Rag & Bone's philosophy. Where to go next.
Philosophy and Future
I think that authenticity here can also be translated into the words "real" and "analog," but I wonder if this return to a more human "feel" and "substance" is a reaction to an era in which technology is evolving at an accelerating pace. Is this return to a more human "feeling" or "substance" a reaction to the rapid evolution of technology?
- The authenticity we're talking about here could be rephrased as "real" or " Do you think that the need for humanity is a kind of reaction to this acceleratingly evolving digital era? Do you think that the need for humanity is a kind of reaction to this acceleratingly evolving digital era?
Wainwright.I don't think the Internet is bad at all, but when you wear jeans, for example, that have been made with the experience that has been cultivated over a long period of time, you simply feel better and feel different when compared to those that have not. Such a feeling is something you can never get when wearing clothes that will be ruined after only a few wears.
It does not necessarily have to be handmade, but I think we are attracted to things that are more human than we are. When we spend so much time on technology, the desire for analog experiences may be due to the desire to feel more real in our own lives. I myself am the same way. I think that's why people are seeking the richness of experiences, such as travel and food, rather than material wealth.
Wainwright.I really don't think the Internet is bad at all, but for example, in terms of jeans, when you put on a pair that's the result of experience built up over long years, it gives you a completely different feeling from a standard, mass-produced pair. It's an experience you'll never have with clothes that wear out quickly. It's an experience you'll never have with clothes that wear out quickly.
Although it's not absolutely essential the clothes be handmade, I think we as human beings are more attracted to things with a human element to them. When you spend a lot of time with technology, a certain desire for more analog experiences is born, and I think that's related to wanting to experience your life in a more real way. That's true for me personally too. I think that's why people are seeking out I think that's why people are seeking out luxurious experiences in food and travel rather than physical possessions.
In that sense, jeans are more of a hands-on part of fashion, aren't they? In that sense, jeans are more of an experience than a fashion item, in that the more you wear them, the more the texture grows and the more beautifully they fade.
- In that sense, jeans are more experiential because the more you wear them they get more beautiful fades.
Wainwright.I agree. Authentic jeans get better and better with time. In other words, the person who wears them should not be passive in order to get the best out of them, but should nurture them by themselves. I make washed jeans for my products, but I myself only wear rigid jeans.
You don't wash it for 9 months after you take it down, and you get that indescribable beauty. An imperfect beauty that is never in the perfect thing, which is never in the perfect thing, which is never in the perfect thing, which is never in the perfect thing.... I think that authentic things, whether it's jeans or a campaign, are often not perfect, nor should they be. The same goes for handmade shoes. Too much perfection may be too far removed from who we are as human beings.
Wainwright.Authentic jeans just get better and better with age, and you have to earn it. I think that the people wearing these clothes need to avoid being passive and instead take the perspective of actively helping their denim grow and develop. Although we do make some jeans that undergo wash treatments, I personally only wear rigid denim.
If you wear them for about 9 months before washing, they develop an indescribable beauty. They have an imperfect aesthetic that you can't get. They have an imperfect aesthetic that you can't get... Both for our jeans and for our campaigns as well, authentic doesn't mean Handmade shoes are the same way. If these items are too perfect, they got separated from the human experience.
What is important to maintain such a philosophy of authenticity as the scale of your business grows?
- As your business grows, what is essential in order to maintain the balance between the business and the creative philosophy such as As your business grows, what is essential in order to maintain the balance between the business and the creative philosophy such as authenticity?
Wainwright.I'm not sure myself if we are striking the right balance, but as long as we can go to the office every morning and be proud of what we have done, I think we will be okay. Of course, sometimes we had to compromise, and we made a lot of mistakes. When we have to compromise on the things that are most important to us, we feel truly self-loathing and ashamed of ourselves.
The fear is considerable, but knowing this fear may help us to find a good balance between art and commerce. Not everything is controllable, and in fact, there are external factors that can upset the balance. We wanted to stick to made-in-America jeans, but the factory we trusted went out of business. Still, I think it is important to hold on to your dreams.
Wainwright.I don't really know if I've achieved a good balance, but when I go to the office every morning, I'm proud of what we've accomplished. Of course, sometimes compromise is important, and we've had many failures as well. When we're forced to compromise on the elements that are most important to us, it's a hateful and shameful feeling. When we're forced to compromise on the elements that are most important to us, it's a hateful and shameful feeling.
That's a truly terrible thing, but on the other hand, understanding that feeling could be what helps us balance things between art and commercial success. We can't control everything, and there are external factors that can destroy that balance. We also wanted to keep our products made in the United States, but after the factories we could trust all closed down, we were unable to do that. In spite of that, I think clinging to dreams like that is important.
What is the ideal form of growth for Rag & Bone?
- So what it the ideal way of scaling the brand if there's any?
Wainwright.I always remind myself that I should not aim for "growth for growth's sake. I always remind myself not to aim for "growth for growth's sake. We are not looking for more dramatic growth in the U.S. because there is already a large market there. In Japan, on the other hand, we are still small, so there is a lot of room for growth. If we simply work out what our philosophy is and what is most important to us, I don't think we will make a major error in judgment.
Wainwright.One thing I can say for sure is that setting growth as a goal is something you should never do. We already have a large market in the United States, so we're not trying to expand dramatically beyond where we are now. However, our presence in Japan is small, so there's still room for growth here. As long as we stick to our philosophy and what's most important to us, I think we can avoid major mistakes in decision-making.
Lastly, please tell us where Rag & Bone aims to be.
- Lastly, please share your ultimate goal that you would like the brand to achieve.
Wainwright.: Fashion is still short-lived in the sense that what people want to wear will change from time to time. In that sense, fashion is short-lived in the sense that what people want to wear changes from time to time. In order not to be at the mercy of the times, I think it is important to have a broader perspective, not to see ourselves only within the framework of fashion.
Ultimately, I want to be a part of popular culture rather than fashion. Everyone wears clothes, even if they don't particularly like fashion, and I want to make things that people will think are beautiful when they choose to wear them. In that sense, Ralph Lauren is a good example. They have changed the way people wear clothes, not only in New York, but also in the United States, which is a vast country.
Wainwright.In that sense, it becomes a battle against the times. To avoid being tossed around on those waves, I think it's important to avoid framing ourselves in terms of fashion, and see things from a broader perspective. perspective.
At the extremes, it's great if we can become a part of popular culture rather than fashion. Even if you don't really like fashion , everyone wears clothes, so I want to make something people will find beautiful when they're picking out what to wear. In that sense, Ralph Lauren is a good model. after all, his products changed the way people dressed not just in New York, but all over the vast landscape of the United States.
Marcus Wainwright.
Born in England, he founded his denim brand in Kentucky, U.S.A., with his best friend from boarding school in 2002. Started a menswear line in '04 and launched a womenswear line in '05.' In '07, he won the CFDA's Newcomer Award for menswear, and in '10, the CFDA's Grand Prize. In the same year, he opened a street store in Omotesando, Tokyo. The brand's simple and comfortable clothes and shoes with a hint of trend, and campaign advertisements with a unique approach and a strong narrative have attracted attention, and have gained support from a diverse range of people across generations, especially in the United States, where the brand is based.
Marcus Wainwright
After making a pair of jeans for himself in collaboration with the factory in Kentucky in the United States, Marcus launched rag & bone men's line officially along with a friend from boarding school in 2004, followed by the women's line in 2005. After making a pair of jeans for himself in collaboration with the factory in Kentucky in the United States, Marcus launched rag & bone men's line officially along with a friend from boarding school in 2004, followed by the women's line in 2005. Opened a flagship store in Tokyo's Omotesando district in the same year. With a faint infusion of trends and simple, comfortable clothing and shoes, he has used a unique approach and promotional advertisements With a faint infusion of trends and simple, comfortable clothing and shoes, he has used a unique approach and promotional advertisements which have gotten a lot of attention for their high sense of storytelling to build up a large base of customers in a wide range of age groups, mainly The company's base of operations, the United States.