It's an edit, right? Not creations.
I would like to ask you again what kind of impression you have of each other's craftsmanship. What do you think about "research"?
Konno:I have worn this brand since I was a student, and I have a strong emotional attachment to it. One of the things that impressed me was that you made a red book that contained only hunting jackets. It was so full of various discoveries that I still pick it up today. You have a really deep vintage collection. As far as I know, Mr. Kobayashi and Mr. Ohana of "N. Hollywood" are the only two people who are this knowledgeable about vintage clothing and make things with such sincerity. Both of them have different vectors, and I have the impression that once Mr. Kobayashi decides on one subject, he digs deep into it.
Konno:What you are doing is also the style I am aiming for. There are many good things made in the past, not just clothes, and I think it is a theory that you cannot make better clothes if you do not know what they are. This brand shows me the right attitude, including that.
Kobayashi:I started out as a shoemaker, so the only professional training I received was in shoes. I started out knowing nothing about clothes, so I had to actually buy things, compare different sizes, and even collect washed and dead stock items, and take them apart. In the end, the pattern makers become the interpreters, and we can finally learn about the structure of the clothes. If possible, I would collect early and mid-period deadstocks... In other words, I would buy and compare pieces that showed the transition of the garments. If I left the footage as it was, it would only remain with me, so I dared to print it out so that the customers could understand it as well. I was happy to be able to share the experience with them.
The name of the brand also reflects this.
Kobayashi:Yes, that's right, it's "research. The only reason it is attached is because I am not a professional (laughs). (Laughs.) No matter what I start, I can't begin without first doing research.
Konno:I remember being extremely impressed with the thick socks that Mr. Kobayashi made. The quality was so good that I could not make my own brand of thick socks.
Kobayashi:The socks I wore as a child rolled outward after a while, and I really didn't like that. I didn't like that at all, so I did whatever I could to make them so that they wouldn't do that. I wear button-down shirts over the T-shirts we make, and no matter how high the second button is on the shirt, I wanted a T-shirt with the neck peeking out from around the neck. I wanted a T-shirt that wouldn't stretch around the neck even if I kept washing it and hanging it on a hanger. I wanted to make a statement in a way that was a little different from fashion.
KOBAYASHI: What is your impression of NEXUS VII.
Kobayashi:Konno's place has been around for a long time, hasn't it? I had often seen the name "NEXUSⅦ." but had never actually worn the sleeves. When Mr. Okishima told me that Mr. Konno was coming, I panicked (laughs). I asked around and everyone I talked to said he was a master of vintage clothing. I thought he must have accumulated a lot of information and done a lot of research, and I was right on the money!
In my case, I entered the world of clothing in a "touch the future" kind of way, but I see Konno's work going into areas that cannot be reproduced today, such as the sewing of vintage clothing. Konno-san is like a person who connects with fabrics and people and digs deeper and deeper, but in my case, once I have satisfied my desire for something, I don't dig any further (laughs). (Laughs) If Konno-san is a vintage connoisseur, I am just an antique lover. I guess I'm just a guy who talks like he knows what he's talking about. (laughs). (laugh) But maybe such differences are interesting.
So there are many different approaches.
Kobayashi:That's right. It was a lot of fun to be asked to do this. When I was working for "General Research," I produced shorts with many pockets for fishing. I once removed all the pockets from a fishing vest and used double-sided tape to decide where to put them. This kind of cutting and pasting may not be the same for someone educated in clothing, but for me, it was really interesting, and this is the original point. It's not the same as creation at all, but it's very exciting, and on the other hand, it's a very concentrated process.
I am very self-driven, and in a way, that's the way it should be.
Kobayashi:It's an edit, not a creation. I think that's what I like to do. I guess I could describe it as a cut-and-paste punk feeling, but with a little more attention to where it fits in.
Konno:In recent collaborations, rather than working together to create something, the models are arranged based on the existing models. So it was really fun for me to be able to start from scratch and work together like this.
Kobayashi:It was more fun than having a drink at a bar (laughs).
