FEATURE

Translated By DeepL

24 year old sunglasses.
MONTHLY JOURNAL July 2022 vol.1

24 year old sunglasses.

HOUYHNHNM's editorial office is managed by a staff of 11, and there is quite a gap in age between the youngest and oldest members. The youngest is 24 years old and the oldest is 45 years old . Of course, they have different tastes, places to play, and fashion styles. For example, some of them think of sunglasses as a practical way to protect their eyes from UV rays, while others think of sunglasses as a fashion item. For Vol. 1, we interviewed industry people who will lead the future of sunglasses with the keyword of "24 years old".

  • Photo_Shinsaku Yasujima
  • Text_Keisuke Kimura
  • Edit_Yuri Sudo
  • Chapter 1: Ask a Beams buyer about the recent situation of sunglasses.

  • Chapter 2: What kind of sunglasses does he like?

  • Chapter 3: If you want to buy sunglasses, go to DOWNTOWN.

Chapter 1: Ask a Beams buyer about the recent situation of sunglasses.

PROFILE

Ryosuke Nozaki

Born in Kichijoji in 1992 and raised in Setagaya, he joined BEAMS in 2014 and worked as a sales representative and VMD at three stores in Tokyo before becoming a buyer in 2021. Sunglasses are his trademark.
Instagram:@r.nzk

What is the youth trend that is neither Mal nor Wellington .

Mr. Nozaki, I have a strong image of sunglasses, but how many pairs of sunglasses do you currently own?

Nozaki:I think it's about 12 or 3 bottles .

Please tell us about your history with sunglasses.

Nozaki:I bought my first pair of Ray-Ban Clubmasters, and MOSCOT is also a regular. . Among them, my latest favorite is a pair of Ray-Bans that belonged to my grandfather.

It looks quite vintage!

Nozaki:They are vintage Ray-Bans, probably from the 1960s or so. They have narrow rims, green lenses, and are a bit vulgar. Personally, I'm in the mood for thin, rectangular glasses like these right now. In fact, "BEAMS" has picked up a similar model from the "Ray-Ban" inline line, so I hope you will check it out.(Item(s) Affected)

What do you think of the trends among young people?

Nozaki:There is no doubt that celluloid frames (plastic frames) are doing better than thin metal frames. I don't know if it is correct to call it a trend, but there is a definite sense of penetration.

What about the color of the lenses?

Nozaki:The need to wear a mask has overwhelmingly led to the sale of lighter colored lenses. This is because a mask & dark lenses would make them look suspicious.

Top: SE02-DEMI-SG SE02 Sunglasses Demi ¥28,60 / Bottom: SE01 Sunglasses ¥28,600 (BEAMS Harajuku)

What brands are you looking forward to seeing?

Nozaki:If you are talking about "for young people," I would say a Japanese brand called "Side Effects Eye Products. This brand was started by a person who collects vintage eyewear, and he reconstructs the old ones in a modern style. The lenses are flat, the shape is not peculiar, and the price is reasonable. We get a lot of inquiries at our stores. I recommend it as a good first pair of lenses.

Ms. Nozaki, do you wear sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun? Or are they accessories?

Nozaki:Both. . So I always carry two things with me (laughs). . One pair of sunglasses to block out the sun and one pair that is thin enough to wear indoors.

. Are there any brands or shapes that we should pay attention to in the future?

Nozaki:Oakley" is a brand that I would like to showcase at BEAMS as well. Although it is not common yet, support for sports sunglasses is increasing locally. So, I think that sporty sunglasses with a more rugged look, rather than the basic Oakley Frogskin, will be popular in the future.

It is true that you don't see people wearing "Oakleys" on the street.

Nozaki:Nowadays, a tight shell jacket and wide pants are in vogue, especially among the younger generation. Sporty sunglasses go well with these styles. In addition, Oakley's apparel from the early 2000's is also gaining popularity, so I think it's worth paying attention to them.

. Finally, in reference to the key word in this article, "24 years old"... What kind of 24-year-old were you, Mr. Nozaki?

Nozaki:I worked at the Shibuya branch and drank a lot (laughs). It was not unusual for me to come to work hungover. Whenever I had time, I would go to parties, where I made many horizontal connections, and I think those connections are still very much alive today. Of course, I was desperate for work, and my dream at the time was to become the youngest person to be in charge of VMD for a street store. I was at the age when that dream had just come true, so I was super overconfident both at work and in my private life (laughs).

I see. So, after 24 years of age, you are now in your current position. I look forward to seeing more of your selections in the future.

Chapter 2: What kind of sunglasses does he like?

Kanta Hirasawa / 25 years old (Designer)
Instagram: @kanta0509

Blanc... BM010 ¥34,100

Ms. Hirasawa is a 25-year-old designer of "FOLL," a private brand of the boutique UNFOLLOW. Today's sunglasses are from "BLANC...", which is also sold at "UNFOLLOW". (BLANC...), which is also carried by "UNFOLLOW. which is also carried by "UNFOLLOW.

. has always been my favorite brand. The lenses are not as dark as they look, and I like the clarity that allows for last-minute eye contact. I have two pairs of the same shape. They are made in Sabae and priced at a little over 30,000 yen. I am very glad I bought these sunglasses.

Ms. Hirasawa's daily coordinate is either casual and beautiful, or beautiful and casual. On this day, she chose the former, and her shirt and pants are from "FOLL," a brand she designs herself. Incidentally, Ms. Hirasawa wears long sleeves no matter how hot it is. . The reason is that short sleeves give a scary impression.

What kind of year was it for you at age 24? The stoic Mr. Hirasawa answered, "It was a year of 24 years old.

. every year since I entered the fashion world, I renew the pain. Every year I think about what I could have done differently, even in the years that went well. . I'm not satisfied with the results alone, and I value the process more than the results. The standard of achievement goes up every year, so it was tough at age 24, but I am sure it will be tougher at age 25. But whatever it is, I want to enjoy it and get through it."

Maaya Yamashita, 23 (store staff)
Instagram: @ranunculus527

Oliver Peoples x The Row BROWNSTONE 2 ¥42,900

Ms. Yamashita is a store staff at City Shop Shinjuku. She has been wearing sunglasses since the summer of 2021, and currently wears a pair of sunglasses by "OLIVER PEOPLES" x "THE ROW" that she recently purchased. The fact that only a small number of these sunglasses are sold was a deciding factor in his decision to purchase these sunglasses.

. My ears are smaller than other people's, so celluloid frames tend to fall out of my ears. . In that respect, I like these sunglasses because the temples are thin and they fit well. Also, I don't want to wear a hat before work because I don't want to mess up my hair. But I also don't want to get sunburned. When I do, I always wear sunglasses to protect myself from the sun.

To solve the "too simple" summer problem, a glitzy vest by Chika Kisada is paired with an African batik skirt, an original City Shop item, for a glamorous look. Sandals are by everyone's favorite "Ufos.

When I turn 24, I want to try out more and different fashions. My tastes have become more established to some extent, but my goal is to flatten out my own preferences, which have become so entrenched. In the future, my goal is to become a woman like Etsumi Nagao, who worked as the director of "City Shop.

Shin Watanabe / age 30 (store staff)
Instagram: @blinc_watanabe

Elder " Red Havana ¥42,900

Ms. Watanabe works as a store staff at "blinc," a famous eyewear store in Gaienmae. Ms. Watanabe, who says she has purchased more than 10 pairs of eyewear in the past year, has recently been wearing "blinc's" original "Elder_ARAOKAGANKYO" sunglasses.

. These sunglasses are characterized by the different shapes of the upper part and the lower part. As you can see, the top part is angular, but the bottom part is rounded. , so called "blow type" eyewear. Also, this model was designed by a product designer, Mr. Kimikazu Futamata. Therefore, it is made from a different perspective from that of an eyeglass maker, and I think the pinkish color in particular is unique to this model.

The key to the coordination of the day was monotone. When he wants to show off his eyewear, he always keeps his outfit low. The contrast between the "Hermes" shirt purchased at the vintage clothing store "Whistler" in Koenji and the pants from "MUJI" is also very current.

. when I was 24, I was in a different line of business . I was baking cakes from morning till night as a pastry chef (laughs). (laughs) . At the time, I didn't have the slightest idea that I would be working in a glasses shop. However, at that age, you start to get used to your job and think about the future again, so I think it is a good time for 24-year-olds to take the plunge and make a decision.

Chapter 3: If you want to buy sunglasses, go to DOWNTOWN.

Tsukishima is a downtown area of Tokyo. Monja Street, named after the city's famous gourmet, is lined with about 50 monja-yaki restaurants, and on weekends and holidays, people line up outside to get in and out of any one of them.

Downtown," a select eyewear store, operates quietly down a small street off of such a busy street. The store is run by the owner, Mr. Hara, and the manager, Mr. Nakayama.

Mr. Hara and Mr. Nakayama are classmates and hometown residents. . They are from Fukui Prefecture, the birthplace of eyeglasses. When they were both 20 years old, they promised each other that they would open an eyeglass shop together in the future, and went their separate ways. Mr. Hara became an employee of "Louis Vuitton" and made connections in the industry, while Mr. Nakayama learned the basics of eyeglasses at "Globespecs".

. and the time was ripe to open "DOWNTOWN" in 2020.

I am good at attending to customers who are shopping in a good place because I was a serious customer service person at " Louis Vuitton " (laughs). Nakayama also has experience in assisting customers who are concerned about the way they see or the comfort of their lenses at "Globespecs" ("Globespecs") . So I hope to make the store a place where customers can be satisfied from both the fashion and technical aspects," says Hara.

More than 90% of the customers come to this store for MATSUDA, a brand reimported from the U.S., and Jacques Marie Mage, a small-lot, limited production brand from LA. Both of these brands are rarely sold in Japan, and DOWNTOWN has one of the best selections in the country. Other brands include Jacques Durand, a favorite of Ryuichi Sakamoto, and YUICHI TOYAMA. (YUICHI TOYAMA.), and EYEVAN7285 (EYEVAN7285), which are all well-known brands in Japan today.

. the trend is totally for thick-rimmed cellular frames. . There has been a resurgence. When people first started wearing masks, they moved away from eyewear because they fogged up, and then came thin metal frames, and now thick frames are coming back," says Hara.

In the past, eyewear was said to be inexpensive even at 20,000 yen, and nowadays, eyewear can be obtained for under 5,000 yen. Compared to this, the eyewear sold at "DOWNTOWN" is expensive, but expensive eyewear has a different feel. Just by wearing them, you can feel the power to tighten up your whole body. In addition, they offer the best customer service and technical support, so it's not a bad idea to find eyewear that will last a lifetime here. If you are 24 years old now, you should be able to get a pair that will protect your eyes and add color to your fashion for at least another 40 years.

INFOMATION

DOWNTOWN

Address: 1-20-5 Tsukishima, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0052
Phone: 03-4361-4988
Business hours: 11:00-18:00
Closed: Wednesday and Thursday
Instagram:@downtown_megane

INFORMATION

BEAMS Harajuku

03-3470-3947

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