The best everyday clothes. 6 UNIQLO YOU vol.2 | feature

. a wide frontage with a high level of skill and taste.

PROFILE

Murakami Base

Representative, Hudson Shoe Store

He studied under shoemaker Masatoshi Sato and Nobuyoshi Seki from 2008 while he was a student at a vocational school. After working for a shoe manufacturer in Asakusa, he became the second-generation owner of Hudson Shoe Store, established in 1961, in 2011. In September 2020, he plans to launch his original brand "HUDSONS," and is currently preparing for a crowdfunding campaign to be launched in late March or early April. The details of the project will be announced on the Hudson Shoe Store social networking site.
hudsonkutsuten.com

Uniqlo U〉Tailored jacket ¥7,990＋TAX、Knit polo shirt ¥2,990＋TAX、Wide fit tapered pants ¥3,990＋TAX

Murakami-san, the second generation owner of "Hudson Shoe Store," how did you become a shoemaker?

Murakami:As is generally the case with people of our generation who aspire to become craftsmen, I was fascinated by the world of Bespoke craftsmanship. So, while attending a shoe course at a vocational school, I knocked on the door of my predecessor and began to learn from him. I took over the store when I was 28 years old. However, I entered the shoe industry because I had a yearning for it, but when I opened my eyes, I found that our skills were like an endangered species after all, and no matter how superb our techniques were, there were very limited places to demonstrate them nowadays. The leather shoe industry is in a very difficult situation, partly due to the sneaker boom over the years.

I heard that this store takes on repairs that other manufacturers and repair stores refuse to do. I heard that it was only after Mr. Murakami took over that the store specialized in repairs.

Murakami:For repairs, we receive requests not only from Japan, but also from overseas. For example, a French resident who lives in France sends us a pair of leather shoes made by a French manufacturer for repair by mail. Just before my predecessor's retirement, the store was not prospering, even if I may say so. No matter how highly skilled they are, many craftsmen, myself included, are not good at producing. . So I decided to try to make the store a place that would be properly seen. I put machines that would normally be hidden in the back of the store in a position where they could be seen from the front, since the store is made of glass.

. In the meantime, you are planning to open a new brand "HUDSONS" and its store in the summer of 2020. What kind of brand do you plan to create?

Murakami:As I mentioned earlier, the leather shoe industry is not in a good situation right now. Stores like ours are disappearing rapidly. However, I myself don't want to abandon my skills and start something else, and I want to respond to the customers who come here. So I decided to create a new brand. I am going to make casual, custom-made shoes based on the concept of "post-traditional modern. For example, we will use the latest technology, such as carbon fiber materials, which are carefully crafted by artisans, and we will make the latest shoes using our own technology. The times are changing rapidly, and kabuki and rakugo are also actively trying new things while keeping in mind their traditions. We, too, should not rely on the techniques and tools established by our predecessors. Also, in terms of branding, we ask professionals in that field to help us. When a shoemaker builds a store, he or she is concerned about the actual ease of movement, etc., and the store usually ends up looking very similar.

I guess you could say that you are creating a store that is not all about practicality, but has an extra essence to it. In that sense, it seems to have something in common with the values of "UNIQLO YOU. What kind of style do you usually prefer?

Murakami:. I like classic items, like a jacket set-up. In this industry, there are many opportunities to meet superiors, so I am conscious of the minimum attire that is not rude. However, instead of a legitimate suit style, I try to dress down in my own way, and the coordinate I tried on this time is exactly the style I want to wear at the new store. . It's not too formal, but rather a slightly more casual suit style. The shoes we are going to make will also fit with this style of UNIQLO U.

Lemaire, who heads the UNIQLO YOU design team, also has experience working for a Maison brand that is also famous for its leather goods.

Murakami:It is amazing that a designer with experience in such places can get clothes at this price. Creating a wide range of products with high skills and sense of style is something I would like to challenge myself in the future.

PROFILE

Christophe Lemaire

Since launching his own brand LEMAIRE in 1991, he has served as artistic director for world-renowned brands and maisons such as Lacoste and Hermès, and in the fall/winter of 2015 and spring/summer of 2016, he collaborated with UNIQLO on the UNIQLO AND LEMAIRE collection. In 2016, he was appointed as Artistic Director of UNIQLO Paris R&D Center, where he is involved in product development for "Uniqlo U" with strong teamwork as a member of UNIQLO. He has been involved in the creation of Uniqlo U products as a member of UNIQLO.