PROFILE
Born in Aichi Prefecture . After holding key positions at a number of brands, he became independent. In 2017, he opened the world's first store for the Danish outdoor brand " Nordisk " in Tokyo. . He is also the bassist of the band "toe. . His talents are not limited to fashion, but are also active in a wide range of fields.
It was a little scary , because it meant like going back to zero and starting over.
I noticed that 10 years have already passed since the establishment of your brand. . Could you tell us frankly how you feel now?
Yamane:I am very grateful. When I first started, I had a similar feeling to that of a band, thinking that I would be able to reach only those who liked my work. I had no intention of having so many items, much less opening a store. . but I had to work to make music. As a result of steadily continuing to create what I wanted to do, sales increased, a store was opened, and the company was able to increase its staff. So, looking back, I can only be grateful. . I have to admit that I am also surprised.
You started out as a bag brand under the name "Ficouture," then expanded into apparel, changed the name of the brand, opened a store, and so on... There have been many turning points in your career. Are there any events that stand out in your mind?
Yamane:Changing the brand name in 2016 was a big deal. I am a rather positive person, and since the world is a big place, I wanted to expand my sales channels overseas. Before starting the brand, I worked for a foreign company and was fluent in English, so I gradually increased the number of overseas wholesalers while doing my own sales. However, no one could read the brand name "ficouture" (laughs). I thought this was a bad idea, so I changed the name to something simpler.
So that's how you came up with the name "F/CE.
Yamane:At the time, the company had quite a few employees, and it was a gamble to see what would happen if the product did not sell. Changing the name of the brand meant going back to zero and starting over, so I was a little scared, but in the end, I am glad to say that the question "What does this mean? I am happy to say that in the end, there were no more "How do you read this?
I'm sure there are many things that have changed in order to move forward, but what are the things that have stayed the same?
Yamane:I have a nerdy nature, and for example, I am particular about what denim I wear, such as "this particular pair from Levi's" or "this particular pair from Levi's." In a world filled with all kinds of things and information, I have an inquisitive mind that pursues certain things to the hilt. In a world overflowing with all kinds of things and information, I still have the same inquisitive mind to pursue a particular thing to the end, and to create designs by mulling over what I have learned from that pursuit.
. I really like to explore the possibilities of fabrics. . I am especially influenced by such technical innovations as the industrial ones from Bauhaus in Germany and "GORE-TEX®", which was created in the 70's with 3 layers of fabric, and I always want to create something functional with ingenuity.
I don't want to forget those feelings, and I don't want to forget them, so I have been posting photos taken at the "Bauhaus" on the "F.C.E." website for a long time.
. This is the picture here.
Yamane:Bauhaus" was closed in 1933 due to the Nazi regime, but there is a story behind this photo. The elderly couple in the photo are alumni of the school, and they are carrying a bag we made in front of the alma mater where they met. I really wanted to take this one shot, so I staked out the school for about five hours with Otsuji, the cameraman, and asked an ordinary old man and woman to be the models. We have always wanted to mix industrial and technical elements with fashion, which is our specialty.
. I wanted to one day formulate one of my influences.
A: In celebration of the 10th anniversary, you are collaborating with seven brands as part of the "F/CE. 10th PROJECT". What are the thoughts behind this project?
Yamane:Over the past 10 years, we have gotten to know many people through the operation of our brand. We have been able to enrich our relationships with many people, which has been a tremendous asset for us. We wanted to create something as the culmination of these relationships, and the 10th anniversary coincided perfectly with that.
As I mentioned earlier, I am grateful to the people who have been involved in this project and to the customers who use our items, and I honestly felt that I wanted to work together to create something with a specific theme.
. As a theme, you have chosen "Dial House," a community established in England by the anarchist punk band "CRASS. Many people are aware of your cultural background in punk and hardcore culture, Yamane-san, but could you tell us why you chose this theme?
Yamane:It was seeing "FUGAZI" live that inspired me to become a hardcore band, and "CRASS" is a band that I cannot miss in shaping my identity today. Their activities are filled with messages against society and politics, but at the root of their activities is the desire for world peace. They live their lives without relying on government or religion, and without belonging to any one place, and I suddenly realized something . . It's the same thing with fashion. . that is, both are very free. There is no way to define fashion, and I think it is something that each person is free to enjoy without depending on anything.
I had a desire to someday give form to something that had influenced me, but when it came to the "CRASS" theme, I felt that it would be a bit heavy-handed to express this through a single season. . However, with this project, I felt that I could link it to the current context of the times and send out a message.
Also, "FCE" focuses on a single country in its production. We are currently focusing on the United Kingdom, and "Dial House" fits in well with that theme. It was the right time to do it. The timing was perfect.
The visuals for the "F/CE. 10th PROJECT" are an eye-catching, bold collage of models and graphics.
What kind of community is Dial House?
Yamane:The Dial House is a kind of community that advocates living outside of the social framework that still exists today, and is run by Penny Rambo, a key figure in CRASS, and her friends. It is run by Penny Rambo, the central figure of "CRASS," and her friends. They have a space to sleep and live, a garden and a farm, and they live there on their own, self-sufficient, without the protection of anyone else.
The items created in this collaboration were clothes for the community to wear and tools for daily life.
