To "adjust" to the times.
A year and a half has passed since "LE" was launched. Do you feel that the quality of what you produce has improved?
Kaneko: We have about four or five people working together, including the production team, and I have a sense that the coordination is getting better. We don't make compromises from the beginning, so the finished product is always the same, but communication has become faster. We are now all working in the same direction.
What is the direction you are aiming for?
Kaneko: LE" items incorporate ideas to fill a lack of such items in the world. It's a match of understanding. When we first started making shirts, we made nine sizes by combining width and length. But everyone understood my intention, and even if I asked them to do something a little difficult, they agreed to go along for the ride. Even if it takes a lot of time and effort, there is a mood of "let's do it.
¥55,000+TAX SIZE：1,2,3
It is rare to do something so inefficient with a store's original items, isn't it?
Komori: The word "original" reminds me of a certain select store. Whenever I go to see their originals, I always think they are very well made. They make clothes that look cool no matter who wears them. In contrast, "LE" is very plain. So when I hear that "LE" is selling well, I am not sure if the customers are choosing ordinary items on purpose or if they are falling for Mr. Kaneko's magic. When I look at it objectively, it is obvious that the items from that select store are a better reflection of the times.
Are you more trend-conscious?
Komori: Yes, it is. But when I look at it from a shop-by-shop perspective, I can't distinguish between designer and original. They all look the same. On the other hand, "LE" is really an original, old-fashioned store.
LE SHOP was originally started as a store that selected clothing to go with the staple staple items that you considered to be your staple food items. Over time, when you started "LEThis interviewIn the "I've always had it in the back of my mind that 'I need to put some good rice on the table,'" says Kaneko.
Kaneko: Yes, I did. We realized that there was actually not much good rice available. So we decided to grow our own rice.
In other words, the original items at select stores are becoming more and more design-conscious and delicatessen-like.
Kaneko: That's right. What we are doing is not designing. We are introducing items that can be worn in the current era. That is why we propose items that are not wrong or out of step with the current trends.
You are sensitive to the current trends, but you are not conscious of them.
Kaneko: Yes, I am. We are conscious of something that gently blends in. So even if you wear it without thinking, it will not be out of place. Moreover, they should not fade away with the changing times. I think that original items from other select stores become more and more old-fashioned as time goes by. Mr. Komori also concentrates on creating products, so he keeps nuance and atmosphere in check.
Komori: I don't tinker with things that don't need to be tinkered with. However, when I look at the original, as in the case of this downgrade, I find that there are many things that need to be tweaked.
Kaneko: That's why we have to adjust. What "LE" is doing is adjusting to the times. Mr. Komori is the right person for the job. My ideas come from my stories, but I don't have any concrete ideas on how to make them work. Komori-san's role is to give it shape. Once I pitch an idea, I leave the rest to him without giving too many details.
Komori: But there are times when I don't fix it at all. A coat with a ball collar is just a fabric proposal, but I don't do anything.
Kaneko: That's okay. I think it is important to pass it through Komori's filter properly.
I am amazed at the sense of trust that has naturally developed between the two of you. I think that is a very sensible thing to do.
Komori: But I still don't know what is the right answer. Even when I am doing "Komori," I don't think, "This is what Kaneko-san would say is good. I can't assume what Kaneko-san is thinking.
Kaneko: That's been going on for more than 20 years (laughs). But I also want to exceed Komori-san's expectations. I believe that if I don't infuse new value into Mr. Komori, we won't be able to do it together. In fact, if I can only propose things that are within Mr. Komori's expectations, then there is no need for me to be here.
Komori: I think it depends on whether or not Kaneko-san has the feeling of "I want this. You are not forcing yourself to squeeze it out. I think it's good that you don't have to squeeze it out, but it just comes out naturally. When you have a quota, you can't help but force yourself to create items. The first one is good, but the rest don't have the same feeling. If that is the case, I think the rest of the items are unnecessary.
Kaneko: We have a set budget, but no one pushes for it, so we make things on a spur-of-the-moment basis. That's why the supply is so unstable.
On the left is the new black color, and on the right is navy, which went on sale in October.
That's one of the advantages of being able to produce products with a stable quality. The items that you have released so far all have their own unique qualities, and they fit the tone of the "reshop" brand name.
Kaneko: There are not that many stores in "reshop," and perhaps it is because we are an elite few that we are able to do what we do.
It feels more like an individual store.
Kaneko: On the other hand, because we are working under a large organization such as BAYCREW'S, we have a solid production background. If it takes a long time to give shape to an idea, it will be difficult to convey it to customers. But nowadays, once an idea is born, some products can be made in as little as three months. I think this sense of speed is what makes it possible to convey ideas to customers in a live format.
