Originally a brand that made rubber boots for farmers, Aigle has been with people and labor for 165 years. . It is neither a transient trend, nor does it cling to the weight of its history. . The brand's attitude has always been flexible. The brand's attitude is reflected in its current products. For this interview, we asked six people who are active in different fields but who share Aigle's philosophy about their work and work clothes.
. was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. After working as a buyer at the record store WAVE, he joined Amazon Japan in 2001, leaving in March 2015 to open waltz in Nakameguro, Tokyo. In 2017, he was selected for the first time in Japan for the "Gucci Places" project, which introduces the places that have inspired the Gucci brand.
What kind of clothing do you usually choose when you stand in a store?
. Since I have deliveries to make every day, I tend to wear clothes that can get dirty and that are easy to move around in. Also, I tend to choose shirts, store coats, and other items that have breast pockets, since I will put the price tag in my breast pocket when the item is sold.
The shirt you selected from "Aigle" this time also has a chest pocket. The jacket is a lightweight one, but do you wear this kind of functional clothing on a daily basis?
Not so much, but I think it would be useful to have. Nakameguro, where the store is located, is my hometown, and I go to work on foot. Since I live within a very limited distance from the shop, something I can quickly throw on over my work clothes is very useful.
Since you used to work for Amazon Japan, do you often buy clothes by mail order?
. Basically, I never buy clothes by mail order. It is true that I have been with "Amazon Japan" for 14 years since its launch, but I started my career as a buyer for a record store. . I just like physical stores.
Were you worried about setting up a physical store in a time when things were not selling?
When Amazon Japan was first launched, it was not uncommon to hear people say that "Amazon" was going to destroy brick-and-mortar stores when they visited their customers. But I didn't think so at all. I was convinced that there is value that can only be found in a brick-and-mortar store. I may be trying to prove that here and now.
Nowadays, analog is being reevaluated in all kinds of scenes. I feel that "waltz" is a part of this trend.
. Actually, I am not running this store to make people nostalgic for the past. Rather, I am thinking, "From today's perspective, this is new, isn't it?" I am trying to make people feel as if they are looking at it from a new perspective. This is symbolized by the table in the center of the store. These are all new releases. There are creators all over the world who are trying to express art on cassette tapes, and it is an ongoing process.
Born in 1980 in Tokyo , Japan. Graduated from Tama Art University with a degree in oil painting, and began working with "Yama Foods" in 2011. He has been active in a wide range of activities, including catering, photography coordination, and workshops at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, the DNP Louvre Museum, the Yamagata Biennale, and other events and receptions. He proposes a variety of ideas that allow people to experience "eating" with their own bodies.
I understand that until September 2018, you used to go to the mountains of Yamagata every year to search for ingredients. Have you always loved the outdoors?
No, I had never climbed a mountain before, although I had been in the mountains every month for two years at that time. So I gradually started to get the things I needed.
Aigle is a brand with its roots in the French outdoors, so it's perfect for getting into the mountains.
. In Yamagata, we often climbed mountains and went straight to meetings. . So I was always worried about what kind of clothes I should wear. . If I wore normal clothes, they would get dirty, and if I wore something outdoorsy, it would look unnatural when moving around or going to meetings. . In such cases, something that has both design and functionality, like the linen-blend shirt and the grained bag I chose today, would be useful.
As well as going to Yamagata to pick ingredients, your work is very diverse, isn't it?
Catering used to be my main work, but now I mainly create and sell products, including scenography, workshops, and installations at events and parties.
What will you be doing at the workshop?
We offer workshops for children to eat with edible utensils and cutlery, and we collaborate with pianists to offer workshops on sound and food. . For the latter, we also have one where we ask the pianist to eat food while he/she is performing and see how the sound changes with the taste.
It is quite experimental, isn't it?
I think about the plate and fork again, listen to the sounds, and deconstruct the act of eating. I love to tantalize and shake up the senses that we usually exclude. Even if you eat the same food, the taste will be totally different depending on the situation, temperature, physical condition, emotions, and all sorts of other factors. I am very interested in this kind of thing.
Are you conscious of "wearing" in the same way on a regular basis?
When I used to do Butoh, I had the experience of painting my whole body white. It was a strange feeling, as I no longer felt shy when I painted, and I was no longer afraid of heights, which I was not good at. I was surprised at how much of a difference just putting on one film can make. . It's the same with clothes; when I put on my white coat for work, no matter how uninspiring the day is, I feel like I can do my best.
Owner, Little Nap COFFEE ROASTERSDaisuke Hamadathree
In 1997, he traveled throughout Italy , and was exposed to bar culture. In 2011, he opened Little Nap COFFEE STAND in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo. While producing various other stores and spaces, he also participates as a DJ in music events such as the Fuji Rock Festival, and is involved in a variety of other activities centered on coffee.
Mr. Hamada, I have the image of you wearing workwear on a daily basis and at work, but do you also wear outdoor lifestyle brands such as Aigle?
Not so many. Especially items like the polo shirt I chose this time, which I usually don't pick up. However, I was attracted to the slightly dull color of this polo shirt from Aigle. As for the jacket, even though it is made of GORE-TEX, it has a texture, and I like that it doesn't look like a match with what I usually wear.
Aigle has been in business for over 165 years, so that sense of heritage is part of its appeal. Also, the brand originally made rubber boots for farmers, so I think we have something in common in terms of work style.
Workwear is all about functionality, which is perfect for those of us who work in a job that requires us to get dirty. After all, we are laborers, so we have a longing for such old, traditional items, and we have a liking for things that can be worn for decades without going out of style or being worn to pieces. In that sense, a timeless brand like Aigle also appeals to us.
I feel that both Little Nap COFFEE STAND and Little Nap COFFEE ROASTERS are operating on a different axis from trends such as Third Wave.
. First of all, we want to be a store for people in the neighborhood. The locals have nurtured this store, so it is a prerequisite that they are accustomed to using it. There are many parks in other countries that have a nice coffee shop, a hamburger shop, and a band playing nearby. I have been observing this kind of culture for more than 20 years now, and I have continued to pursue it, and that is why we are where we are today.
Do you feel that you want to continue to operate the store for a long time to come?
I don't have any (laughs). My goal is to maintain the status quo. I don't want to do things this way or that way . I just want to enjoy the present. I don't want to teach the new generation of staff how to have fun; I want to take the initiative and show them how to have fun. In this way, I want to always be "my mom.
Born in 1982 , studied under photographer Shingo Wakagi from 2008 to 2011. . Since becoming independent, he has been based in Tokyo, photographing travel related to food and handicrafts. Solo exhibitions "To Eat" (2015 Tokyo), (2016 Kamakura), "Boa Memoria" (2019 Fukuoka), group exhibition "banryoku - The worth of worthless things -" (2018 Tokyo), etc. . www.nahokomorimoto.net
Both the shell and the rubber boots were a great color choice.
Actually, I went to the Aigle store in Hakata, where I was on a business trip, to try on a lot of clothes for today (laughs). I tried on many colors of shells, but I really liked the white one. It's not too blue , not too yellow, it's just an exquisite and beautiful white.
As for color, I guess it is a sensitivity unique to photographers , or perhaps a major criterion in choosing clothing.
I'm a bit of a "pink idiot" and tend to choose anything pink unconditionally. The same is true for the pink boots, but the combination with metallic blue is really good. It was a combination that overturned the image I had of "Aigle.
There are many times when I put on my boots and go out, expecting it to rain, but it doesn't rain after all, but with these boots, I don't feel depressed at such times because they don't look like boots.
Do you have the opportunity to utilize rubber boots in your shoots?
Yes . I think it is rather common. . it is not uncommon for me to go into the fields to take pictures, or to go out to sea on a fishing boat. Rubber boots with a good length will be safe for such occasions. . Also, I am usually concerned about functional clothing and bags, and I tend to choose bags made by outdoor manufacturers after all, even for camera bags. I tend to choose camera bags made by outdoor manufacturers.
Is rainwear required for outdoor shoots?
Sometimes I don't dare bring it to a shoot in the hope that it will (laughs). However, it is very difficult when it rains, so if it looks like it is going to rain, something completely waterproof is a must.
I always wear a camera around my neck with a fully waterproof outer layer over it. . So, I often dare to choose one size larger. Since I don't use lenses that long, this way I can usually protect my camera well from rain and snow. . I am happy to say that this outerwear is completely waterproof and very supple, so it is easy to move around in the field.
Hailo Wolf + Flower shop owner, Nishibeppu ShotenHisayuki Nishibepputhree
After working as a stylist's assistant, he worked at Flowers Nest , before setting up his own business. After meeting Katsuya Sato, owner of the antique shop "Hailo Wolf," he set up a joint store. In addition, he has been expanding his activities outside of the store by holding exhibitions of his own works. He has many fans for the originality of his works, his careful work, and his friendly and calm personality.
Maybe it's because of my job, but the rubber boots from Eagle are very imposing.
Thank you . . I am still amazed at the softness of natural rubber. They are bendable, easy to put on, and the feeling of a natural fit is something you can't experience with other rubber boots.
They are comfortable to wear because the rubber is compounded by hand by craftsmen and finished by combining parts of the rubber instead of pouring it into a mold. Do you often wear rubber boots for work?
Yes, I do. I often go into the mountains , work in the fields and tend to my garden. . both shoes and clothes, ease of movement and lightness are very important.
What else do you look for in work clothes?
. I may naturally choose a coloring that blends in naturally with flowers and plants. Also, there are times when I have to go out to make deliveries after working in the soil, so I tend to wear something that is functional, but also somewhat comfortable in the city, so that I can take the train without leaving the house. The coat I chose this time was chosen from that perspective.
So now you have two stores living together, "Hailo Wolf" and "Nishibeppu Shoten" .
Yes . Until then, I had rented a corner of a hair salon to run my store, but I wanted a more independent place. At that time, when he put the flowers I had selected in the antiques he had purchased, I thought, "Ah, we have to do this together.
Do you plan to continue the store with the two of you?
. Of course, I would like to continue to work here. However, Sato, the owner of "Hailo Wolf," is also engaged in architectural work, and I am also an artist. While both of us have our own places, we would like to expand our respective fields of activity.
Born in 1986 . Editor. She has reported on and edited creators and artists for the culture media "CINRA.NET" and served as the Tokyo curator for "HereNow," a bilingual city guide for Asia. Later, she launched "She is," a life and culture community that celebrates women living their own lives, with her colleague Manki Takenaka, and became the editor-in-chief.
Please tell us about the key points of this coordination.
I am not an athletic or outdoorsy person, so I thought about how to match it with my own clothes. As a result, the sweet one-piece dress and "Aigle's" casual yet rugged look, with its craftsmanship, pulled it together nicely. Actually, I first wore Eagle's clothing and backpack when I climbed Mt. Fuji, and I had a reassuring impression that they were comfortable, sturdy, and stylish at the same time. The one I am wearing this time is just as good as the impression I had back then.
. I have the impression that Mr. Nomura wears what he likes, as he likes it.
From my experience, I feel that by expressing "I like" what I like, I can have a good relationship with the people around me and go in the direction I want to go. It's like the spirit of words. Even if it's just something you wear, people who like it will gather around you.
When did you consciously start wearing clothes?
Since elementary school, I have been wearing whatever I wanted without worrying too much about what other people thought of me. I would wear red oversized sweatshirts and green flared skirts. So it was not uncommon for me to be looked at twice by people I passed in the street. But I don't think I thought it was a bad thing.
. it seems to me that the more mature we become, the more difficult it becomes.
For example, I think there are many people at work who cannot talk about what they like. I have heard from such people that "She
It is nice to hear that "is" has become a source of support for you. Of course, we ourselves wanted to have a place to stand on, but there are many more people who feel the same way than we had imagined.
Among the countless web media outlets, "She is" is gaining a huge following.
Although we now focus mainly on women, we originally wanted to create a place where we could think about the problems and lifestyles that everyone faces. . That is why we value the time we spend with the people who gather here the most. If "She is" is a little different from other media, it may be because of the depth of our relationships and the difference in our origins. We have yet to reach all of Japan, but we believe that there are people all over the world who share the same mentality as we do, so our challenge for the future is to reach as far as possible.
