Two days after its sensational debut that suddenly took over the streets of Harajuku, "D-VEC TOKYO" opened its doors. The next move by this global brand, which has always faced the harsh natural environment and refined its technology, was to make urban life richer and more comfortable. I saw a positive future in the vector indicated by the "D.
Last March 25th. Harajuku Cat Street.
In a place that has spawned numerous fashion and cultural events, a store has begun a new journey.
D-VEC.
It is the name of the store and the name of the brand.
Two days before that.
D-VEC" made an impressive debut. They turned Cat Street, where the store stands, into a runway and held a fashion show.
The show, held as part of the "Amazon Fashion Week TOKYO 2017 AW" program and lasting only 10 minutes, transformed the familiar Harajuku landscape and left a huge impact on the many people who visited the event and the media.
Huinamu closely followed the events leading up to this shocking show and produced a documentary movie. Please click the play button below to watch the excitement and frenzy of the day.
Where did this unfamiliar brand "D-VEC" come from? The initial "D" is the "D" of "DAIWA," a brand that anglers (fishermen) around the world place great trust in.
Globe Ride, which operates the DAIWA brand, took the 50th anniversary of its founding as an opportunity for company-wide branding, and in 2009, the following year, changed its name from Daiwa Seiko, which until then had given the strong impression of being a comprehensive manufacturer of fishing tackle, to Globe Ride, and further renewed its management philosophy.
Mr. Kashiwa Sato was appointed as creative director, and the brand logo was renewed. With an eye on the "next 50 years," the new company has started its expansion as a global company that develops various businesses, including golf and tennis.
DAIWA, which had been the company name and brand name until then, was reborn as a fishing brand. D-VEC" is the fashion label of DAIWA.
The "VEC" in D-VEC means "vector. The name reflects the company's extraordinary will for the future, which has renewed everything.
The store, filled with light from the window facing Cat Street and the entrance, has a semi-circular form that allows customers to walk around slowly. The design was created by the SAMURAI team led by Kashiwa Sato.
The layout that leaves a blank space highlights the individuality of "D-VEC," which has been generously infused with the know-how cultivated through DAIWA's fishing wear.
Among them, this "sea-patterned coat," as it is commonly called, caught the eye. Based on oil paintings of the sea, this D-VEC original fabric is woven with vivid colors in jacquard.
The unique jacquard weave repels water even if it rains a little. Functionality and fashion. This is a symbolic item that only D-VEC, with its roots in the sea, could have produced.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary folding umbrella of good design. The moment I held it in my hand, I couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. It is light. I had never experienced such lightness before. The weight is about 76g.
It's hard to imagine, so I'll add that a normal folding umbrella weighs roughly 300g. The one that is said to be lightweight weighs 150g. This is half the weight of a smartphone. Let's say it is half the weight of a smartphone.
Moreover, the six bones give it a beautiful form when open, and it boasts more strength than five bones and a larger surface area.
The shaft is made of the same carbon material used in fishing rods. DAIWA has a long history of jointly developing the carbon used in aircraft and satellites and refining the technology by incorporating it into fishing rods on a pilot basis. The cutting-edge carbon technology developed in this process is also used in this shaft.
What is even more surprising is the shaft connection. In a normal umbrella, the shafts are connected to each other by metal parts, which add to the weight of the umbrella. Fishing rods must not be allowed to fall off by themselves when extended, and they must move smoothly when stowed away.
Therefore, by processing the contact area of the carbon, it became possible to connect only the shaft without using heavy metal parts. By applying this technology to umbrellas, an amazing weight reduction was achieved.
And these are polarized glasses. Polarized glasses are indispensable in the fishing scene to see fish and undulations in the water. Here, too, the technology that has been refined is put to use.
In the world of fishing, where function is always the highest priority, design has been considered secondary. The design is incorporated into a classic brow frame that combines celluloid and metal.
A slip-on with a water-repellent Kurashiki canvas upper. The sole is the most notable feature.
The "D" logo is placed on the bottom of the sole to express its identity and ...... deny. The sole is made of a specially compounded rubber and is "no-slip". The "D" logo is placed on the bottom of the sole to give it a sense of identity.
In a corner at the back of the store, regular sneakers and this model are laid out on a slippery panel coated with detergent, allowing visitors to experience how much no-slip they actually are.
This is a must-try when you visit the store. As with the folding umbrella above, I can assure you that you will be left with a bit of a sense of wonder.
Under the slogan of "Lifetime Sports Company," we have been providing anglers with the best possible environment in the demanding field of fishing.
Today, the urban environment is changing rapidly, with guerrilla downpours and heat waves. We hope that by using the functions and technologies we have cultivated while confronting nature in our apparel, we can make life as comfortable as possible for people living in urban areas.
Through D-VEC, we want people to experience an expression that will lead to a long, rich, and comfortable life.
In the words of Kenichi Kobayashi, general manager of Globe Ride's Apparel Marketing Department, we saw a vector for city life in the near future.
D-VEC TOKYO
