【FOCUS IT.] +81 has ordered a special summer staple for Brahms that suits everyone.

In summer, we tend to reach for clothes that are comfortable and easy to match. Huinamu, in particular, has a strong reputation for items that can be worn in any person's daily life.

This year, "+81," which has been gaining popularity both in Japan and abroad for its lineup that defies genres and stereotypes, has once again made special orders to "blurhms" and "blurhmsROOTSTOCK. Let's take a closer look at the charm of the new items while unraveling the relationship between the two companies and their approach to clothing production.

Photo_Date Naoto
Edit_Amane Yasuda

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Mutual respect developed into co-creation.

First of all, please tell us about your backgrounds.

Takashima: I originally worked in architecture, and after working as a designer for a house builder, I changed jobs and became a sales representative at the boutique STUDIOUS. Two or three years later, I went independent and launched "+81.

What were you doing before you launched Brahms?

Murakami: I had experienced everything from factories to fabric development, sales, and production before launching "Brahms.

You are quite a multi-player. What was it like when you first started up?

Murakami: No, no, that's not true. When I first started up, I didn't know exactly when exhibitions would be held, so I packed a trunk full of clothes and went around to select stores. I did everything myself, including shooting the lookbook myself. When I was contacted by a store that was interested, I would say, "I'll bring it to you! I would bring it to them.

What kind of clothes have you worn in the past?

Takashima: When I entered my 20s, I bought a variety of mainly Japanese brands. I liked brands that were simple and casual but had a sophisticated mood. I liked brands such as "Brahms," "UNUSED," and "URU. Now I check vintage clothes and high-end brands, but I still like Japanese brands.

Mr. Murakami, your love of fashion started with vintage, didn't it?

Yes, I have loved vintage clothing since I was a student. I grew up in a town in the countryside, and there was only one vintage clothing store. I learned a lot there, and the staff were cool, so I admired them.

Perhaps seeing so many fashionable clothes at such an impressionable time made it more stimulating for them.

Murakami: I started wearing a variety of clothes after I fell in love with vintage clothing. I especially liked Comme des Garcons, Martin Margiela, and A.P.C.

You have been wearing all kinds of clothes, haven't you? When did you two start interacting with each other?

Takashima: From about 2022?

Murakami: The first time was when you came to our exhibition.

Takashima: As I recall, yes. At the time, I was absolutely certain that I wanted to place "Brahms" at "+81," so I contacted them. I still remember that I bought a double-belted trench coat at the first exhibition I attended. I still wear the coat I ordered from "Brahms" for a long time.

Murakami: Actually, I had heard of Mr. Takashima's name before I met him. When I was talking with a person from a store I am good friends with, he said, "There is some amazing person here at the store.

Who is an amazing person?

Murakami: At the time, the store was rearranging Wrangler's rancher pants by taking out the center press. When Mr. Takashima bought them and introduced them on Youtube, I heard that they were sold out immediately after that.

Takashima: (laughs).

Murakami: I used to buy clothes by actually seeing and touching them in stores, so I was surprised that things could be sold on the Internet. Because of this way of thinking, I honestly did not have a very good impression of Mr. Takashima until I met him.... When I actually met him, he was polite and courteous, and I sensed that he really liked clothes and took them seriously, and that is how our interaction began.

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Originality is created by condensing a bit of ingenuity.

What led you to collaborate again, as you did last year?

Takashima: I myself really love "Brahms" (laughs). (Laughs) So I wanted to work with Mr. Murakami in some way, so I asked him to make the items in the inline line into "+81" specifications.

One of them is this T-shirt.

Murakami: This T-shirt is a standard item of Brahms Rootstock, and is knitted at a gauge that is a bit too large for the yarn count. I make many prototypes to make sure the fabric is neither too thick nor too heavy, and I test the fabric repeatedly to see how it will look after being washed.

The body was the result of experimentation after experimentation.

Murakami: It's not such a big deal, but I'm especially concerned about changes and durability after wear for Brahm Srutstock products, so I try out a lot of things.

Do you come up with the colors and graphics yourself?

Murakami: That's right. I designed it based on what was originally inline, while listening to Mr. Takashima.

Takashima: The fonts for this graphic were created from scratch.

And the font!

Murakami: We did not create the font completely from scratch. We used the original font as a base, and changed the angle of the curves and the thickness of the lines in places to achieve a good balance. It is a simple but surprisingly hard work. We decided to make the graphics look as if you can barely make out what is being written, but not so much that you can't tell. The letters "+81" are arranged in random order, and details such as the way the print is shaggy and fluffy are discussed as we work on the production.

Do you see individual differences in the items?

Murakami: I get it. I like that kind of thing.

By the way, how do you differentiate between "Brahms" and "Brahms Rootstock"?

Murakami: Brahms does not explain itself openly, but each season we create a theme or a portrait of a person and express the image in the look. We create designs that are not bound by the base of the original, but rather are unusual, by removing and adding to the base of the original. Fabrics are also developed for each season.

Brahms Rootstock" has many items with strong standard elements. Although we make minor changes little by little, we use many of the same materials and patterns. We make our items so that they can be worn on a daily basis, and so that they are durable and as easy to care for as possible after wear. We are developing new items that I would like to wear now in my favorite silhouettes, while retaining military and work elements. We do not produce any lookbooks.

T-shirts (White, Ink Black) each ¥13,200

You also have your own brand. Is there anything you keep in mind when designing?

Takashima: My items are made with a tool-oriented approach. I think about what details are necessary in today's world, and add or remove them based on archives from the past.

Do you see a growing demand for functional clothing in stores?

Takashima: Demand is especially high in spring and summer. Many of our customers are from Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Because they spend time in hot countries, half pants are popular, and materials that are cool to the touch or quick-drying sell particularly well.

I see that the shorts you made this time also use functional materials.

Takashima: That's right. I wanted pants worn in summer to be able to handle sweat, leisure activities, and sudden inclement weather, so from the beginning, I assumed that functional materials would be used. Ideally, we wanted pants that would blend in well on the street, but would still be comfortable.

Murakami: The material used is PERTEX® 3Layer. It is intended to be worn on the street, so we did not use seam tapes or anything like that to prevent it from becoming too over-specified. We do use watertight zippers, though.

-It is by far the easiest to pick up for everyday wear if it is not over-specified. The pockets are also large and convenient.

Murakami: Takashima-san likes pockets.

Takashima: Yes, I do (laughs). I like the military-like atmosphere. I also made a rather selfish request for the side pockets to have more storage capacity (laughs). It looks neat, but it's also very practical. That's the kind of balance I was aiming for.

Murakami: The waist has a drawstring design and is available in free sizes.

The silhouette is quite wide.

Murakami: Yes, it is. It is a length that is typical of Mr. Takashima.

Takashima: Once again, I was made to feel, "Oh, I like this kind of thing. From the beginning, I wanted to make a wide silhouette with a length that would fall slightly below the knees. I was concerned that if the length was too short, it would look boyish, so I kept in mind a balance that would allow me to wear them in a mature way. Mr. Murakami understood this even before I told him (laughs).

Murakami: This is a design that I do not often make, but it was a new challenge for me, so it was very fresh. In order to get closer to what Mr. Takashima envisioned, I interviewed him about what kind of silhouette he wanted, and then added my own elements to complete the final product.

Takashima: As soon as I received the sample, it was exactly to my liking.

What do you recommend for styling with the items in this collection?

Takashima: I wear this top and bottom to festivals!

Half pants (Black, Olive Brown) each ¥36,300

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The T-shirts and pants, which can be worn without any elbow grease, are items that incorporate all the design elements of both. They will be available at the "+81" store from 13:00 on May 24 (Sat), and at the online store from 20:00 the next day.