We now have enough choices to assert our individuality.
What kind of people are cool now?
Ibara:To me, it's cool to see people doing tough things while laughing. I am supported by a brand called "Answer 4," but it seems to me that they are holding on to what the big manufacturers don't. I think it's a brand with a back Harajuku image, like "Undercover. . Brands like "Undercover" have an image of back Harajuku.
I feel that we have entered an age where mass products are no longer the only option, and where people can express their individuality.
Uchisaka:Everyone already knows what equipment is necessary for trail running and how it functions. Of course, the manufacturers who supply the equipment also have a good understanding of the functions and prices, so the manufacturers usually come up with a close line in terms of functionality and price. Then, I think it comes down to color and silhouette. Then there are garage brands such as "Answer 4," like Mr. Ihara. In other words, you are wearing a character. I think people are choosing their own colors and shapes, without being swayed by the strategies of manufacturers' brands.
Wearing garage brand clothes because you want to wear something different from others may have been fashionable a while ago, but when everyone starts wearing garage brand clothes, don't you feel like you'll become the same as everyone else again?
Ibara:Yes, there are. . It's the same with fashion in the world. . like when jeans used to be popular, everyone started wearing jeans. Where are you going?
Uchisaka:If Mr. Ihara runs in an aloha shirt, the next year everyone will be running in aloha shirts (laughs). Beginners don't know about equipment, clothes, and how much stuff they need, so they have to listen to the people at the store or their seniors, but if they are experienced enough, they can create their own style. So, maybe they are tired of the garage brands, and they want to go back to the big brands. That would be going in the opposite direction. That would be interesting, wouldn't it?
