Officine Universelle Bury, the owner produced a magazine full of life for the first time. We asked him about the story behind the magazine and his ambitions for the future, while he was in Japan.

“Officine Universelle BuryRamdan Tuami, owner of WAM, has published his first magazine, WAM.

This magazine, designed and produced by the art director who is also active in a wide range of fields, is a true condensed version of the "Ramdan World". We spoke at length with him about what inspired him to create the magazine, why he chose Japan and Switzerland as its theme, and the secret story behind the photo shoot for the advertisement page in which he appears as a model.

Bewley's store design takes into consideration the environment and the city.

Today, we are here at the Aoyama Kotto-dori branch of BULLY, which just opened in August this year. What concept did you have in mind for the interior design of this store?

Ramdan: When we build a store, we keep in mind that we don't want to destroy the environment of the city. Most brands set up store with a bang without thinking about the surrounding environment, but we don't want to do anything that will disrupt the atmosphere of the city. We don't want to disturb the atmosphere of the city, so we first observe the country, the city, the streets, and the buildings.

The building on Kotto Dori this time was characterized by its red bricks, so we decided to create an interior that would blend in with the red bricks. Since three types of bricks were used for the building's floors and walls, we used two additional types of bricks to show respect for the building itself.

Daikanyama stores have a different atmosphere even in Tokyo, and each has its own unique personality.

Ramdan: "Bury" is a 19th century brand, but it would make no sense to reproduce its worldview in Japan as it is, so we try to incorporate Japanese characteristics and the city in which it is located. If we were to open a store in Aichi Prefecture, we might use metal materials for the interior, reminiscent of "Toyota.

He is in charge of all interviews, photography, and design.

Ramdan, you launched "WAM" in October. When did you start thinking about making your own magazine?

Ramdan: I am not the type of person who thinks things over, so one morning I suddenly thought, "I don't have a magazine I want to read," and started working on it that day. That was around September last year. I had just acquired the oldest printing company in Europe, so I decided to try making it there.

You did all the interviews, photography and design yourself, didn't you?

Ramdan: Yes, that's right. We were very particular about the fonts, and we designed six fonts for this magazine.

I was surprised to see that you even modeled the ads yourself.

Ramdan: I didn't want to include advertisements for brands I didn't know in my magazine, so I first consulted my friend Alessandro Michele, who told me I could freely make advertisements for Gucci.

Ramdan: I had decided to make "WAM" a magazine about Switzerland and Japan, so I decided to make an ad promoting "Gucci" in Switzerland by taking pictures with rare sheep that are only found in Switzerland. In fact, I didn't wear any Gucci items; it was all my own clothes. I checked with Alessandro and he said, "You can wear whatever you like. (Laughs.) The shoes are Birkenstock, and the socks are from Beams.

Why did you choose Japan and Switzerland as your theme?

Ramdan: Japan and Switzerland are very similar. Both countries have about 70% of their land area covered by mountains. Japan has the most accurate train schedule in the world, and Switzerland is in second place. The average length of life expectancy is also first in Japan and second in Switzerland. See, they are the same, aren't they?

Even as a Japanese, I never knew that Japan and Switzerland had such things in common.

Ramdan: The photo of the mountains used on the spine of this book is a deliberate mix of photos from Japan and Switzerland. You can't tell which photo is of which country.

Ramdan: The magazine also introduces "Edo-Tokyo Tatemono-en," and this kind of preservation of old buildings is another similarity between Japan and Switzerland. I wanted to confuse readers by putting pictures of different places on the same page.

How did you decide whom to interview?

Ramdan: They are all my esteemed friends.

Ramdan: In the first part of the volume, I ask Davide de Giglio, owner of Off-White and Ambush, how he came to do what he does today. I also asked a famous philosopher to write about my work and rented out the "Louvre" for a photo shoot. In Tokyo, I interviewed Mr. Kunichi Nomura, and the interview is so interesting that it is a shame that it is not translated into Japanese.

-That's exactly what you can only read in this book.

Ramdan: Yes, that's right. People talked to me with an open mind, so there may be some pretty scandalous stories (laughs).

-combined with the beauty of the design, we feel that this is a book that you will want to keep with you for a long time.

Ramdan: Since we were going to cut down trees and make paper to make a magazine, we wanted to make it a universal magazine that would be loved for a long time. News and trends can be found on the Internet, and I wanted the magazine to cover more in-depth content.

The theme of the next magazine will be bicycles!

-With the first book still on the market, do you have any desire to make a second book?

Ramdan: What I would like to create in the future is a magazine about people who hate France, or a magazine with interviews with people who hate Japan. If it existed, wouldn't you want to read it a bit? (Laughs). I thought that kind of twisted idea would be interesting.

That sounds very interesting (laughs). You have been expanding your activities outside of "Bury.

Ramdan: I am currently in the process of launching two bicycle brands. I am quite particular about them, and I am sure that Japanese bicycle enthusiasts will like them. I also plan to make a rather punky bicycle magazine that is the antithesis of electric bicycles and cars. And many more, I myself am excited about.

Lastly, what items from BULLY would you recommend to Japanese men?

Ramdan: It's all over. It doesn't mean that because you are a man, you shouldn't use rose fragrances, and you should feel free to choose whatever you like. BULLY's products do not have a clearly defined target audience, so anyone can use whatever they want. I use all of the products except for the cleansing milk. I would be happy if you could try various products and find your favorite.

This magazine is already on sale. Open the door to the dazzling Ramdan world with your own hands.

Text_Momoka Oba