06 : INTERVIEW WITH HIDEAKI YOKOSE (GMT) Loafers, black and white combinations, and new one-mile shoes.
PROFILE
Representative Director of "GMT". After building a career at World Footwear Gallery, he established GMT in April 1994. His clients include Island Slipper, G.H. Bass, Tricker's, and Jalan Sriwaya, all of which are indispensable brands in the current shoe market. The company currently has 14 directly managed stores.
The company that has led the imported shoe front for 28 years is GMT, and its president, Hideaki Yokose, has been leading the charge. He was one of the first to foresee the return of leather shoes, and opened flagship stores for G.H. Bass and Tricker's in 2018. Although there was an unexpected miscalculation when the Tokyo Olympics were postponed, the seeds that were planted last year blossomed at once. The spirited Mr. Yokose is also launching an original brand based on a new lifestyle.
I received a New Year's card that said, "This year (2022) will be the year of the leather shoe.
Yokose:It has been a difficult two years to read the numbers in Corona, but we are confident that we have a good sense of the skin. Since last year, loafers have emerged as a hit model. Moreover, we have seen a trend of young customers who came to the store wearing sneakers buying loafers and returning home.
But that's not surprising, considering that the decade-long sneaker boom must have left shoe boxes overflowing with sneakers.
The interview was conducted at the GMT showroom in Yoyogi Uehara, Tokyo.
The sneaker boom lasted for 10 years? So the starting point was around 2012.
Yokose:That's right. This was around the time when luxury brands started adding sneakers to their collections. I think there was also a latent increase in disaster awareness. Sneakers can be relied on in case of emergencies.
The flagship store of "G.H. Bass," synonymous with loafers, opened on Killer Street in Aoyama.
Yokose:Killer Street is a former fashion street. We chose that location because it is an appropriate street for a historic brand. We wanted to show it off to the foreigners coming to watch the Tokyo Olympics, but thanks to Corona, we were able to put it off. The turning point was Jason Dill, who is supported by skaters. When he wore G.H. Bass' black-and-white combination loafers, he was instantly on fire.
The black-and-white loafer combination was a key player in the revival of the "G.H. Bass" brand. Jason Dill, who presides over the "Fuck Awesome" brand, wore these loafers, and the brand was instantly on fire.¥25,300
Why did you set your sights on "G.H. Bass"?
Yokose:Although it is a world-class traditional brand, it is hard to say that it has been properly appreciated until now. It seems that the people at G.H. Bass in their home country had a desire to do something about it. For me, G.H. Bass is a brand that holds fond memories. G.H. Bass and Top Cider were the first two brands I was in charge of sales when I started in the industry. This is how our thoughts and feelings coincided with each other.
I was surprised at your business sense in pulling G.H. Bass out of business at this time. Moreover, you also opened a "Trickers" store in the same year. I heard that this is the first store outside of Japan after Jermyn Street.
Yokose:The only way to spark a return to leather shoes is to make the first move. We have been swept away by the Olympics, but our gimmicks are finally taking shape.
The tricolor "Tricker's" are Yokose's personal belongings. I used to keep them in my shoe box because I was embarrassed to wear them, but this year I want to wear them as much as possible.
Mr. Yokose has successfully branded many brands, so both G.H. Bass and Trickers are in safe hands.
Yokose:I hope so (laughs).
Jalan Sriwaya impressed me with his skills. Last year, you received the Ambassador Award from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Japan.
Yokose:It has been 19 years since the initiative began. Receiving the award was a deeply moving experience. Jalan Sriwaya, established in Indonesia in 1919, made military shoes and local sandals. They have very good craftsmen with very good hands and production capabilities.
I thought that this factory could revive the good old fashioned nine-part tailoring (a welding method that uses a machine only for the outside seams). When I suggested that the company should invest in people rather than machines, Rudy Sparman, the second generation owner, responded with a resounding yes. He was a man of understanding, having studied shoemaking in England. Nine-part tailoring has now become synonymous with Jalan Sriuaya.
Jalan Sriwaya" is made from our own patterns, and our merchandising strategy is also Japan-driven. In other words, you can think of it as a kind of "GMT" factory brand. Currently, we are expanding our sales channels not only in Japan but also in Asia. It is a spectacular sight to see about 30 craftsmen working side by side in a row, doing scoop stitching. Please come and visit us.
Gurkha sandals by Jalan Sriwijaya. ¥37,400
Q. What brands and designs are you looking forward to this year?
Yokose:Color combinations, such as the black and white combination by G.H. Bass, are the right wing of the post sneaker. As you can see if you imagine high-tech sneakers, multicolored sneakers are one of the styles. It is a design that young customers are familiar with.
I believe that footwear that falls somewhere between shoes and sandals will also attract attention. We have two major sandal brands, "Island Slipper" and "Birkenstock," and we have launched our original "J.B. Capalla" brand as a follow-up.
J.B. Capalla" has a slipper-like appearance but with a solid sole. As I started working from home more and more, I needed what I call "one-mile" footwear. I looked around the market and couldn't find anything that fit the bill, so I decided to make them myself. Last year's test sales gave me a solid response, so I decided to launch the product in earnest.
One is made from Polish mouton and the other from Kathmandu felt. Both are made in the same place (shoe factory) where the materials are harvested.
J.B. CAPPALA, an original brand of "GMT," will be launched this spring. The material used is Kathmandu-made felt. CAPPALA means "slippers" in Nepali. Each ¥5,500
J.B. Kapala" clad in Polish mouton. The brand makes its shoes at a factory in the same place where it purchases the upper material. In other words, these are made in Poland. ¥7,700 each
I understand that the "Paraboot" store will open in Marunouchi in April. I hear it's already your sixth store.
Yokose:Paraboot was a brand that could not be summed up by conventional MD. It was a brand that transcended the styles of dress and casual wear. In other words, it was left to the sensibilities of the wearer. We needed a space to express that worldview.
We are willing to invest in new styles, but we are also willing to take the time and effort to make them work. I now understand why GMT is the sole winner in the men's shoe industry.
Yokose:Paraboot is also introducing a number of models that will whet your appetite, such as black-and-white combination loafers and rugged deck shoes with lug soles. Please keep an eye out for these models as well.
INFORMATION
Phone: 03-5843-0777
Official Site
Instagram : @ghbass_japan
Phone: 03-6805-1930
Official Site
Instagram : @trickers_aoyama
Phone: 03-6281-8400
Official Site
Instagram : @jalansriwijaya_japan
Phone: 03-5453-0033
Official Site
Instagram : @gmtinc1994
