A new move for a 100-year-old brand. Champion Black Edition is now available. | feature

Case 03

PROFILE

long, protruding male (e.g. Tokugawa's)

Illustrator / Artist

Born in Tokyo , 1976. Graduated from Tokyo Zokei University, Department of Design. In addition to holding solo exhibitions as an artist, he has been active in a wide range of fields including magazines, books, advertisements, and collaborations with various brands. He has collaborated with UNIQLO and G-SHOCK, and has provided artwork for Magazine House, RIMOWA, Technics, Spotify, and Monocle, both in Japan and abroad.

Do you usually pay attention to what you wear when you illustrate in your studio?

First of all, I tend to wear sweatshirts, easy pants, and other comfortable clothing. On top of that, I try to choose something that doesn't interfere with the sensation of drawing as much as possible. . I am bothered by little things like stiff sleeves or prickly sweaters. I don't wear zip parkas that gradually come down, either, because they make my shoulders stiff. . It's a small detail, but if you work on it for a long time, it will show on your body properly. . In this respect, this parka is lightweight, so I don't feel any stress. . As for pants, I sometimes sit cross-legged on a chair, so I would be happy with pants that are loose around the waist and stretchy. In other words, the outfit I'm wearing today with the Champion Black Edition is more or less what I would normally wear.

This is a unique job for an illustrator. What kind of image did you have of "Champion" before?

The earliest was when I was in high school . Sweatshirts were all the rage, and I was wearing one. A rather old type with long ribs. After that, I kind of drifted away, but in 2017, I sold a collaboration T-shirt with " Champion " on Soho Brewer Street in London. . There are a lot of opportunities to see them by chance like that.

What do you think about the coloring, which is available in three different colors? Nagaba-san's paintings are characterized by the simple touch of a black pen on a white background, but do you have a particular color scheme for the clothes you choose?

I believe that clothes are important to feel good about the day . . and the same goes for color. Actually, before I started this style, I used to draw illustrations with quite a variety of colors and touches. One day, however, I decided that I wanted to create illustrations that were more uniquely my own, so I started to carefully examine the things and culture that I liked. At that time, I realized that I like simple things and monotone. . So basically, I like simple things. . The colors I choose for clothes are also mostly black and navy. . I always try to keep a good balance by using these as a base, and occasionally trying something new.