Nanamica KYOTO marks the current location of Nanamica and a new step forward.

Universal and functional. Nanamica" was one of the first to show a new form of daily wear, and now it is widely and deeply accepted even beyond the shores of the ocean, steadily increasing its presence. On April 26, a new directly-managed nanamica KYOTO store opened in the Shijo/Karasuma area, a flourishing commercial and business center. We spoke with Eiichiro Homma, the president of nanamica KYOTO, about the space that embodies the brand's worldview, the care that went into it, and where nanamica is today.

Photo_Hiroki Oe
Edit_Soma Takeda

The ocean and harmony are in harmony at nanamica KYOTO.

Have you always had the idea of opening a store in Kyoto?

Homma：It was something we had been thinking about for a long time, but due to internal circumstances, our plans were delayed rapidly. We are finally able to open it.

This is your fifth store after Daikanyama, Kobe, Fukuoka, and New York.

Homma：I basically try to open stores in cities I like. In Kansai, I like Kobe and Kyoto, so that is why I decided to open a store there. Oh, of course, it's not that I don't like places without stores (laughs).

It's been more than 20 years since I started my brand, and if it were true, I'd have to have finished putting it all out in my favorite city, but I haven't quite caught up to that ideal.

The Kyoto store is in a very good location, facing Karasuma-dori. I was a little surprised that it is located on a major street, given the brand's image.

Homma：Basically, we are a back-alley type of store (laugh), so this is the first time we have opened a store on a main street like this. However, unlike the busy Rokkaku-dori, this place is within walking distance from the station, but the air is clean and there are no crowds. I like that feeling.

You chose a place in the center of the city, but a little off the beaten path.

Homma：It was the same when we established the company in 2003 and the store in 2004. At the time, the center of fashion was Urahara, but we chose Daikanyama. At the time, Daikanyama was a place where there was only the Hollywood Ranch Market and A.P.S., and no one walked around after 7:00 p.m. I liked the somewhat destination feel of the area. I like the somewhat destination-like atmosphere.

Can you tell us about the particulars of the interior design of the store?

Homma：First of all, the frame looks like the framework of a beach house. This is an expression we started with "nanamica NEW YORK. We used wood that is a little thinner than usual, and I think it gives a sense of Japanese delicacy to people from other countries.

The light-colored light oak was inspired by the new planks used for the tops of yachts. Teak is often used on actual yachts, but it turns gray over time, so light oak is the best choice to express the feeling of newness.

It is a very typical expression of "NANAMICA," which has the keyword "sea" at the foundation of its brand.

Homma：In that sense, the wall behind the cash register is the same. In places where water flows, such as oceans and rivers, stones become rounded as they are washed away. We designed the wall to look like it is covered with such rounded gravel.

It is well known that Kyoto has a landscape ordinance.

Homma：The front facade looks like a louver with a Kyoto-style machiya in mind, and all the steel parts such as the hanger racks and window frames are black. Other stores usually use hairline stainless steel, but I thought this would blend in better with the streetscape of Kyoto.

I want Nanamika's clothes to be worn by people I care about.

More than 20 years have passed since the start, and the brand seems to have steadily grown in size.

Homma：NANAMICA's clothes look very simple at a glance, but we are particular about the parts you cannot see, such as patterns, pockets, lining, and sewing specifications. Recently, I feel that people are starting to feel these aspects of our clothes.

When one of our buyers visited a store that carries Nanamika products and saw our products on a rack, he said, "I felt an aura," which made me very happy. I was very happy to hear him say that. I felt that we had finally developed a "Nanamika-like" style.

They are universal, yet somehow good. Nana Mika's clothes have the power to make you feel that way.

Homma：While our products are universal, they are still fashion, so we are careful not to be out of step with the times. I try to change some of the shapes, materials, and colors to suit the occasion. Of course, this is within the scope of NANAMICA's own style. In this way, every year I try to make clothes that are best suited to the atmosphere of the times, and that can be worn for as long as possible.

These small details are what form the image of the brand you mentioned earlier, aren't they?

Homma：For example, when we try to make an ordinary open-collar shirt, there is almost no difference between the two in terms of design, for lack of a better word. However, the atmosphere when the shirt is worn is the result of the combination of patterns, materials, and details, and 10 brands will have 10 different expressions. That look is what makes the difference between "something nice" and "something plain.

Do you make clothes that you want to wear at NANAMICA?

Homma：That is part of it, but I would also say "clothes that I want my loved ones to wear. Even if a garment sells very well, if I don't like it and don't want my son to wear it, I won't make it. This was one of the most important rules we set at the time of the founding of the company.

Among these, what do you think is the reason for NANAMICA's popularity?

Homma：Most brands have the word "outdoors" or an image of the outdoors at the forefront, but in our case, we are not particularly interested in expressing the outdoors. For 18 years before starting NANA MICA, I made only outdoor clothing, and I am using that know-how to make clothes that are just right for everyday life. In that sense, the way I look is a little different from other brands, and I think that's what many people like about me.

Also, it is precisely because casual wear made of synthetic fibers is on the rise that NANAMICA is using natural materials to create clothes with functions that have never been seen before. I would like to reexplore the comfort of natural materials once again.

Nanamika" is widely supported by non-Japanese, isn't it? The Daikanyama store is always crowded with foreigners, and according to what we hear, many foreign celebrities stop by for shopping when they visit Japan.

Homma：It is simple sportswear, but when you wear it, you look a little stylish, and yet it is comfortable to wear because it is made of functional materials. That is why musicians, actors, and other celebrities may like it as their off-duty relaxing wear.

Seven sea houses = connection beyond borders and ideas. I believe that the aspiration behind the brand name "Nanamika" is steadily being realized.

Homma：Thanks to your support, our products are sold in 24 countries, and the number of overseas doors is now less than 100. Since starting NANAMICA, I have been able to communicate with people all over the world beyond national borders, and I strongly feel that this has given birth to a new sense of values within me.

Recently, I received a direct mail from an overseas customer saying, "I'm going to Japan next time, will you be in the store? I am very grateful that the brand has become known by so many people and that the world has become closer. I am grateful that our brand has become known by so many people and that the world has become closer to us.