Customer service with detailed care and in line with the customer's life's work.
I think that is the strength and feature of this shop "analog / tool". I think that is the strength and feature of this store, "analog / tool".
HOKOKUTSU:I have always been in the apparel business. I started out in a local jeans shop, then went on to work in select stores selling vintage clothing and imports, and then launched "analog/tool" here. I was 31 years old when I launched the shop, and I wanted to create a local but cool urban store in Toyohashi (where the store was located before it moved to Toyokawa City). Also, it was important for me to learn about Margiela (Martin Margiela) and Garçon (Comme des Garçons).
What do you mean?
HOKOKUTSU:I was in my mid-twenties at the time, and I was basically focused on American casual and imports. I knew the names of the maisons, but I never really looked at them. However, I had heard of Comme des Garcons and knew that it was available in Gifu, so I decided to visit. I was overwhelmed by the great customer service I received. The person who took care of me on my first visit was very attentive, explaining the collections on each floor one by one in detail, and sending me a thank you letter after my visit. Also, when I asked designers of our generation about the roots of their brands, many of them said that they were influenced by Garçon and Margiela.
On the second floor, a cupboard is lined with paulownia boxes, "personal items of the stylist," along with beckoning cats and toys.
At "analog / tool", KOKETSU will also sell folk crafts from around the world, which he has collected.
I see that the customer service has allowed you to experience charms that you had never known before.
HOKOKUTSU:I remember being shocked by the style of customer service at the Ichinomiya and Inazawa stores of the company that encouraged and invested in us when we launched the Toyohashi store. Some of the staff were not originally from the apparel retail field, but the excitement at the stores was amazing. It made me think, "What is this relationship between customers and staff? I thought, "What is this relationship between customers and staff? Each customer spent an extremely long time in the store, and everyone there seemed to be enjoying themselves, talking to each other, and there was a great sense of unity with the store. The staff's responsiveness and ability to make proposals were outstanding, and of course, everyone was thinking about how the relationship with the customer should be. The sense of distance with customers was also very ideal. I remember being quite shocked at the time, because I had been working in the apparel industry for a long time and had a certain amount of confidence.
That was about 16 or 17 years ago, wasn't it?
HOKOKUTSU:Yes, that's right. They know every little detail about their clients without missing a single detail. Even when I ask them what they do for a living, it usually ends up just as small talk, but I go much further. For example, if someone works at an Italian restaurant, I might say something like, "It would be cool if someone who works at an Italian restaurant dressed like this..." In other words, I would lean into the person's life's work. In other words, we delve deeper into the conversation by following the person's life work. The clothing proposal naturally becomes more personalized to the person. Because they used to be in a completely different industry, they have a completely different perspective. What was necessary to satisfy customers was discussed in great detail on a daily basis. It was during these early days that I had many of my values turned upside down, and I think that my experiences during this period were a big part of what I am doing now.
Both photos are on the second floor. Keith Haring's work is on the door at the top of the stairs.
In the back, there is a small tatami-mat floor, reminiscent of an old-fashioned living room.
It's a completely different kind of customer service than a manual response.
HOKOKUTSU:Many years later, they launched their own original brand, "Comonori Products," and gradually left the store to their junior staff. I had the impression that original products made by select stores were not well received by clothing enthusiasts, perhaps because they were often the most common type of products that were easy to buy and sell. So when I heard that they were going to create original products, I told them that I didn't think they would resonate with customers while they were already building a good branding as a store.
Then he said, "No, that's not what I mean. I have great respect for people like Mr. Kawakubo and Margiela. It's not that I can become one in the first place. But because I have the experience of meeting customers face to face, I think it's okay for me to create products from the perspective of the shop floor. This is exactly the kind of relationship between a store and its customers, and the kind of product creation that is possible because there is a good distance between the store and its customers. That kind of perspective was rare at the time, so I was impressed.
A square canvas placed on the first floor carries a meaningful message that makes you think about fashion.
