Gear baggy shorts born from a mix of street and outdoor activities.
PROFILE
Born in Tokyo in 1979, he opened the select store "The Apartment" in Kichijoji in 2009, offering his East Coast street style through the shop. He has been camping since he was 20 years old and spends time outdoors with his family twice a month.
Instagram: @ theapartment_tokyo
Could you start by telling us about your first encounter with "Grip Swany"?
Ohashi:I was originally introduced to the brand by a stylist who used to come to our store to shop. I think it was about seven years ago, and I had never heard of "Grip Swanee" at that time.
Did you have a strong image of a glove manufacturer?
Ohashi:I didn't even have that information. So, after I was approached, I did some research on my own and learned that they were originally a glove manufacturer. Of course, I didn't even know shorts existed.
As you mentioned earlier, the collaboration shorts between "The Apartment" store brand "STABRIDGE" and "Grip Swanee" have received a great response every year, haven't they?
Ohashi:Before Sturbridge's collaboration, Grip Swanee's shorts were very short, like festival shorts. Of course, they were great for outdoor activities, but for the street fashion we were proposing, it was difficult to make them work. So we decided to change the silhouette itself and make a special order. That's what our customers responded to.
I'm sure Mr. Ohashi receives many requests for collaboration, and I'm sure he doesn't take all of them. Why did you decide to join forces with "Grip Swanee"?
Ohashi:If we only collaborate with a so-called "king" brand that sells well without us having to do anything creative, I feel that it would be uninteresting. On the other hand, if it's something that our customers don't know much about, I'm interested in how we can add a twist to convey the brand's merits. In this respect, in the case of Grip Swanee, I didn't even know about it myself (laughs). (Laughs) So, when I first saw the shorts, I thought that just by changing the silhouette and details a little, they might appeal to our customers.
And, to your surprise, Grip Swany's special-order shorts have sold out every time you have released them.
Ohashi: Yes, thankfully.
Did you foresee from the beginning that the response would be this strong?
Ohashi: Not at all. Many of our customers do not jump at new things. So, to be honest, I was worried at first. But since our customers were completely new to the brand and had a clean image of the brand, I think that's why they accepted it without resistance. Of course, the quality of Grip Swanny's shorts themselves is a prerequisite.
How many times have you collaborated with them so far?
Ohashi: We've been doing this since 2018, so we've done quite a bit. And this is the first one. Based on the "Gear Shorts," I made a baggy silhouette and used the familiar swan-yellow color of the "Grip Swanee" gloves. I added drawcords to the hems, mesh side pockets for drainage, and other details.
Nowadays, there is a type of inline shorts called "gear baggy shorts," and this is where it all started.
Gear Baggy Shorts 2.0 ¥10,780 each
Made of supplex nylon, these shorts literally have a baggy silhouette with a thick crotch. Drawcords at the hems allow you to arrange the silhouette. The mesh side gear pockets on both sides allow for use near the water.
Ohashi: I think it will be. I think the "Gear Buggy Shorts" now on the market from "Grip Swanny" are almost the same in silhouette and detail.
Mr. Ohashi, I heard that you are also a fan of this product.
Ohashi: That's right. Until now, I have not had a specific pair of shorts to wear when camping, but now, when I go out to play in the summer, I usually wear shorts made by "Grip Swanee.
What do you like about Grip Swany's shorts?
Ohashi: I also use Supplex nylon. Even if it gets wet, it dries quickly, so I can go into the river without taking my swimsuit. Another feature of this material is that it does not deteriorate easily. Even in vintage clothing, there are many items made of supplex nylon that have not really deteriorated. It's a synthetic fiber, but it looks like cotton, which is another point I like.
And I think this was also your idea, but what was the purpose of the drawcord at the hem?
Ohashi: First of all, these shorts have a great baggy silhouette. The crotch is wide. If you don't wear an inner lining, your important parts will stick out from the gap when you sit down (laughs). But I don't like innerwear, so I just squeeze the hems so they don't stick out. When I sit in a low chair when camping, I don't have to worry about the cords showing.
I also think that the length of shorts has a cultural aspect. For example, climbers at festivals and on the West Coast wear short shorts. That is cool, but we are more rooted in the hip-hop and street culture of the East Coast, and people in that culture basically don't want their knees to show. So, when we wear shorts, we definitely choose shorts that cover the knees.
I see.
Ohashi: However, when playing in the mountains in shorts that cover the knees, for example, they can get caught when you try to put your feet on a rock and tear your crotch. Therefore, one of our concerns was to set the length of the shorts so that they would barely cover the knees.
I see that your image was a mix of East Coast street fashion and the outdoors.
Ohashi: People in the East Coast street culture basically don't go to the mountains. They specialize in wearing them around town, but many people who choose "Grip Swanies" enjoy outdoor activities. So our theme was to be able to go back and forth between the two. However, the original Gripswanny shorts are great. The material is good, there are many pockets, and they can be worn in our culture with just a little modification.
Will you be releasing another special order this year?
Ohashi: Just recently, we released a corduroy jet black model. Actually, we were going to release it last year, but the factory was delayed and it was carried over to 2023. In addition, we are planning to release another pair of shorts this year. We hope you will look forward to them.
Grip Swany is now gaining a strong image not only in the camping scene but also in the fashion world. I feel that the collaboration with Sturbridge is playing a part in this.
Ohashi: If so, I would be very happy. It would be a meaningful collaboration. I hope that this will not be the end of the collaboration, but rather that we will continue to grow and that "Grip Swany" will continue to move in the right direction as well. I also feel that we have good chemistry with each other, so I would like to continue our efforts for a long time to come.
