A lineage of collaboration spun from Mizuno's legendary "Three Feet High" skate shoes.

Have you ever heard of the legendary "Three Feet High" skate shoes once released by Mizuno? It was developed as the first signature model for Yoshifumi Egawa (YOPPI), director of Ombre Nino and designer for XLarge, and was produced by Setsumasa Kobayashi of ..... Setsumasa Kobayashi of "Research" produced and Skate Thing designed the model. What was behind the creation of this fantastic model that brought together the sensibilities of Tokyo? We interviewed Naoki Yamamoto (NAOKI) of Seihalo, a Mizuno collaborator with a deep knowledge of the street culture of the time, and asked him directly about the person responsible for the creation of the model, Mr. Egawa. How did the dots of "Three Feet High" become lines, and how have they been passed down to the present? We will discuss the legendary project and ongoing collaborations such as the recently released "XLarge" x "Mizuno," and look at the appeal of Mizuno as a sports manufacturer.

Photo_Shunsuke Shiga

Text_Maruro Yamashita

Edit_Hiroshi Yamamoto

Not a collaboration , but,
It is only a signature.

You designed "Three Feet High," didn't you, Skatesing?

YOPPI:We worked with "Mizuno" on the structural part, and asked Skechin to do the uppers and insoles. Then, he came up with the idea of reproducing graffiti on shoes, which is too novel even now.

NAOKI:It's great, isn't it?

YOPPI:It's very confusing (laughs). The letter "E" is Egawa's initials, and it looks like it was broken up and exploded, with a graffiti-like element. Not many people would have recognized the letter "E." Originally, I had been working on this lambert called "Mizuno" (Mizuno is a Japanese word for "mizuno"). Originally, I loved the Mizuno lambda mark, so I wanted to make a pair of skates with that mark on them.

It's easier to understand that way. . It's too late to say this now, but.... I don't want people to think that I'm just a "Mizuno" brand if they don't recognize it at a glance.

What is the origin of the model name?

YOPPI:I think it was from the name of the De La Soul album . Mr. Kobayashi came up with that part, right? 10 feet is about 3 meters, right? So, about 90 centimeters? That's the nuance, I guess.

NAOKI:But really, this "Three Feet High" series is a design that fits in with the current times. I couldn't read this design at the time, but graffiti has become a bit of a movement again. It's a strange feeling, isn't it? On the contrary, it is very current.

What was the image of "Mizuno" to you at that time?

YOPPI:When I went to New York, STASH was wearing a pair of jogging shoes by "Mizuno". They were called "Wave Rider. When I saw that, I immediately rushed to a sporting goods store and bought the same model. The color scheme was something we didn't have in Japan.

Three Feet High" is YOPPI's signature model, right?

YOPPI:. It is not a collaboration, but rather a joint development, a signature model, if you will.

NAOKI:It's like a Japanese version of what an American skater does when he puts out his own signature Vans. Moreover, it is very typical of YOPPI to have "Mizuno" as a partner.

This is your second film.

NAOKI:I had this green one.

YOPPI:. I remember I decided on the color combination while the sole shape remained the same.

It's a very modern design, isn't it?

YOPPI:I wonder if Mizuno will do a reprint of the original version (laughs). (Laughs) . Only the sole should be updated to a modern sole, but the design should remain the same.

NAOKI:YOPPI , do you have any dead stock?

YOPPI:It's there when you get home. . it is still there, unhydrolyzed. . When I was developing it, I was conscious of making it sturdy anyway. If you bring that in, maybe...?

I think it would be very popular if it were reprinted. By the way, was it in real time when you bought it?