Eyewear Line [Joon].FN (FN / FOUR NINES)It just started in 2023 and is not yet well known, but it has a really excellent balance of design, fit, and price. If you want to be ahead of the curve, now is the time.
This series is a seven-part series on the appeal of "FN". The second installment features Ryosuke Nozaki, a buyer for BEAMS. He is also in charge of eyewear stocking, so what does he choose from "F.N."?
Photo_Teppei Hoshida
Text_Keisuke Kimura
Edit_Yuri Sudo
What is FN (FN / FOUR NINES)?
FN (FOUR NINES) was born in 2023 as a new line of Four Nines (999.9). FN (FOUR NINES) was born in 2023 as a new line of eyewear from "FOUR NINES (999.9)". FN fuses the background of manufacturing cultivated up to now with modern sensibilities to create authentic and fresh eyewear.
PROFILE
Born in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo in 1992, he joined BEAMS in 2014 and worked as a store staff before becoming a buyer in 2021. Currently, he is mainly in charge of stocking general clothing and fashion goods, and spends his days traveling around Japan and overseas.
Instagram: @r.nzk
From sporty shapes to more basic.
Mr. Nozaki has a strong image of sunglasses, but how often do you wear them?
Nozaki: Almost every day. I'm not very tolerant of sunlight.
How many bottles do you have?
Nozaki: I think there are more than 30. But I don't have all of them hanging. I have about five of them at the entrance, and I rotate them around.
What are the key points in choosing sunglasses?
Nozaki: It changes from time to time, but until recently there were a lot of sporty styles in line with the Y2K fashion trend. Nowadays, if I wear that type of eyewear, I feel that it diverges too much from the clothes I'm wearing, so I tend to wear more basic eyewear like the ones from "FN".
From your point of view, do you see this as a trend in eyewear as a whole?
NOZAKI: Compared to a period of time, I get the feeling that the "heads" don't wear sporty styles anymore. Of course, it depends on taste, so I can't make a blanket statement.
You have to be constantly aware of trends in your work, but what do you pay the most attention to?
Nozaki: Young people today are definitely influenced by rappers and skaters. So, they often look at the fashions of their muse and try to predict what will happen next.
Do you choose eyewear based on design alone? Do you also pay attention to comfort?
Nozaki: I never don't mind, but there are times when I don't (laughs). It may depend on the brand and the price. If it's something that looks like toy glasses, I don't care about comfort, but if it's a decent price and I want to use it for a long time, I do care about how it feels to wear.
Nardic double bridge.
Did you know about the existence of FN?
NOZAKI: Of course I knew about "Four Nines," but this is the first time I've heard of another line. Wow, they have a double bridge and so on.
Please have a seat.
NOZAKI: I like that it has a bit of a nadir feel to it. I often wear gold accessories, so it would be nice to match them with that. If I'm wearing a white T or something simple, there's no traffic jam of information.
I am sure you are concerned about the compatibility of accessories. In terms of men's accessories, is gold still a strong trend?
Nozaki: There was a time when gold necklaces dominated the market, but now I feel that people are coming back to silver. I myself like gold, so I still wear it, but silver is making a comeback among young people, especially among Chrome Hearts. There are also signs that the beads and pearls trend is about to arrive.
I feel that more and more young people are choosing silver eyewear for "FN" as well.
NOZAKI: That's right. And [FN] has a lot of variations. There are many colors for the same model, and some are shiny and some are not.
Not all of them, but some of them are available in five different colors in the same model. By the way, how about plastic frames?
NOZAKI: Maybe it's a little different when I think about how it fits with me... It ended up like a character...how do you feel about that?
Yes, it is much milder.
NOZAKI: Right? (laughs). So I don't wear them very often. And I have a thin, slender face, so I feel as if I'm being watched. 48mm glasses are too big for me.
For those people, many FN products are available in two sizes.
NOZAKI: That would make me very happy.
The length of the bridge is also fine-tuned to fit whichever size you wear.
NOZAKI: The size gives a totally different impression, doesn't it? I thought the nose pads were also distinctive. It looks a little raw or candy-like.
The pads are also in this color, and the shape is flat, reminiscent of the vintage design.
NOZAKI: So that's what you meant. Was the double bridge part of the original lineup?
This is the first time for FN. There aren't many on the market, are there?
NOZAKI: It's not easy to sell (laughs). (Laughs.) It depends a lot on the mood of the face. Personally, I like it a lot.
Trying on "FN-0945 col.99 clear black ¥40,700
Trying on FN-0446 col.805 yellow marble demi ¥39,600
Now, I would like to ask you to choose the best one, Mr. Nozaki.
Nozaki: We have decided on the double bridge, and now we have to decide on the color. I'm thinking of gold for the accessories, and I'm not sure I want to abandon silver, but...yes, I've decided.
One of Mr. Nozaki's selections
FN-0648 col.10 black matte ¥36,300
I originally liked the classic shape, the kind of shape that an old man might wear. Gold ones were also good, but when I thought about fashion compatibility and versatility, I went with black. It has a "dowdy" look to it, in a good way, and I like it a lot. I think it will go well with heavy fall and winter clothes.
