The axis common to all is the person.
You have since gone on to become an independent company, analog/tool. The brands you carry are all unique, such as Engineered Garments, Arts & Science, Digawell, and Sasquatchfabrix. What kind of brands do you want to carry?
HOKOKUTSU:It is important that the brand's ideas and attitude are more respectable to me. Also, many of them are independent. For example, the designers of brands such as "Sun Limit," "Tuki," and "Digawell" are relatively close in age, and I have more opportunities to talk with them at exhibitions. I am attracted to the lineups of people whose ideas and thoughts are unique and interesting, and whose perspectives and values, such as the way they create and propose products, resonate with me. Whether or not a product sells is important, but even more important is the question, "Why do you make this? but more than that, people who have persuasive and compelling words when asked "Why do you make this?
What do you think is the main difference between a large select store and a boutique?
HOKOKUTSU:There is really no such thing as a bad quality product, no matter where you buy your clothes, they are all reasonable to some extent, and whether you are looking for something cost-effective or something with high quality, you are free to choose. However, in the end, it is the people. When I ask, "Have you ever thought about what kind of person you want to buy things from? I think people are always thinking about what kind of people they want to buy from.
For example, if a friend, sibling, or girlfriend tells you that something is good when you first buy clothes, you are more inclined to buy it. I think people buy based on the trust that is created by the relationship between them. So when couples or friends first come to the store, I pay attention to their relationship and think about what I can do as a salesperson while respecting their relationship. That way, little by little, they also start to accept me. That is where small trust is born, and I believe that continuing to build on that kind of trust is an important factor in creating a relationship that has continuity.
Some people may feel or think that private stores have owners who seem to be difficult to deal with, and that you have to be an expert in clothes to enter. We want to create a relaxing atmosphere that is as stress-free as possible. We want to create an atmosphere where people can relax as much as possible. We want to focus on the location and space. I think there are still many things that can only be created through real relationships between people. I believe that there are still many things that can only be created through real relationships between people.
A variety of cacti placed inside the store; a commercial kitchen is located on the left side of the second floor.
You also do pop-ups and other events. Is that something you want to do in addition to clothing?
HOKOKUTSU:The premise is that I don't really feel the need to do anything other than clothing, and when there is not much information about clothing prominently displayed on social networking sites and event notices are more prominent, people sometimes wonder what the store is doing. Most of the people who have opened shops are old customers, or people with whom we have a connection have left the workforce and started a new business, or something they have always loved to do has taken shape in the future. Encounters with people who have such free ideas and lifestyles lead to our pop-up shops. It is not that the keywords "pop-up store" or "lifestyle store" came first, but as a result of the natural flow and expansion of interests, various interests and events have spread through our long relationship.
In my encounters with customers and other people, I hear more and more people say, "I work for a company now, but I want to do something in the future," or "I want to do something on my own," and I thought it would be interesting if the first opportunity to start something was to do something at our store. After moving to Toyokawa, we created a kitchen space and a free space on the second floor, which anyone can use as an opportunity to try something. A place where people can have a chance to express themselves. I am glad that more and more people are becoming such people and that it can be a place for them to express themselves.
Something that will not be divided even in the age of With Corona.
I would like to talk about Corona again. Corona has brought to light some problems in the fashion industry. Is there anything you could agree with in the discussions about the various issues?
HOKOKUTSU:There was. The symbolic comment by (Alessandro) Michele that he would reconsider the format of seasons and shows was very telling. Even before Corona, brands were talking about how exhibitions should be held, and I feel that we should rethink some things when we do so. I feel that it is difficult for the industry as a whole to make major changes immediately in many aspects. The timing of exhibitions, the way of doing things, and the way of thinking differ slightly from brand to brand and from store to store, so I think this is the time to reconsider the relationship between brands and retailers.
Also, it is important to note that since we have started producing original products, we have been able to explore various directions for our proposals. This is why I have become more aware of the greatness of people who continue to work with brands, and I think it is important to be flexible and accept that there are different ways of doing things, rather than seeking the correct answer as to what manufacturing and brands should be. For example, I would like to know more about the actual thinking behind manufacturing processes such as "local production for local consumption" and "sustainable production for sustainable consumption.
This is an original leather jacket created by "analog / tool. The initial prototype was an orthodox riders' jacket, but after repeated prototyping, it became collarless and the perforations were not shown, resulting in an elegant and noble finish. The outer material is cowhide, and the boa on the back makes a big impact. ¥108,000+TAX
What has changed or remained the same before and after Corona?
HOKOKUTSU:As one person said, there have been many other risks in the world besides Corona, and we have been thinking about how to deal with them. I don't mean "living with risk," but there is risk in starting a business, and there is risk of injury in sports. I don't think the idea of zero risk itself can be solved by stopping every action. It's when I get confused about what to believe that I realize how important it is to have people I can trust. Rather than vague and plausible information, it is more comforting to have someone close to you in front of you telling you that everything is going to be okay. It is important to have such real connections with people and stores. There is a possibility that man-made or natural disasters will continue to happen in the future, but I believe that having reliable connections will help us to get through them.
What are the crowds like now (mid-August)?
HOKOKUTSU:Now, it is not so different from before. We are returning to the original trend while taking all possible measures against invisible things (corona). I think that fashion is more than unnecessary for those who love clothes, as it is for anything else. It's a way of life, if you will. It's not something so simple that it can be put away as unnecessary or non-urgent as someone else decides. The things that are important to each person are different, and I hope that we can respect each other and recognize each other's values and individuality.
The bookshelves on the second floor are lined with art books collected by KOKETSU as a hobby. Rare photo books by photographers such as Ari Markopolos, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Juergen Teller are available for sale. The commercial refrigerators are decorated with stickers of Mr. Ken Kagami, a well-known artist in HOUYHNHNM's.
People think that fashion is unnecessary, but it's true that some people don't.
HOKOKUTSU:In the old Japanese way of thinking, study and work are the top priority, and playing games or enjoying hobbies is something that should be done when there is more time. If you do what you love all the time, there is a possibility that you will find something and create something out of it, and even if you don't, I think that you will be willing to take responsibility for that.
When a client says something like, "I'm satisfied with my work today, so I'll work hard again tomorrow," I think that one word means everything to them. When I was younger, I did not feel that there were things more important than money, but now that I am older, I feel differently. I am happy just to have customers come to visit me. I feel that it is not a matter of course that the staff continues to work for us.
Do you have a vision for the future of fashion that you would like to see change because of Corona?
HOKOKUTSU:If supply and demand can be balanced and losses (inventory) can be reduced, it may possibly lead to an improvement in the environment. For example, when I say that my store is able to clean out its inventory to a certain extent every half year, I have been asked, "Is inventory really that clean? But I think it is more important to maintain a reasonable balance between supply and demand than to purchase items in order to increase the sales base, and while I am very happy to see an increase in customers, there is no such thing as a rapid increase in sales. I have not thought much about strategies to increase demand, such as "let's buy and sell in this way. We just present what we can do one by one to respond to the customers' concerns and feelings.
In the case of a company, it may be important to set up a numerical future vision and goals, but in my case, I think it is better to create the future little by little, starting with what is actually happening in front of me. It may be obvious, but I value respect for everyone involved, including the creators and buyers. We want to be equal to each other, so we can pay attention to the really small things that we notice on a daily basis. I am very grateful that we are able to continue to operate the store while feeling a sense of satisfaction from this kind of accumulation and connection.
analog / tool
A select store that opened in Aichi Prefecture in 2005 and moved from Toyohashi City to its current location in Toyokawa City in 2006. The shop is housed in a renovated house that was formerly an air-conditioning company, and displays men's and women's clothing and sundries on the first floor. On the second floor, there is a library (some of which is for sale), a kitchen, a free space, a water tank converted from a bathroom, and a plant space. A curtain specially ordered by Takeshi Yamauchi, a dyeing artist from Hamamatsu, hangs from the entrance on the first floor, and Altec speakers are placed on the tatami matted floor on the second floor. The attention to detail and the world view of the restaurant are breathtaking.
Address: 1-3-2, Shinsakuramachi-dori, Toyokawa-shi, Aichi, Japan
Phone: 0533-56-2818
Hours: 11:00 - 20:00 (closed Tuesdays)
Official Site
