07 : INTERVIEW WITH YUKA MURASE (Le Yucca's) I want discerning adults to wear them.
PROFILE
Shoe designer. After graduating from junior college, he worked for about eight years making shoes for professional athletes before moving to Italy. After working for Charles Jordan, Vivienne Westwood, and Stoll Mantellassi, he launched Les Uccas in 2000.
Le Yucca's is a brand with a low profile in the media, but one that all discerning customers can get behind. It may not be the best way to describe the shoes, but Le Yucca's exudes nobility. This time, we were able to speak with the designer, Yuka Murase, who has rarely been interviewed. We interviewed her through a monitor.
I hear that "Les Yukkas" is becoming more and more popular among the younger generation these days. Could you tell us again about the appeal of "Les Yukkas"?
Murase:. I add my own sensibility to the ergonomic construction. The common thread that runs through all of the Le Juccas shoes is that they are gentle on the feet and easy to style. In other words, they are shoes that are easy to wear both physically and mentally. . So while the finished product is quite simple, it is very complex.
When I create a design, I make lines (the basis of the design drawing) in pencil on a wooden form. . When I finish the drawing, I lay it out on the floor, look at it again the next day, and make corrections, down to a few millimeters. I go over and over it until I am satisfied with it , and finally I put the final line in with oil-based magic marker.
The point is where the bone hits and bends. No stitching or haggling is done here.
The spring lineup looks great. I personally wanted to wear the peccary boots. The toe spring is modest , and the silhouette from there to the topline is truly beautiful.
Murase:These boots are made by the Bolognese process. . Because of its construction, the upper is pulled downward. Although there are individual differences in walking style, the toe spring will naturally follow each individual, so there will be no toe catching.
Another point is that when you slide your foot into them, the leather on the instep, ankle, and heel gathers and crinkles. Sexy, isn't it?
A supple peccary boot to behold. ¥187,000
. In other words, the functionality of the design creates a unique impression.
Murase:Yes, function is the most important thing. . The attention to detail extends to every detail. Take, for example, the counter (core material). You can't see them unless you take the shoes apart, but all Les Uccas shoes have extremely long counters. This is because today's children are used to wearing sneakers and their feet have lost their shape. They don't have the arches (curves in the sole formed by the muscles) that are necessary for walking. Without arches, they get tired easily. This counter supports this as much as possible.
I think those kids would feel comfortable in real moccasin boots. . these shoes bend so languidly. Since moccasins are stitched all the way down to the tube, it was very difficult to give them shape. It took a year to complete.
Real moccasin boots. The mocassin stitching, which extends all the way to the crease of the topline, requires a high level of craftsmanship. The two-ply leather soles without the heel allow the boots to bend like a sneaker. ¥178,200
These two pairs are also representative works. The top one is a model with a beautiful balance between the skin stitching running along the crease of the instep and the wide-open topline. The balance between the nostalgic and the new is the quintessence of "Les Uccas". Below is a cordovan slip-on with a minimalist design that clearly reveals the beauty of the wooden form, and the dripping leather is irresistible. The construction is a slit in the center of the instep and a shoe tongue to fit the shoe. This one has been continuously released since its introduction in 2017. Top ¥159,500 , Bottom ¥234,300
. Are there any designers who have influenced you, Mr. Murase?
Murase:I liked Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Giorgio Armani, Emilio Pucci, and Courrèges in the 70s and 80s, and Manolo Blahnik from the Zapata era for shoes. . However, I was more influenced by the way of life than by the designs.
What is amazing about them is that they had the courage to create something new. . I always try to remember them when I start my own day. Come to think of it, I once had the opportunity to meet and talk with Emilio Pucci, the designer himself. . At the time, I had my own atelier just around the corner.
I once asked the following question: "Emilio Pucci doesn't advertise. "Emilio Pucci doesn't advertise. Why is that? Pucci replied, "Emilio Pucci is a brand that never pays for the printing process. Emilio Pucci is not a cheap brand, and the printing process is expensive. If we start advertising, it will become even more expensive than it is now. It is not a brand that can be produced in large numbers to begin with, and only the people who really like the brand will love it. Besides, Emilio Pucci's prints stand out. It would be awkward for customers to pass by," he said with a charming laugh.
If you think you have to sell well, or if you want to grow in scale, you have to sacrifice something. . I have always tried to face manufacturing within my means.
. The photo shows a view of the showroom at Galeries Vivienne in Paris.
Murase-san, you started out making shoes for athletes and then moved to Italy to work for Charles Jordan and Vivienne Westwood. . It's an eccentric and glamorous career.
Murase:After graduating from junior college, I made shoes for athletes for almost 10 years. I could go on for a long time, so I won't, but at the time I was making only molded soles, so I was nicknamed "Rubber Lace" (laughs).
The shoes you have made? I have made shoes for all kinds of sports. Car racing, kickboxing, tennis, America's Cup . For racers, rubber soles must be made as thin as possible. They need to listen to the engine with the soles of their feet. They had to be thin but durable, hence the name "rubber laces.
Athletes move very differently depending on their sport. A yachtsman needs shoes that don't slip, while a pit crewman needs shoes that allow him to move agilely in a one-meter radius. . This career had a great influence on my later life as a designer.
It was a challenging job, but the winning interview was almost always a bust-up. The shoes I had worked so hard on were not shown at all. . I was so sad about this that I flew to Italy (laughs). I was so sad about this that I flew to Italy (laughs). (Laughs.) It was also sad that I made one pair of shoes and that was the end of it.
But when I think about it, I wonder if I did something regrettable. Athlete shoes have no season. It is work until it is finished. Development fees accrue all the way up to that point, and the unit price was high to begin with (laughs).
I was inspired to make dress shoes when I met Enzo Bonafe, with whom I still have a lot of communication. In Italy, there is a world of wonderful artisans known as "artigiano. However, there was almost no women's wear that made full use of their skills. I brought in everything from patterns to have my own shoes made, and that was the beginning of Les Uccas.
I understand that you are now living on a boat.
Murase:I've been living at sea for a long time now because I'm afraid of the corona. I don't even need a mask here. I bought a boat 3 years ago. Now I am studying to get a new license. If I can get it, I can travel around the world.
Mr. Murase on the ship. He said he would return to the ship soon after this interview.
. It's a powerful lifestyle, far beyond anything I could have imagined.
Murase:Les Yukkas is a small business, but I've made good money doing freelance work. You only live once. You have only one life, and you have to enjoy it to the fullest. And this luxury is very important for people who make things.
