I was finally able to get back into my own ring.
What did you find in Los Angeles and San Francisco that did or did not change from before Corona?
Kaneko:Here, I did not feel such a strong change. However, I did feel that in areas that were originally unsafe, the mood was that it was accelerating. Also, in Los Angeles, time seemed to have stopped in a good sense. Even though the world is moving, there is not much influence. I felt that the land and the unique style of the place were well preserved. That is what attracted me to Los Angeles.
It's the appeal of something that is not marketed, something that is made within one's reach.
Kaneko:I think that's right. It is important what we select and how we handle it. That is why I felt the significance of being in Tokyo to make selections during the buying process this time.
There is something wonderful about something that can only be found there, isn't there?
Kaneko:I think it was good that we were able to go abroad in many ways. We could never win if we stood on the same playing field as other stores, so we had to go to different places from other buyers to make purchases and create products. Going abroad this time allowed me to finally get back on my own ground. Now, I am sorting out what I have learned in that ring and thinking about how to deliver it to our customers.
Will the items from this buying season be released around next spring/summer?
Kaneko:Some of them will be released this fall/winter, but generally they will be for next spring/summer. So please stay tuned. However, actual items such as used clothing are arriving at the store from time to time. If you thought we couldn't buy much due to the weak yen, we ended up with about 30 boxes. However, we only pick very carefully selected items, so we hope you will visit the store.
