PROFILE
Born in Chiba Prefecture. This year marks his fourth year with "Berberzine" after dropping out of student life at the age of just 20. His exceptional buying ability, communication skills, and ambition were highly regarded, and at the young age of 24, he was selected to become the store manager of "Belle Vergin promenade". He still spends more than half of the year in the U.S., where he visits on buying trips.
How can we create a real local street atmosphere? I believe that we can do this because we are the only ones who can.
Please start by telling us about the concept behind the "Berberzine promenade" store.
Makita: Basically, our main items are graphic T-shirts such as movie T-shirts, music T-shirts, art T-shirts, and character T-shirts such as anime and manga. We also add some sideways style items to this collection to give a sense of real American culture and the street scene. In my image, I would like to mix "&Belverzine" with the Shibuya Parco store, and from there, I would like to send out styles that are more deeply connected to the street scene and culture. We hope to bring out the sensory aspects that only we, who have directly visited the U.S. to see and experience it with our own eyes and skin, can understand.
Music T-shirts are one of the store's most iconic items, from bands from the 1980s to rappers, and this genre has seen a sharp rise in price in recent years, so when you find one, it's a must-have.
Do you have any stores in Harajuku that specialize in that genre?
Makita: I'm sure there are, but what we want to do is more realistic. For example, in skating and surfing, there are many people who are familiar with "this graphic is the work of XX" and so on, but how we can bring out the local atmosphere in a different way. I think that is something we can do because we are the only ones who can do it.
I think it was a lot of work to collect all these items, to be honest.
Makita: To be honest, it wasn't that difficult, but it depends on the item. I carefully selected and collected black "reverse weaves" from Champion, and it took me about half a year to get the number and quality right. The market price of "Reverse Weave" itself has risen considerably, but the black ones are exceptional. To be honest, we had a hard time getting the black ones. The same is true for the T-shirts for the movie, which have a good glossy finish. The popularity of the director determines the value, and David Fincher and Martin Scorsese have a lot of fans. Quentin Tarantino is one director who stands out from the rest. I have collected mainly in this area.
This is another Champion's reverse weave that is now at an all-time high. Many people are looking for a good-sized black-body model in particular, and it's a sight to behold when it's available in such high quality. The lineup is rich in colorful flocky variations, which is rare among black-body sweatshirts.
Along with the aforementioned music T-shirts, movie T-shirts are one of the mainstays of the same point. The price is said to reflect not only the design but also the popularity of the movie director who worked on it.
When I look around the store, I can feel the attention to detail in the fixtures, the division of products into categories, and even the layout of the products.
Makita: As for the interior, as Mr. Yamada mentioned earlier, it is basically the same as it was when the restaurant was built. However, I was particular about the fixtures such as tables and benches. I have recently been into mid-century furniture myself, so I consulted with Mr. Yamada and asked him to help me gather all of the furniture to unify our tastes. The sofa just inside is an Eames airport bench, and so is this large table. As for the items, they are arranged according to themes such as genres and cultures. Right now, the black Champion reverse weave is on the left wall, the music T on the right wall, and the movie T in front of the entrance. Also, in front of the right wall, there is a Levi's Woodstock as a special item. Also, the reverse weave team sports items, which are surprisingly difficult to find, are on the shelf in the back right corner.
Among the special items lined up in the store, the most eye-catching is the corner in front of the right wall upon entering the store. The "Woodstock" items from Levi's are all here. It is truly a spectacular sight.
The back right front shelf is stacked with college and team sports reverse weaves. The items on the top shelf are special gems among them.
Makita: In addition, the racks of items collected according to the theme are also a must-see. For example, if the theme is "New York," there are items that are directly related to the New York Yankees, as well as items in the Yankees' navy blue and white colors, and "Nike ACG" in the colors of the New York Mets. If it is "San Francisco," there are of course the San Francisco Giants, as well as derby jackets that are popular in the area, and so on. Also, in terms of the real street atmosphere I mentioned earlier, Dickies cut-off shorts are a perfect example. Bicyclists and skaters over there are all wearing these shorts.
Everything in the store looks more and more interesting the more I dig. What kind of customers do you have now?
Makita: At the "Main Restaurant" and "&Belverzin," 90% of the customers are male, and most of them are in their 30s and 40s in age. Female customers make up the remaining 10%. Female customers not only like vintage clothing, but also often come to us from cultural backgrounds, such as "I like movies and music," and pick up items as a way to spice up their outfits. So, in contrast to the main store, which carries American casual items, I wanted to focus more on women's vintage here, so I also created a women's section.
The left side of the store, just inside the store, is currently the women's section. These vintage items will be further enhanced in the future.
It seems that the number of women who like vintage clothing will increase. What is your outlook for the future?
Makita: The location of this promenade, with skate stores and bicycle shops nearby, seems closer to street culture than ever before. Compared to Tonchan-dori, there are more women here, so I would like to dig deeper into the ladies' side, and I think it would be interesting if we could embody "uniqueness" with selections that are possible only from such a location. I also think it will be easy for couples to come in, so I would be happy if couples can use the store as a place to take a break and relax on a bench while their boyfriends are looking around the store. We have a flat lineup of vintage and good regular items, straight and varied, and we hope that customers can enjoy vintage clothing in a comfortable space that is different from the "Berberzine" of the past.
Thank you very much. Lastly, please introduce five items that symbolize the "Berberzin promenade"!
