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When I saw Miyagi's shoes, I thought they were unfinished.

Through this interview, I felt that it is not quite right to describe this project as a "collaboration" in a simple way, as their relationship is close, but there is a unique sense of distance between the two of them, and there is no sense of "collaboration! . There is no sense of "collaboration" or "forwardness" between the two artists. . What was the point of contact between the two of them?

Murakami:I didn't really know Miyagi until recently (laughs). We have mutual acquaintances and friends, and we are also in the same industry, so of course I had a vague sense of his existence. Then one day, I was invited to DJ at an Urban Research event, and when I saw the "misography" shoes in the store, I thought, "Hmmm. I saw a pair of "Misography" shoes in the store and thought, "Hmmm." That was a series that used bandana fabric for the uppers, and one day I thought, "If shoes can be made from bandana fabric, why not shirt fabric, too," and that's when I approached the company.

　

Miyagi:Of course, I have known them for a long time. I had seen them in magazines, on TV, and in movies . Since I started "Misography," I have seen you at events and live performances, and I was introduced to you during the visual shoot for the 2016 Spring/Summer season of "Misography. I was introduced to Mr. Murakami when he appeared as a model for a visual shoot for the Spring/Summer 2016 season.

　

Murakami:Yes, I did. I did a visual shoot for you. That was fun, too.

　

Miyagi:For our generation, "Murajun" was the object of our admiration. I made a bold offer to him, thinking, "I'm going to make a name for myself. He accepted with a resounding yes. It turned out to be a very good opportunity, and I was very happy.

　

Murakami:Because it makes me happy. I'm so happy to hear that people appreciate and use a loofah like mine (laughs).

While maintaining a sense of detachment, Murakami-san's inspiration (or idea?) made this project a reality. The reason why "Misography" caught Murakami's antennae is because of its "incompleteness" in a good sense of the word. The reason why "misography" caught Murakami's antennae was because of its "incompleteness" in a good sense.

Murakami:I don't mean this in a bad way, so I don't want you to be offended, but when I saw Miyagi's shoes at the event, I thought, "These are unfinished shoes. In other words, there was a sense of anticipation that there were possibilities for the future and that interesting things could be done. I think that's what stuck with me and led me to this project. Rather than doing something with a brand that has a clear goal in mind, it is definitely more interesting to work with a brand that makes you wonder what is going to happen. Or rather, there is a part of me that thinks that otherwise there would be no point in working together.

　

Miyagi:To be honest, I was surprised when I received the call, and frankly, I was very happy. Then, since a phone call was not enough, we gathered at a café in Daikanyama and talked for about 6 hours (laughs).

　

Murakami:Once you've told us that much, the rest is up to you , and you're free to go! . I want to make my thoughts clear, but I don't want to lay down the rails. . I want to convey what I'm thinking, but I don't want to lay down the rails. I'd rather have success through a series of unexpected things than to have everything perfectly controlled and to create something that is exactly what I expect. Well, that may be a bit exaggerated, but I prefer the human side. I guess I had a sense of anticipation for the possibility of doing something interesting with him.

. it's more of an idea than an inspiration. But I think it's the trigger that counts."

Well, shoemaking began in such a spontaneous manner. Did you have a clear concept or destination in mind?

Murakami:I make shirts for a small label I run called Black Eddie, and I really like the fabrics they use (fabrics from world-famous factories such as Thomas Mason and Canclini). As I mentioned earlier, the whole concept started when I wondered if I could use the fabric for sneakers. So, in a sense, this project is not about the shoes, but about the material.

　

Miyagi:As a misography, I was just thinking about the reasons why leather should be used for shoes, so I was able to easily understand the reasons without any sense of discomfort. It was something I could not have come up with on my own, but I think I was able to proceed with it in a very natural way. By the way, Mr. Murakami never brought rough sketches, references, or anything like that. It was all in my head (laughs).

　

Murakami:That has always been the case. The meetings are hands-off. I never copy and paste from reference materials. As long as we could share a few ideas and thoughts, we would leave the rest to the professionals in charge and let them make decisions quickly and easily. Miyagi, in particular, seemed to be a character that could be left alone. As I mentioned earlier, it would be interesting to see how the image would turn out, even if it turned out differently than I had envisioned. For me personally, I don't worry too much about the delivery date. As long as the fabric is secured, there is no escape. If I had to say something else, I would say that I am particular about using silk fabric for the heels and printing them with a silk screen. I mean, "misography" doesn't smell like street fashion, does it? Even if it did, it wouldn't have the same street sense that I get from skateboarding culture. Silkscreen is the most basic of basics for me, so I couldn't miss it.

Just by changing a little trick of how you look at things or how you are aware of things, you can change the world and climb to unexpected heights. Mr. Murakami himself learned this from his seniors when he was young. . Now, his position has changed, and he is on the side of providing new opportunities.

Murakami:A film is a dictatorship of the director, or basically, everyone plays a role for the director who makes the film. Sometimes the performers have to erase themselves. That is, of course, a wonderful collaborative process, but it is also nice to have everyone do what they are good at freely. When a group of trusted members are gathered together, they have a thorough meeting and share the image of the project. Then, each person does his or her job, doing what he or she is supposed to do. Even if the work is incomplete at first, as it goes on, it may reach a point where it is unexpected. I think that is the true meaning and fun of working together with someone.

　

Miyagi:The fun part of creating something together is one thing, but I also think it's amazing that Murakami-san imagines the end result to be something that will make the customer happy.

　

Murakami:. maybe that's because my day job is as an actor. I'm usually just an ordinary customer (laughs).

Imported fabrics and silk screen-printed silk fabrics are placed on "Misography" shoes. Some may see this as a kind of "project," but the quality is high. This second edition has been updated with details not found in the first edition.

Miyagi:It is based on a model originally developed by "Misography". While adopting a leather shoe pattern, the sole uses a Vibram sole. The height of the heel has been carefully selected for ease of wear. Also, since they are spring/summer shoes, the point is to make the opening shallow and loose.

　

Murakami:In other words, a leather upper is placed on a sneaker sole, and then a dressy shirt fabric is added. What I find amazing is that Miyagi cut all the fabrics used for the uppers himself. That is a great advantage. That's why things go smoothly even when we use fabrics that are different from the theory. Of course, the quality of the finished product is also high. If Mr. Miyagi were to throw it all away on someone else and eat a pound of filet mignon with the proceeds, I wouldn't be working with him. Incidentally, this time I used fabrics from Canclini in Italy and Thomas Mason in England. I wanted to use these fabrics last time, but they were out of stock and I couldn't use them, so I finally made it and I like it.

I'm a passive person after all."

. when good materials are available, when an idea strikes me, or when I am in the mood. The development of "black eddie × mythography" is irregular. It is a random occurrence. Even so, the two share a vague but promising vision and image for the future.

Murakami:If you were to make another one? Yes, I would. If I can find red check and good gingham check fabric, I might do it. But I don't know. I don't have a concrete idea right now, but I'm the type of person who comes up with an idea at the drop of a hat. It's extremely timing.

　

Miyagi:In Murakami's case, he rarely makes samples. It's a bit of a sudden thing (laughs).

　

Murakami:So, I guess I am really a "passive" person. Rather than creating something from scratch, I find inspiration from some material, whether it is a person or an object. Rather than spontaneously sending something out on my own, I connect with friends who share similar ideas, and create an opportunity for something to happen. Just by doing so, things can take a turn for the better, and new things can be born. So, to put it another way, this project will continue to move as long as I live, and as long as Miyagi continues to win things with "misography. That is what makes it interesting and gives me a sense of anticipation. I am enjoying it, and I hope that my colleagues and, of course, the people who buy my work will enjoy it as well.