vol.1 Sneakers that interest me now. Hiroshi Fujiwara's case.
Sneaker Journal is a new project that takes up various events related to sneakers and delves into them from a HOUYHNHNM perspective. The first installment features Hiroshi Fujiwara, the godfather of Tokyo street culture and a creator who continues to lead the sneaker trend. We asked him about his recent favorites, his relationship with Nike, the truth behind Converse's sudden announcement of HTM, and even his ongoing projects, all of which are of interest to sneaker lovers!
Born in 1964 in Ise City, Mie Prefecture. He is the president of "Fragment Design. Active in a variety of fields including fashion, art, design, and music. He has signed a creative consulting contract with Nike and has collaborated with Nike on various projects including "HTM. He also has a close relationship with Mark Parker, CEO of Nike, both publicly and privately.
I like the 360 Air "Air Max". Especially the 2015.
What kind of sneakers have you been wearing lately, Hiroshi?
Fujiwara:I have a lot of different styles, but I think I'd have to say "Air Max". I especially love the type with 360 Air, and I wear them a lot.
As for the shape, I like the one before 2015 better than the latest 2016. I bought several of them in different colors and I often ordered iDs, but I regret that I should have bought more.
Both are "Air Max 2015" (his personal items).
This is the Air Max 2016 (his personal item).
Flyknit Air Max" (personal item) with 360 Air on the sole and Flyknit upper.
What do you like about 360 Air's Air Max? Or is it the comfort?
Fujiwara:I'm sure it's both. It looks great, it feels great, and it's very comfortable.
Also, I'm really interested in the next "Air Vapormax". The photos were just released at the last "Innovation Summit" (Nike's new product launch).
Nike "Air Vapormax". is expected to be released in Spring 2017.
Uh-oh
Fujiwara::
I have been hearing about this "Air Vapormax" for a long time now, but it looks like it has finally reached completion. It will be interesting to see if other models using this sole come out in the future.
I wonder how comfortable they are.
Fujiwara:I'm curious: I haven't worn them yet either.
I'm also interested in tenni-shoes and bashes, and I wear "Converse" a lot.
What else have you been wearing a lot lately?
Fujiwara:I think that if the high-tech side is the "Air Max", then the low-tech side is still the "Tennis Classic". I want this to be a classic that I can buy whenever I want to buy it all the time. It's basically white and easy to get dirty.
Also, although bashes are not very popular in Japan, they are very popular in the U.S. and China, and I sometimes wear them. I sometimes wear them, like Kobe and Jordan.
HTM version of "Corby 10 Elite" (his personal item).
The reissue of the "Air Jordan 3" (his personal possession).
long vowel mark (usually only used in katakana)
Fujiwara:I wear a lot of Converse shoes myself, because I work with Converse overseas. I work with Converse overseas, so I wear them a lot myself.
As a creator, I think that the popularity of the product is so great that people line up to buy it.
By the way, speaking of Hiroshi, there was a lot of talk about his revival of "Sock Dart" two years ago.https://www.houyhnhnm.jp/feature/009315.html(I think that movement is still going on today. Recently, iD has also started.
Fujiwara:I had a very hard time with "Sock Dart. I had been proposing it to Nike for a long time, but it never came to fruition.
Hiroshi's sneakers, including the "Sock Dart," are so popular that sometimes there are lines of people waiting in line to buy them. How do you feel as a creator?
Fujiwara:To be honest, I don't really feel that way. Of course I am happy that it is popular, but since there is a long time between the decision to make it and its release, I feel like it is already out of my hands.
HTM is now available from Converse. The truth about it.
What are the latest developments in your project with Nike?
Fujiwara:Yes, we do a lot of things.
Can you be more specific? As much as I can say.
Fujiwara:We have suggested to Nike that the "Tennis Classic" should be released on a regular basis, and we are working to make it available again.
I believe that HTM will be able to launch something different, and in a different form, in a little while.
I'm looking forward to it.
Fujiwara:HTM will be available from Converse as well.
What?
*A few days after the interview, it was officially announced.
Fujiwara::
HTM version of the Converse "All Star". Release in Japan is unknown.
long vowel mark (usually only used in katakana)
Fujiwara:I have been talking with Parker (Mark Parker, CEO of Nike) about doing HTM for other brands for a long time. I thought it would be impossible for other brands like Adidas (laugh), but I thought it would not be impossible for a brand like Converse, which is under the umbrella of Nike.
Recently, Adidas has been actively collaborating with fashion brands, hasn't it? However, Nike has always and still has an unshakable belief that it is a sports brand for athletes, and it basically does not take a fashion approach to its products. In this respect, Converse is now a fashion brand, so we have a high degree of freedom, and in a sense, we can do anything we want.
It can be frustrating when you want something but can't afford it.
By the way, where do you usually buy sneakers?
Fujiwara:I have a lot of things to buy. I buy things when I am walking around town and stop by a store. Of course, I also buy online. Rakuten, Amazon, etc. Sometimes I order from NIKEiD.
Actually, I buy sneakers rather often. You might think I get them anyway (laughs). (Laughs.) Sometimes, by the time I want a pair, it is already too late, and I feel frustrated.
He said his appetite for sneakers has not waned that much.
Fujiwara:I'll buy it if I find one that I think is good.
Do you wear everything you buy?
Fujiwara:I basically wear them, but there are some that I don't wear. I order them on the Internet, and when I receive them, I think they are not what I imagined. Like the iDs I ordered because I got carried away (laughs).
How do you store so many sneakers?
Fujiwara:: I just leave it there. That's why the house and the entrance are so hard to find.
Yes, it looks amazing. ...... I'm sorry I can't show you in the article (laughs).
