I hope many more interesting things will come out of it.
A: The items in this collection will be sold globally, so they are designed not only for the domestic market, but also for the international market, right? Was it decided from the beginning that the items would be sold globally?
Arai:Yes, that's right. There was a request to do this on a global scale, and it was a request that came true for us as well. However, we are not going to get carried away with this, and we are planning to segment our business properly so that it will be handled by the right stores.
. You mean that there was a relationship that started with the seniors, and gradually developed a sense of mutual trust.
Arai:You are so right, it is an accomplishment (laughs). I didn't faint, but I was so happy that I was shivering. It was also the time when "BEAMS" was thinking of expanding overseas.
Kobayashi:. I am very happy that we were able to create such an item at that time. It is a commemorative model that marks a step up. It is a great honor to be a buyer.
I see.
Kobayashi:Also, up until now, BEAMS BOY has only been able to handle bags and accessories, but now that we are going global, we will also be handling the "Beta Jacket" for the first time. That is one of the major topics.
Arai:Until now, BEAMS" and "BEAMS BOY" had been doing separate orders based on their own ideas, but from this time on, they are working together as "BEAMS". This was a new discovery for us.
Kobayashi:So it comes in 6 sizes, from XS to XXL.
That's quite a wide range.
Arai:There was a time when we only offered sizes from small to large, and now that the oversize craze has cooled down a bit, some of the younger staff at the store prefer to wear slimmer sizes. Sizing really changes depending on the age of the customer, and the way of wearing changes accordingly. It is very interesting to see such changes over the years of working together.
This time, the size range is wide, so I thought you could really wear it however you like. I want you to enjoy the fashion you can do because you are in town, such as by tightening the cords at the hem or squeezing the hood.
Kobayashi:I'm really glad that they have XXLs (laughs). (Laughs.) I heard that Arc'teryx has only a few XXL items in their stores. But since we are proposing this as a fashion item, we have added depth to the line.
What kind of initiatives would you like to work on with Arc'teryx in the future?
Arai:I would like to do bigger and bigger things. I am being greedy (laughs). In the past, judges were sometimes harsh, but they have finally eased up and are now willing to take our opinions into consideration. So I would say there is more of a sense of collaboration.
. That's how prestigious the brand is, isn't it?
Arai:Yes, it is. I've got one foot in that (laughs), and I'm really excited about that. I'm getting more and more requests from Arcteryx, like, "Which do you think is better, this one or this one? I'm getting more and more requests for advice from Arc'teryx, and I feel that they need my work.
Kobayashi:. I would also like to communicate more closely with them to make better items. However, when I talked with my overseas acquaintances about the new items, many of them said they were looking forward to them. That makes me very happy.
Arai:I think that as we expand globally, we will have more and more connections, and I hope that many more interesting things will be created.
