HOUYHNHNM

We visited Mr. Sueda's atelier to explore the advantages of "making things in Kagoshima," and found it to be a tasteful old house nestled in nature. The house is cozy and inviting, with light of different colors shining on it at different times of the day. The space, with its handmade furniture by a friend and ceramics from Kagoshima, is a place where you can feel his inspiration and sense of style, and you feel as if you can hear the breath of the house itself and everything in it. So naturally we listen carefully. Mr. Sueda's personality, too, has a strong presence, yet is calm and warm, as if in response to the space. Just by being in his atelier, one can fully understand his charm. We asked him once again about the advantages of "making things in Kagoshima.

. first of all, I'm more in touch with myself . . The environment makes me do that. . Because outside my window is the countryside. Living and working with the changing of the seasons, I feel that a rhythm is created. The colors and power of nature allow me to imagine, to think, and to concentrate on my craftsmanship. Listening to the birds and insects and looking up at the sky, I realize that I am spending precious time here.

Although there are only a few people who make clothes, there are many excellent ceramic and woodworkers in Kagoshima. The items in the "hihihi" line also feature collaborations with local woodworkers and ceramic artists for accessories, buttons, and other items. Perhaps it is because Kagoshima is a small community that the makers are able to resonate with each other at a closer distance, making it easier for collaborations with a strong local flavor to emerge.

. there is much to be inspired by makers and friends. . Also, because I am not in Tokyo, where people gather and information is concentrated, I have more opportunities to visit and exhibit at galleries around the country by myself. . Encounters in each place lead to the next creation. Moreover, I have more opportunities to talk directly with various types of customers, which has broadened my horizons. I am grateful for the good encounters I have had since returning to Kagoshima.

The indigo and indigo dyes that symbolize "HIHHI" have an appealing texture that changes as the garment is worn, which is only possible with natural materials. The natural dyeing technique used for scarves and T-shirts was developed in Japan, which has four distinct seasons, and the colors are a source of flavor. All of these dyes are produced by Kanai Kogei, a workshop on Amami Oshima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture.

Shihito Kanai, who runs the studio, is the same age as me, and we met in Tokyo when we were students at Bunka Fashion College. We were both in a band at the time, and we used to meet in Koenji. Around the time I started my brand, I learned that he had returned to his hometown Amami and taken over his family's mud-dyeing workshop to become a craftsman, and I immediately started asking him to dye my clothes.

Such encounters and reunions are also the result of horizontal connections.

For the 2016 spring/summer season, the company will also produce haori, a traditional Amami-Oshima textile from the Edo period, featuring Oshima tsumugi, a traditional fabric with intricate patterns that require much time and effort. The number of Oshima tsumugi weavers, which used to number several hundred at its peak, has decreased considerably to a few dozen now that the need for kimonos has drastically declined.

I had been interested in Oshima tsumugi for a long time, and when I received a call from a craftsman in Kagoshima City saying, 'I want you to make something, do something about Oshima tsumugi,' I went to see him right away. Even in these times, the craftsman's attitude of wanting to carry on the traditions and connect them to the future was something I could feel. I would like to think of new possibilities for Oshima tsumugi and build a relationship where we can mutually enhance each other's skills.

By giving Kagoshima's specialty products new forms and disseminating them, they are also helping to preserve tradition. . This can only be done because the company is rooted in the local community.

The appeal of Kagoshima and "hihi" was contagious, even to Tokyo. The inspiration came from Ms. Sueda's former classmate at Bunka Fashion College, stylist Ryota Yamada.

. Meeting Yamada-kun again was a major turning point for me. We hadn't seen each other for a while since I started working, but we ran into each other at an udon restaurant in Nakano, as I recall, and we got to talking, and he came to visit me in Kagoshima. We decided to make a catalog, and since then, we have been shooting (and drinking) together every season at a camp in our atelier. Through these connections, we have been able to create a collection of works that gives a more personal feel of the brand. In many ways, I feel that the distance between Kagoshima and Tokyo has shortened.

First of all, we would like you to feel the charm of Kagoshima and "hihi" from our catalog and website, where you can feel the inspiration of making things in Kagoshima.

Starting with the 2014 AW season, the Tokyo-based staff, who are fascinated by Kagoshima, take pictures in the area. Local friends and family members serve as models, and the catalog is created while traveling around Kagoshima. The catalog is a small collection filled with the world of "HIHIHIHI" as well as everyday life and happiness in Kagoshima.