13 Crosstalk about ITTY-BITTY et ÉDIFICE. What is the collection that pursues the reality of people living in Paris?
ITTY-BITTY, a domestic brand with a minimalist design but with a unique atmosphere, has launched a collaborative line with ÉDIFICE. The collection, named "13 ITTY-BITTY et ÉDIFICE," features a lineup of items that capture the essence of the French chic store. For this interview, we invited Takayuki Oshima, brand director, and Hokuto Otaki, store MD and buyer, who are key persons in this collaboration, as well as Keita Ikeuchi of "and wander," who has ties to both, to discuss this collaboration from various angles.
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)Oshima-san and I go back a long time. It has been five years since I became a buyer for Edifice. It's been five years since I became a buyer, and I personally like "Itty Bitty" a lot.
Oshima IslandI have known Mr. Ikeuchi since we were both at our previous jobs. We have maintained a close relationship ever since.
interior of a pondYes, that's right. And now, both brands are carried in the "Edifice" store. Buyers of "Itty Bitty" wear the brand very frequently. Many of them are wearing it at the "&Wonder" trade show. When I ask them, "Which brand is that? they often answer, "Itty Bitty.
From left: Hokuto Otaki, store MD and buyer of EDIFITH, Takayuki Oshima, director of Itty Bitty, and Keita Ikeuchi, designer of &Wonder.
How did "Thirteen Itty Bitty et Edifice" come into being?
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)Last fall, when the EDIFITH Shinjuku store underwent a renovation and expansion, I asked Mr. Oshima to create a special order item for Itty Bitty. The set-up I'm wearing right now is one of those items. It was extremely well received, not only by our many customers, but also within the company. So I asked Mr. Oshima if he could create a new item that would lead us to the next step. That's when I asked Mr. Oshima if he could create something new that would lead us to the next step.
Oshima IslandI was very happy to hear from Mr. Otaki because I was looking for something new to challenge myself. However, the speed of the offer was extremely fast. Edifice started carrying the brand in the fall/winter of 2016, so I was very happy to hear from Mr. Otaki.
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)Ittibitti: You made special-order items at the same time that we started dealing with Ittibitti, and the following season, we launched a collaborative line. This is truly exceptional speed.
Do you have any thoughts on this sense of speed?
interior of a pondIt's very fast (laughs). Bespoke" is usually done after several seasons of trading and after finding the best parts of each other. Line" is more difficult than that. It requires a more in-depth understanding than a special order. It takes a long time to achieve this, and I think it is difficult to do without a very trusting relationship.
I can see how it would be risky to create a custom-made item or line in a short period of time. Why did you do it in the extremely short time you have known Oshima-san?
Oshima IslandOne reason was, as I mentioned earlier, that I wanted to take on a new challenge. The other reason is that I was pushed by Mr. Otaki's enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm?
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)I am simply a big fan of "Itty Bitty. I have been buying and wearing their clothes personally since before "EDIFITH" started carrying them. I've been thinking "I'd like to do this at EDIFITH" for years, but I couldn't find the right time to do it....
Why is that?
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)We weren't ready. We didn't have a box to put Itty Bitty in. That's why I was always so evasive with Mr. Oshima.
Oshima IslandI've been here for a long time (laughs).
And with the renewal of the "Edifice Shinjuku" store last fall, you were finally able to create a vessel.
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)I was very moved myself. I myself was very deeply moved. I really love this brand.
What do you find attractive about Itty Bitty?
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)Edifice has long offered basic fashion based on French style since its opening. Itty Bitty's clothes are a great fit with that concept. The designs themselves are very smart and simple. Yet, the color tones of the fabrics and the subtle balance of the silhouettes give the clothes a unique nuance. I share the same philosophy.
interior of a pondIt has a balance of form that grabs people's attention, or some other clever trick. The characters are not strong, but they are somehow interesting.
Oshima IslandAs you both mentioned, color and form are areas that I am conscious of in my clothes. Compared to women's wear, men's wear has a limited range of design possibilities. When it comes to pursuing originality, these two factors are very important.
On the other hand, what kind of store do you consider "EDIFITH" to be?
Oshima IslandI myself have been going to Edifice for a long time. I even bought some accessories from "Ichimatsu," and it was one of the stores I always checked out. No matter what style they propose, be it traditional, sports, or work, it is always proposed through the "French" skewer. This unwavering attitude is very appealing. Many of the brands we carry have been with us for a long time, and I felt that we are a store that has a good relationship with the brands. That's also why we were able to realize this collaboration line.
I see. When did you decide to launch "Thirteen Itty Bitty et Edifice"?
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)I think it was around the beginning of last fall. It was also very speedy from start to start up (laughs).
Oshima IslandI would normally not be able to do that (laughs). However, I could feel Mr. Otaki's feelings, and I did not want to disrespect them. The time it took to give shape to the project may have been short, but Mr. Otaki had kept his feelings for "Itty Bitty" for a long time. So we both did our best to give it shape.
How did you two start working together?
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)I came up with the concept for this line, and the two of us created the design based on that concept. The word "13 (thirteen)" was one of the key concepts for this line. I was inspired by Japanese creators who are active in Paris. Paris is divided into 23 districts, just as Tokyo is divided into 23 districts, and I focused on the 1st and 3rd districts.
I see that France is still at the core of your business.
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)The 1st arrondissement is a high-end area lined with Maison brand stores, while the 3rd arrondissement is a highly sensitive area where many of the artists active in Paris are based. On the other hand, the 3rd arrondissement is a highly sensitive area where many artists active in Paris are based. Clothes worn by Japanese creators who come and go between these two areas. That is what Thirteen Itty Bitty et Edifice is all about. In fact, the 1st and 3rd districts are only about 15 minutes apart by bicycle, and it occurred to me that I wanted to create a theme for Japanese people who live in these two areas.
I see.
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)The number "1" is similar to the initial "I" of Ittibitti, and the number "3" can also be taken as "É" of "Edifice" when the number is turned around. Even if it means "edifice," which is different from the usual, the combination of the two words felt right. That is how I came up with the name "13.
13 ITTY-BITTY et ÉDIFICE〉coat ¥37,800+TAX each (EDIFICE Shinjuku store)
What did you feel when you heard about this concept?
Oshima IslandThe concept itself was stimulating, in a good way, because they came up with something unexpected. However, I am usually interested in creating products with a sense of reality, and when it came to incorporating this concept into a realistic design, I felt that it would be difficult to know what direction to take the design. For example, when I imagine the word "Parisian-ness" in my mind, I think you and I have different imaginations. Even though it would be impossible to match them perfectly, I felt the need to make our senses as close as possible.
interior of a pondI think it's important to have that kind of coordination. If both parties have different opinions, neither Oshima nor Otaki will be able to work comfortably. Of course, there is no way that the finished product would be good under such circumstances. It might be a different story if it was a special order for a single item, but since this was a collaboration for a line, it must have taken a lot of time to work out the details, didn't it?
Oshima IslandAs I mentioned earlier, we had a tight time frame due to our late start (laugh), so we worked harder than usual to discuss things with each other. We met several times a week and exchanged LINE messages until midnight.
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)I think that's right. We showed them pictures as well as words, and the image became more and more concrete.
Blouson ¥37,800+tax each, pants ¥21,600+tax each (ÉDIFICE Shinjuku store)
Do these processes overlap with the usual Ittibitti creation process?
Oshima IslandI think there is. We decide what we want to do first, and then make fabrics and draw patterns to achieve that goal, so the creation process is similar in both cases. For the items this time, we are making things in the same production background as "Ittibitti," so the way we move our muscles is almost the same.
By the way, what do you keep in mind when designing clothes?
Oshima IslandI think reality is important, as I mentioned earlier. That is, conformity with the times and functionality. For example, I think there are many items in the world that get wrinkled after a day of wear. However, if I were to make such items, I would use materials that do not wrinkle. Even knitwear is made from materials that are easy to wash and care for. I want Itty Bitty's items to be realistic in the lives of the people who wear them.
interior of a pondI think it's important to think like that. No matter how cool you look on the runway or how cool you look in the store, it is only a passing point, not the goal. Clothes are for people to wear, so I think the most important thing is for customers to put their sleeves on them. It is important to shine brightly in that moment. When we make clothes, we keep this in mind as we actually try them on ourselves and make improvements.
Oshima IslandI think you're right. I have several items from [&WONDER], and when I wear them, I find that they actually have useful functions. I feel that practicality is even more important because these items are made for the outdoors, and when I wear your clothes, I can reaffirm that I am not mistaken in my thinking.
Do you also consider the reality of "THIRTEEN ITTY BITTY & EDIFICE" based on the concept you just mentioned?
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)Yes, it is. This coat in particular is very realistic. People in Paris don't use umbrellas when it rains, but wear blouson hoods. That's why we had the hoods made a little bigger for this item as well.
interior of a pond: Is there a reason why the pockets are so big?
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)This is a small bag that can hold a small amount of stuff even if you don't have it with you. It is also large enough to hold a tablet or other large gadget.
Oshima IslandAlso, we are focusing on "lightness," not only in this coat, but also in other items. Since it is spring, we want lightness. Both in terms of appearance and feel. This coat is lightweight because the inside pockets are omitted. That's why the front pockets are also larger, so that you can carry more stuff in them.
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)The pockets are exquisitely sized, which is typical of Ittibitti.
interior of a pondThe form is the same, but the use of color is especially unique. It really has an "Ittibitti" feel to it. Even the beige coat has an elegant use of color, so even casual wear is beautifully put together. The sewing is also done in a mature and solid way.
Do you have any thoughts on color, Mr. Oshima?
Oshima IslandI think there are many different tones of beige. There are various tones of beige as you mentioned. We develop our fabrics with a lot of attention to detail, starting from the threads, in order to achieve the ideal color we want. It takes a lot of time and effort, but that is the only way to do what we want to do.
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)The attention to tone is amazing. It may be a really small part, but it totally changes the way you see things. That's why I think, "I don't have this color, so I want it. In fact, that's why I bought it myself (laughs).
It looks like it would go well with the AND WONDER backpacks that you have in your store.
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)There are actually people in Paris who have this style of dress. They wear hooded blousons and carry backpacks that could be called "gear. Many of them are in the fashion industry, and they are very stylish. And they are all riding bicycles. Bicycle rentals are very popular in Paris, and I wanted to express that kind of city atmosphere here.
At first glance, it is clearly Ittibitti, but including the editing, I feel that it has an "Edifice" feel to it.
Oshima IslandI think it was good that I was able to talk closely with Mr. Otaki at the start of the project. We were able to clarify the purpose and reasons for creating the items together, so we were able to proceed with the work without blurring the lines. Thirteen Itty Bitty et Edifice is not Itty Bitty, nor is it an original Edifice item. I would like to continue to clarify the positioning of the brand. If we do so, I think the number of things we want to communicate to customers will increase, and the power of that communication will also increase.
So we will continue to see items from "Thirteen Itty Bitty et Edifice" in the future?
giant waterfall (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)I would like to ask for another season.
Oshima IslandI hope we can make progress earlier this time (laughs).
