And in addition to the military line, you have also prepared items based on the theme of "adult skaters. How did you come up with this idea?
Kaneko: It's a bad habit of mine to fantasize about a theme when I see an exhibition. I think, "If I add more of this item, I can put together a theme like this.
Then, at the spring/summer 2009 exhibition, the idea of "adult skaters" occurred to me. So, I proposed this theme to them.
Murakami: Yes, you did. . And you came to our exhibition twice (in the spring/summer of 2009), didn't you?
Kaneko: Yes, it's not often that I go twice, but I was kind of curious.
Murakami: Neither Kaneko nor I skateboard, but we both like skateboarding as a culture. So, when I was presented with such an interesting landing spot, I jumped on it reflexively. I think Kaneko-san is very good at finding such places.
. I felt that the cross between "blurhms" and street culture was also unexpected.
Murakami: The same is true of the "Dickies" items I mentioned earlier, but even if we express skaters in the items themselves, we never come up with a theme, so it was easy for Kaneko-san to decide on a theme for us.
Kaneko: I think Murakami's clothes are a mixture of all kinds of elements, but in the end they come together beautifully. . I don't feel any cultural color from it, and it is sophisticated in a good way. However, the only reason I was attracted to pants like Dickies was because I felt the culture. Of course, the other clothes were great, too, but I thought that if I could connect culture with something like Murakami fashion, it would be better communicated to the customers of "Reshop.
The logic behind this year's theme is the same as in the past. Skater fashion is sometimes cool when it is worn in an appropriate manner. But that is hard to imitate. However, I thought that with your sense of balance, you could create skater fashion that would be cool no matter who wears it, and that was one of the reasons for this project.
blurhms' special order work shorts ¥28,000+TAX each, constructed with a three-dimensional silhouette by twill material with firmness and luster .
blurhms' special order high count chambray work shirts 24,000+tax each , based on vintage work shirts and made of high quality fabric.
blurhms' special order seersucker cardigan jacket ¥40,000+tax and seersucker shorts ¥27,000+tax. . The cardigan jacket can be worn as a set-up with the shorts, which are available inline.
blurhms' washed linen cardigan jacket ¥40,000+TAX , and special order washed linen 6P pants ¥35,000+TAX. . On the other hand, the linen cargo pants are inspired by the in-line jacket.
A: This time, the "adult skater" line includes shorts and short-sleeved shirts, as well as seersucker jackets and linen cargo pants, and you have quite a variety of items, don't you? Did you plan to develop this many items from the beginning?
Kaneko: As we talked about this, more and more things came up. Since the theme is "adult skaters," we thought it would be better to have a jacket that can be quickly thrown on when going out to a restaurant for dinner, in addition to riding skates.
For example, wide shorts and an oversized T-shirt would be fine, but I thought it would be better to have the wearer wear thermals or a shirt. . This time, I thought it would be easier to convey the message if it were presented as a surface rather than a point.
blurhmsROOTSTOCK's special order ROUGH & SMOOTH Thermal Sleek Quarter Sleeve T-shirt ¥12,000+TAX each.blurhmsROOTSTOCK's classic thermal piece is balanced by its baseball shirt-like sleeve length and wide body width.
blurhmsROOTSTOCK's special order Soft & Hard Sweat Full Zip Hoodie ¥28,000+TAX. inline zip hoodie in a big size .
blurhmsROOTSTOCK's special order 2-fat T-shirts ¥14,000+TAX each.Rich pack T made of extra-long cotton, post-dyed.
The pack T is back in charcoal and khaki brown, which sold out immediately last time.
New colors, black green and black navy, will also be available.
. When the pieces are all together so well, it gives a sense of depth. Did you discuss these items several times before you put the pieces together?
Murakami: No, most of the concept was developed while standing around talking with people at the exhibition.
Kaneko: . I can see the answer when I first discuss it with Mr. Murakami. From there, we go through several processes, but each time, Mr. Murakami comes up with exactly what I envisioned. There are not many revisions, are there?
Murakami: Almost never.
Kaneko: . This is also a great thing. The sense of trust, or the fact that we can see the same answer in a short period of time, is very valuable. . I think that's why we want to try different things.
Murakami-san, is there something you can do only by working with Kaneko-san?
Murakami: There are many. . Kaneko-san guides me in what I am trying to do, so I can proceed with confidence. It's like he is watching over me and saying, "It's okay to do it.
Kaneko: Is that how you feel? (Laughter)
Murakami: That's how it is (laughs).
What do you think is the main reason why you are able to understand each other's values?
Kaneko: Is it because we are close in age? . Maybe it is because even though we have different tastes and interests, we have seen similar things. There are many things that are "just like that," so I don't have to explain them to you. I am 47, and how old is Murakami-san?
Murakami: I'm 40 (laughs).
Kaneko: That's a huge distance (laughs). (Laughs.) I thought you were around 45. I think I've seen the same kind of culture in various genres, such as street and classical music.
Murakami: We may have that in common. I am not as broad and shallow as Kaneko-san in terms of knowledge, but I feel that we have been through the same things.
