Clothes are not selling well due to the recession," I hear such talk everywhere. We hear such talk everywhere. But is it really true? Harajuku, the sacred land of fashion, is a place where many people come and go, and a new culture is still being born. Harajuku is full of excitement and vitality. A new store that just opened this year is helping to bring this excitement to Harajuku. They are "offshore" and "fan. How do these two stores perceive the culture of Harajuku and how do they produce output in line with the times? The directors of the two stores are both longtime residents of Harajuku. We asked them to talk about the transition of Harajuku and its future.
The store "offshore" embodies the mixed culture of Harajuku.
Offshore" is located in Uraharajuku, a quiet neighborhood of houses on the back side of Cat Street. The name of the store means "offshore" or "away from home. As if to reflect these words, the store has the appearance of a little hideaway. The interior is clean and inorganic. However, the richness of the products in the store is in inverse proportion to the store's appearance. This contrast is one of the charms of this store. The shop offers a mix of brands such as "F-LAGSTUF-F," "tr.4 suspension," and "Diaspora Skateboards," as well as themed vintage clothing. At first glance, the selection may seem tiggy. The designers' ages and tastes of the clothes they propose are all different. However, the director's intentions and thoughts are firmly embedded in the selection.
."This is the Harajuku we have longed for. For example, brands such as "tr.4 Suspension" and "Made in GM Japan," which Jun Murakami is involved with, embody this image. We are also mixing in new-age brands such as Diaspora Skateboards. This brand also produces videos and music, and is made by the people who will lead the Japanese street scene in the future. In this way, we create a contrast by mixing the present with the past. By doing so, I think we can make new proposals that cannot be found anywhere else. There are not many stores like that in Harajuku now, but there were many such stores in the past. I think mixed culture is the essence of Harajuku.
The director of this store, Ryohei Matoba, is also known as a staff member of "LABORATORY/BERBERJIN®. He is also known as a staff member of "LABORATORY/BERBERJIN®.
tr.4 Suspension" and "Made in GM Japan" lined up in one corner of the store. Both brands are owned by Harajuku's senior designer, Jun Murakami.
Diaspora Skateboards, a new generation of skateboarding crew, also offers a lineup of apparel.
."For 12 years, I worked in a store in the middle of Harajuku that sold used and new clothes. The interior and products in that store were very rich, and there was no point in doing the same kind of thing here. It is meaningless unless we do something that can only be done at OFFSHORE. That is why we have a slightly different lineup of vintage clothing, including HERMES items from the period when Margiela was the designer. This winter, we are also planning to collect the archives of Dior Homme. We call this kind of vintage clothing "spice," and it makes the new brands stand out and become more tasteful.
Carefully selected only for "Hermes" during the Margiela period. It is a good spice for "Offshore.
That's not the only feature of this store. A coffee shop adjacent to the store has also been developed.
."It is also good to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Harajuku and just come here to have a cup of coffee. You can't do that kind of consumption activity online. I hope you will communicate with our staff there and exchange information with them. We also sell curry bread here. The bread is specially made by a woman who works at a curry shop called "Onden," which is well-known in Harajuku. This bread is also something unique to Harajuku. We want to make it a new specialty.
offshore COFFEE STAND offers a place to relax. Its specialty is a sandwich made in collaboration with Onden, a legendary curry shop in Harajuku!
Originally from Tokyo, Mr. Matoba has always been fascinated with Harajuku, even before he started working at LABORATORY/ BERBERJIN®. It's so scary, yet so cool. Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, he has seen Harajuku in all its forms. Now, he says, he is in a position to transmit this information himself.
."There is something for everyone in Harajuku. I always had this feeling of excitement. However, that feeling has gradually faded. This is because there is a gap between what we want and what the times are producing. If that is the case, we have no choice but to create our own excitement. With the spread of the Internet and the abundance of information, for better or worse, we can now enjoy fashion in a lighthearted way, but I am not satisfied with that. Through this store, I would like to convey the joy of searching for clothes with one's own feet.
Nowadays, information on various styles abounds through social networking services, and it is easy to imitate them. Mr. Matoba says with a serious expression on his face that this is not a problem of the consumer, but of the store.
."I don't want to pay a lot of money to buy clothes. It is a fact that such young people are increasing. But we have the ability to overcome this feeling and make them think that fashion is fun. We have that ability. In fact, I am from the generation that enjoyed fashion and bought clothes here in Harajuku. At "Offshore," we take what we have learned in this town and change the layout of the store every day to present clothes from various angles, and we communicate with brands, artists, and creators that we respect to speedily create new clothes. That kind of quick movement is not possible in a large store. We intend to do more and more things that are possible only in a store of this size.
We've been watching since the debut collection. Our ally "Flagstaff" is one of our signature brands.
One-of-a-kind vintage T-shirts displayed as if they were art exhibits. Various types from photo T-shirts to graphic T-shirts.
."It is not enough to simply lament that "clothes don't sell," but stores must create a "system to sell. He wants the younger generation to see this.
."I am currently directing "Offshore" while working at the "LABORATORY/ BERBERJIN®" store. If you have the desire, you can have your own store. I think that in the future, double work will become the norm. I want young people to see this. I want young people to see this, and I want them to do what they want to do and create something unique. Harajuku is a fashion district for me, and I would like to make it more exciting together. I want to make Harajuku a more fashionable place, and I want to make it more vibrant together with them. That would be a complete reversal of the situation. Through "Offshore," I want to convey the charm of actual stores and the advantages of the analog world. You can drink coffee here, and we have clothes that we confidently recommend. Please come and check it out. You won't be disappointed.
Ryohei Matoba / offshore director Born in Tokyo in 1984. After graduating from Bunka Fashion College, he started working as store staff at "BERBERIN®", the predecessor of "LABORATORY/ BERBERJIN®", and has been observing the Harajuku scene from the center for 13 years. In March of this year, he opened "offshore" under his own ownership.
."The three philosophies that form "offshore.
PHILOSOPHY OF offshore_01 "NIRVANA
."This is a band that has greatly influenced me. The visuals, the sound, the attitude towards music, everything was cool. And even though the band is no longer together, they continue to influence many people. This image of the band is also reflected in "Offshore. In fact, the secret is hidden in the store's logo, but please come to the store and ask the staff about it.
PHILOSOPHY OF offshore_02 "90's URAHARAJUKU
."These pants are from SHANTii, a leading brand in Uraharajuku. They are my personal belongings. Mr. Jun Murakami, who worked on this brand, has also been a great help to "Offshore," and in the store we display items from "tr.4 Suspension" and "Made in GM Japan," which Mr. Murakami is currently involved with, as well as his own personal belongings. Harajuku culture has been created by Mr. Murakami and his predecessors. This store embodies that as well.
PHILOSOPHY OF offshore_03 "ART
."This is a work by an artist named Funny Dress-up Lab, and all the stickers on it are Tamiya mini 4WD stickers. I love art, and I want my customers who also love art to come to my store, so I display not only this work but also photographs, graphics, and other artwork in my store. I believe that art and music are inextricably linked, just as Andy Warhol did with the Velvet Underground jackets, and fashion is also inextricably linked to these two elements.
The existence of "offshore" as seen by Huynem.
An independent store. That is the impression I got from "Offshore. It is because they realize and express what they want to do and what they think is cool at a high level, without being influenced by the masses or being caught up in the latest trends. Mr. Matoba has the desire to deliver this to his customers. As he said, "I want to convey the charm of a physical store and the advantages of the analog method," and "Offshore" has the will to "deliver it to customers. Communication is not a one-way street. If you visit the store, you will be able to enjoy not only fashion, but also art and music, as well as the charm of Harajuku.
offshore Address: 1F A/B, 3-14-17 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Phone: 03-3470-6877 Business hours: 11:00 - 20:00 www.offshore-tokyo.com
