TRAVELER 02 : TANY In search of "people" and "possibilities," the TANY way of wanderlust.
PROFILE
After working as a sales representative and press at "BEAMS" in the Kansai area, he moved to Tokyo in 2013. After leaving in 2005, he participated in the launch of the select store "IMA:ZINE" in Nakatsu, Osaka. Currently, he is in charge of direction and buying.
Instagram: @taniatsuhito
I heard that you went to LA last November. Was it your first time abroad in a long time?
TANY:I was actually on the West Coast for the Corona Disaster. This time, I exhibited at ComplexCon as "Zephaniah's Club.
Do you mostly go to the West Coast?
TANY:I tend to be on the West Coast and the East Coast, but comparatively speaking, the West is more prevalent. There is a street scene that I have been connected to since I was in my previous job. I look for interesting people by communicating with them, and I cherish the relationships I have with them.
Did you exhibit at ComplexCon at the invitation of your friends there?
TANY:VERDY, who is working on the brand with me, was a curator at ComplexCon, so we have that connection as well. This is also a test to see how Zephaniah's Club will be received overseas.
It has been six years since we started our brand, and in the beginning, we used VERDY's graphics to communicate our philosophy in order for people to understand our brand. From there, I started to infuse the word "possibility," which I value, into the items. I have been exploring various possibilities while working on the brand, such as working with Jason Takara of the Hopi tribe, who is a legend in the world of Indian jewelry, and doing special orders with "Sentinela," a company that has influenced me.
By infusing this potential into the brand, you seem to have taken the second step as a brand.
TANY:That's right. For the past five or six years, fashion has seemed to be packaged, and I wanted to reset that. At Imagine, rather than providing customers with clothes that look good on them, I want them to buy into the possibilities. I want them to question and be surprised in a good way. VERDY is also from Osaka and was a reader of "Kaji-Kajin," so we share these values.
What did you think of ComplexCon, which you exhibited at?
TANY:I had a lot of people look at my work. For example, in the case of the special order with Sentinela and the Indian jewelry with Jason Takara, I was often asked "Why did you make this? That was a completely different response than in Japan. Many people were interested in our identity and philosophy, which is something that is difficult to convey on social media. They were able to dig out exactly what we wanted to express, and we were able to get a very good response.
So there was a harvest.
TANY:I felt quite positive. I was convinced that what I have been doing up to now was not wrong. We are looking for ways to move forward after the Corona disaster, and with the new generation growing rapidly, we have gained a sense of confidence that we can continue to do well.
Did you do any buying on this trip?
TANY:After ComplexCon was over, I went to a crafts event with some of the artists we deal with. I had a chance to prepare for the next season with one of our craft artists.
Do you have your own style of buying?
TANY:I am a twisted person, so I don't go to places where everyone gathers. I value the relationships I make with people I meet there, and I make appointments on the spot, trusting in the keywords I obtain there or the people I am introduced to. I believe in the keywords I get from them and the people they introduce me to, so I make appointments on the spot and visit them.
The worn-out tote bag is from L.L. Bean, which he acquired when he first started working as a buyer at his previous job. I carry it with me every time I go shopping, hoping that it will bring something home with me. It's like a good luck charm.
It's like a vintage clothing buyer looking for something he or she doesn't know if it exists or not.
TANY:It's similar to that. In my case, it is not old clothes, but people. I might be able to find interesting people here. I go into bars I don't know, talk with the people there, get to know them, and then visit galleries that are recommended in the conversation.
Did you develop this style during your previous job?
TANY:It was a large company, so there were certain points that I had to hold on to. However, from the middle of the search, I started to look for things that only I could find on a zero-based basis. I felt that was better suited to me. In a way, it was almost like a gamble.
TANY'S EYE 01
Sean Stussy, a living legend of the streets, has been in touch with him since his previous job. He is the person who inspired me to fall in love with fashion, and I am very happy that he looks after me like a child. I want to work with him again, and in that sense, I think he is someone who always makes me dream.
This is also a collaboration item with Sean Stussy's "S Double," which he worked on during his previous career. I created this item on the occasion of the 40th anniversary. I wasn't sure if I would be able to meet Sean Stussy himself, but I believed in the possibility of meeting him, so I visited him and got my wish.
But by doing so, you gain something different from other people.
TANY:That's really true. As I mentioned earlier, I believe in "possibility" and move around. That's why I want to cherish the relationships that I have made. It can lead to the next business trip.
And that relationship will lead to new relationships?
TANY:That's right. I want to convey the message that there is such a style, and that originality and stories can be created by thinking of your own unique buying method. I want to convey the message that this is what makes a store interesting.
TANY'S EYE 02
I had a chance encounter with Mr. Modecai, the originator of the world-famous fashion blog "MISTER MORT," in New York. I have fond memories of having him take snaps of me. I am glad that I was able to catch his eye with my fashion. His point of view is also a reference for the "# TANI'S EYE" that I am posting on my Instagram" (photo provided by Mr. Modecai).
When you go on a trip, do you only focus on "people"?
TANY:I call it "town camo," and I believe that style exists when people are in tune with the town. Whether you are a celebrity or a hobo, whether you wear nice clothes or have tacky styling, if you live in the town and fit in with the town, you are a town camo. So I look at the people and the scenery as a set. There are moments when the clothes stand out, and the color scheme and the way they are worn stand out. That is what really sticks in my mind.
So that's your inspiration.
TANY:That's right. That kind of atmosphere cannot be conveyed unless you talk about it offline. I think that SNS will accelerate in the future, but I would like to convey the reality while serving customers at the store. I think that is the role of "Imagine" and what is necessary in today's fashion.
The vest, a triple collaboration of Imagine, Reshop, and Brunavoyne, was designed after the inspiration for the "Town Camo," as TANY describes it. The design was inspired by the styling of a hobo I saw in an unsafe area called Skid Row.
I would like to know more about TANY's travel fashion.
TANY:I often stay in a very functional, so-called outdoor style. I interpret "going outside of Japan" as being outdoors. My buying style is not based on going to Paris to see a fashion show. Basically, I try to add things that allow me to relax and express my personality.
Do you have a small amount of luggage?
TANY:There are very few. I frequently wear items made of "smart wool. Especially on the West Coast, it is often hot during the day and cold at night, so wool is very useful. It has a temperature control function, and I don't mind the smell no matter how many days I wear it. It may sound exaggerated to call it mountain climbing, but it really is like that. I enjoy wearing European outdoor items in a fashionable way, though.
Are there any places you would like to visit in the future?
TANY:I have always been in the U.S., so I would like to go to Europe. I have been talking about this with the "Imagine" team. I would like to explore what I can feel and what possibilities I can expand by going to Europe now. That is what I am looking forward to.
