
The functional beauty in clothing is easy to understand, but how do you express that in a hat?
TokaolinThere are many different meanings of hats, such as hats made to block out the sun, hats made for fashion, hats made to protect against the cold, etc. I try to design hats that are faithful to these meanings. I try to design hats that are faithful to these meanings.
Why did you start the wear?
TokaolinWhen I was making hats and customers asked me, "How do you match this hat? I began to think more specifically about how I could convey my vision of the world in an easy-to-understand way. Since I have always loved clothes, it did not take me long to decide that I would design clothes as well and present them in total. However, I would like to develop the hat brand "Solaris Hatmakers" and the apparel brand "Solaris & Co" so that they can bring out the best in each other, rather than thinking of hats as accessories within a brand.
What is the theme of the first season?
TokaolinThe theme is "TOKYO". To be precise, it is the Tokyo of today as imagined by people of a slightly earlier era. Films made in those days had a different sense of fun than the full CG used today. Also, the clothes worn by the characters were cool and left an impression on me.
Nylon Riders Jacket
This is a riders' jacket that expresses sexiness with nylon instead of leather. The fabric has a subdued sheen, creating a subdued mood. It was inspired by my own 50's riders, and I arranged it in an 80's style with ribbed sleeves and hemmed sleeves.
What kind of films, for example?
TokaolinI liked "Black Rain," "Blade Runner," and "Gunhead. I also liked "JM," a movie from the 90's, because of its unusual combination of the near future and the Japanese yakuza. Personally, I like 80's culture, so I incorporated the near-future Tokyo style imagined by the people of that era into the design in my own way.
open-collared shirt
This shirt is made of a synthetic fiber fabric called lyocell. The body is wider and the armholes are wider, giving it somewhat of a dolman sleeve shape. I also adjusted the silhouette by tightening the hem a little so that the shirt would tuck in nicely.
TokaolinI also refer to the fashions of the older generation that I admired when I was young. Just as today's young people admire the 90's, the 80's are the equivalent for my generation, and I think that the essence of the 50's and 60's was well digested and developed in its own unique way in the 80's. I think that is what makes it interesting. I think that's what makes it interesting.
Silver ring , 14k ring , Silver bracelet , 14k x silver bracelet
The accessory made of 14-karat gold and sterling silver is an item made by an artist named Masascarp. I think it is a very delicate accessory. The snake eyes are made of emeralds and rubies, respectively.
I had imagined a collection with a strong heritage mood, given his love of vintage, but it was not limited to that, with some glossy and racy items inserted, which gave it a sense of individuality.
TokaolinOf course I love vintage, but I think the same item can look completely different depending on the size and the way it is worn. I have an antithesis to the standard, and I like to express myself in the way I like to wear and wear it. I also like old yakuza movies such as "Battles Without Honor and Humanity," which may have had an influence on me.
Mao collar jacket , vest , trousers
The black and white fabrics are different, but the black one is made of "Crevacuore" and the white one is made of "Boggio Gazello," an Italian manufacturer's fabric. The black fabric is from 'Crevacuore' and the white is from an Italian manufacturer called 'Boggio Gazero.
Are there any key items in your collection?
TokaolinThese are the three pieces. I designed this first, and then created other items to match it. I had a longing for that image. At the time, DC brand had a Mao collar set-up, but it was too long and you had to be tall to look good in it. I decided that I wanted to create an item that would look good on a Japanese person, so I designed this.
The lineup is also basically unified in a monotone of white and black. Is there a reason for this?
TokaolinThe rebellious blackness that I embrace, and its contrasting transparent white. I expressed this contrast. Since this is the first season of the collection, I wanted to convey the details of the garments without going for patterns or colors, so I decided to use a monotone color scheme.
Are there any parts of the garments that are not visible, such as the quality of the sewing or fabrics? From what I see, the quality of the clothes themselves seems to be very high.
TokaolinSince the time we started making hats, we have been producing all of our products domestically. This is connected to what I said earlier, but it is meaningless if the clothes are not worn for a long time, so we insist on domestic production in the sense of making good quality products. There were many things I wanted to make, but I focused on the quality of each item, so I kept the number of models to a minimum and made what I could afford.
What specific items do you envision in your mind when you think of "something solidly good"?
TokaolinIt is something that feels delicate and careful when you hold it in your hand. This is an item that is more strongly demonstrated when you wear it. It is important to make people want to wear the item when they take a quick look at it, but I want the item to show its charm when worn.
You have only just announced your first season, but what are your future plans and other goals that you have drawn up for the future, Mr. Tokaibayashi?
TokaolinI have a plan for the next season in my mind, and I want to express it with a higher level of perfection. I want to create an environment in which I can do 100% of what I want to do, or rather, I want to cultivate my ability to express and realize my ideas in order to broaden the scope of what I want to do.
Ryuichi Tokaibayashi / SOLARIS&Co., SOLARIS HATMAKERS&Co. designer
Born in 1981 in Yamagata Prefecture. Moved to Tokyo upon entering fashion school. After graduation, he worked at various jobs to gain experience and launched the hat brand "SOLARIS HATMAKERS&Co." in the 2016 SS season with the concept of "old & new. He has been selling his products mainly at select stores such as L'ECHOPPE, and will launch his clothing brand in the 2019 AW season.
Interview 02 Ryota Yamada / Stylist
There was no brand that pushed this kind of elegant mood of the 80s.
How long have you known Mr. Tokaibayashi?
mountain fieldWe have known each other since long before he started his brand. He was not in the apparel industry at that time, but we met about 10 years ago through a connection among people who like clothes. I have a vague recollection (laughs).
What is your impression of Mr. Tokaibayashi from your point of view?
mountain fieldYou are always aloof. You don't show much enthusiasm, but rather keep it bottled up inside. I was surprised when I was told out of the blue that you were actually planning to start Solaris Hatmakers.
What do you feel about the sense part?
mountain fieldWe have different tastes in the items we choose, but we both like old things. So we have a lot of common language in the vintage clothing area in our conversations. I prefer a more blunt, unrefined look, while he chooses something a little more delinquent or raunchy. That kind of mood suits me well (laughs). (Laughs) When I saw the clothes from Solaris & Co. this time, I thought it was very Tokaibayashi's style. I saw a lot of his personal items that he has been buying recently, and I felt that they were well edited to express his current mood.
Certainly, it has a charm that is not just a rehash of vintage taste. It is a bit like Tokaibayashi's own individuality.
mountain fieldI think "80's" is one of the essences. The 80's vintage clothing on the market is dominated by sporty items such as "Ralph Lauren" and "Tommy Hilfiger. But he picks up high-end brands from the same era. For example, Armani and Versace. Originally, his personal clothes were inspired by an older era, such as the 40's and 50's. The high-end brands of the 80's are in sync with the silhouettes of the 40's and 50's. This sense of synchronicity is perhaps the reason why he is so in sync with the 40's and 50's. I think this synchronized feeling may be the "now" for him.
A look from the 2019 SS season for Solaris Hatmakers, directed and styled by Mr. Yamada.
Yamada-san, you have been involved in the visual production of the brand since the start of "Solaris Hatmakers," how do you interpret the brand?
mountain fieldWe are conscious of the keyword "classic" when creating the visuals, but we are working to create a modern look in terms of the way it looks. The correct theory is that the technique and texture are classic, but the way it looks is fresh.
New but old, old but new. Like a universality that can go back and forth between the two.
mountain fieldWhen it comes to what kind of look it is, it is incredibly difficult. It may look old-fashioned, but it looks fresh now. I think such a feeling is the ideal landing point.
tassel loafers
These shoes are a mix of loafers and opera shoes. They are made by Japanese craftsmen, and are of a very high quality and designed to fit the Japanese foot. They are very comfortable to wear.
You mentioned earlier that "this collection is very Tokaibayashi's style." What are your impressions of "Solaris & Co.
mountain fieldI think it can be summed up in one word: his own character. In an age when more and more lo-fi brands are developing products using only prints on existing bodies, he has taken the opposite approach, creating detailed and solid products. I was surprised to see that he has focused on a monotone color scheme. I think it is easy to make an impression when seen in mass as a debut collection, and it is also good for conveying a world view.
Sweatshirts, sweatpants
The sweatshirt is wider in width and slightly shorter in length, so that when worn with trousers, the tucks are nicely balanced. I imagined the sweatshirts worn by 80s delinquents such as Galfi and Santa Fe, but arranged the details so that they wouldn't be too drab.
Are there any items of personal interest to you?
mountain fieldI was curious about this sweatshirt. It stands out the most in the lineup. I was surprised to see this kind of channel. We have never used such sporty clothes in our previous "Solaris Hatmakers" looks. I was surprised that something like this was possible.
The look of the 2019 AW season for Solaris & Co. styled by Yamada as well as the hat.
Following on from your work on the Hats, you also created the visuals for Solaris & Co. What did you keep in mind when styling the hats?
mountain fieldFirst of all, I wanted to show the clothes well, so I kept the background and light as simple as possible. I kept the coordination minimal and created a balance with the interesting silhouettes of the clothes. I thought it would be better to show the individuality of the clothes themselves, rather than the unexpectedness of the styling.
There are many vintage-inspired brands, but what do you think makes Solaris & Co. unique?
mountain fieldWhen you extract shapes from old clothes, there is inevitably some overlap with other brands, but since "Solaris & Co." chooses from a niche, there doesn't seem to be much overlap. I felt that this was one of their strengths.
Indeed, it seems unlikely that there is a brand that makes this type of clothing.
mountain fieldThere are many other brands that aim for the kitschy feel characteristic of the 80s, but I don't think there have been many that have pushed an elegant mood forward. When you look at the lineup as a whole, it is easy to get a sense of the world. It's difficult to convey in words, but the originality of the brand is well communicated.
What do you expect from Solaris & Co. in the future?
mountain fieldI hope more people will know about it. I have been thinking about this since I was working on hats, but even though the product is solid, there have been few opportunities for people to see it. Especially with hats, you can only reach a limited number of people. I always thought that was a waste. I am sure that there are people who like this kind of brand, and I hope that we can increase the number of contacts with such people.
Ryota Yamada / Stylist
Born in 1980 in Tokyo. After graduating from Bunka Fashion College, he joined a major select store. After working in sales, he studied under stylist Hiroshi Ozawa before setting up his own business in 2007. Currently in charge of visual direction and styling for many brand catalogs, he also demonstrates his skills in runway shows and various media. He is known as one of Tokyo's leading stylists. He has been involved in the visual direction of the looks of "Solaris Hatmakers" since its first season.
