There will be inspiration to be gained by actually seeing and experiencing it with your own eyes.
Dr. Martens SHOWROOM TYO" is the world's first concept store. The project director, Ewan Playford of PLAYFORD DESIGN, was in charge of this project. He has been in charge of the direction of various world-famous brands, and has also produced many stores as an interior designer. We asked him about his thoughts on this store.
PROFILE
While working as a director for various brands, he is also an interior designer and has produced not only fashion brands but also restaurants in commercial facilities such as Shibuya Hikarie, Shinjuku Lumine, and Marunouchi Building. . Currently, he is also the executive producer of the entertainment restaurant "CÉ LA VI TOKYO" in Shibuya.
Ewan, what kind of image do you have of "Dr. Martens"?
Yuan:I have been wearing 8-hole boots since I was in junior high school, and I have roots in England, and I used to visit the main store in Camden Town, London. I used to visit the main store in Camden Town, London, where there was an interesting market for a long time, and the store stood out from the crowd. So I always thought "Martin's is cool.
I have the impression that the brand has been very innovative in the past few years, and as you can see from the archive of collaborative boots in this store, they have collaborated with a wide variety of brands. It is common for sneakers to do so, but I don't think there is any other place that has collaborated with top fashion brands to such an extent in the field of boots. . That is why I thought it was important to collect and showcase the great archives of the past from all over the world.
Are there any shoes in the archives of this collaboration that you are particularly interested in?
Yuan:Personally, I like the corduroy 8-holes by "Undercover". Also, the shoes by "Fragment Design" are nice, and the ones by TET (Double Taps) are cool too.
A. What was important to you in directing the store this time around?
Yuan:We placed particular importance on the connection between the rebellious image that Dr. Martens has built up over the years, its interactions with music, art, and other cultures, and its innovations in fashion and design. The most important theme was how to express the new vision of "Dr. Martens.
Dr. Martens is a fusion of the vibes and styles of people living in various cultures and their communities, as well as collaborations with various brands, all of which are contained in one box at the Dr. Martens SHOWROOM TYO. Dr. Martens SHOWROOM TYO" is a fusion of the vibes and styles that emerge from this community.
Similarly, in Harajuku in the 1990s, various brands collaborated with each other in the form of double or triple names to create new expressions and values, which then spread throughout the world. In other words, it was a time when Tokyo made collaboration a global fashion standard. At Dr. Martens SHOWROOM TYO, we used this approach to create not only the products, but also all of the fixtures, in-store video, and the cultural documentary movie "JUKEVOX JOINTS". The people who worked with us to create these items include Mura of M&M CUSTOM PERFORMANCE and other senior members of the Harajuku culture, as well as young creators who express the fusion of 90s vibes and modernity in a fresh way.
I myself am of the generation that was influenced by the 90's, and have experienced that culture firsthand, and its values and creativity are the basis of my own. The 90's revival that is happening now is not media-driven, but rather young people discovering interesting culture on their own, and it becomes more and more exciting and spontaneous. This store incorporates such young ideas, and rather than becoming merely nostalgic, we are creating something that has never existed before by interweaving new and old values.
JUKEVOX JOINTS," which was inspired by this store, is also a documentary movie that unravels these old and new values, isn't it?
Yuan:Yes, it is a comprehensive look at the culture that emerged in Harajuku, how it was shaped, and where it is headed now, with a mix of the voices of the leading figures who created the culture of the 1990s and those of today's leading creators.
Of course we respect the culture that was born in Harajuku and its influence on today's fashion, but "Dr. Martens" existed long before that. Dr. Martens was an iconic shoe chosen by the legends who appeared on "JUKEVOX JOINTS" as well. So, we are presenting a documentary about the origin of "Dr. Martens," the birth of the 90s culture, and how it is evolving today.
. I think that a big movement occurs when people with strong intentions and interesting ideas resonate with each other, rather than when a single person does something on their own. If you watch "JUKEVOX JOINTS," you will understand this truth more deeply. 90's Urahara culture was born from a group of cool young skaters and musicians, and they created a new sense of values together while respecting each other, They created new values together, respecting each other, and made the culture unique and strong at the same time. I hope you can feel their episodes and thoughts.
The product team at Dr. Martens in the U.K. also thinks that Tokyo's street culture is unique. They pay a lot of attention to Japan, knowing maniacal stories about how they became world-class creators, such as the connections between the people of the Urahara area. They pay attention to Japan because they love and respect street culture in real life. It is because of such a product team that we are able to create various collaborative models with the world's top brands, and we are very happy about that.
It has only been open for a short time, but do you have any expectations for the restaurant or what you would like customers to feel?
Yuan:I hope that people who like "Dr. Martens" as well as those who are interested in street culture and respect creation will be able to smell the scent of this place. . The archives of this collaboration tower, Kosuke Kawamura's art, and the full lineup of "Made in England" shoes that can only be found here are just a few examples. . From now on, every month there will be a project involving artists and creators of various generations. There will be inspiration to be gained not only through digital media, but also by actually visiting the store and seeing these items with your own eyes.
I see that you want people to feel such a spirit through the "Dr. Martens SHOWROOM TYO".
Yuan:Yes, that's right. It is not just a store, but a culture that began in Uraharajuku in the 1990s and continues today. I would be happy if we could inherit the history created in Tokyo in this way and make it a place where something new is born again.
