Etcetera about Unrouted. vol.7 "The Relationship between Fashion and Sports" from a Third Party's Perspective
Under the concept of "Wearable Tokyo," "Unroute" proposes a unique style that combines original apparel and sportswear with a hint of mode. The label is expected to make great strides in the future in response to the growing sports mood, and we will thoroughly dissect the label from all angles. In this seventh installment, we present a three-way discussion between the designers of brands that have been part of Unroute since its inception and Unroute director Masachika Numata. We asked them to talk about the appeal of "Unroute" as seen from the perspective of up-and-coming young designers, and the relationship between fashion and sports.
Masachika Numata / Director, Unroute
He joined UNITED ARROWS in 1992. After working as the creative director of Green Label Relaxing, he became the creative director of Unroute in 2013.
Why did " Unroute " focus on an up-and-coming brand created by young designers?
-. First of all, let me ask you, Mr. Numata. UnRoute has been using "Undecorated Man" and "Ponti" since its establishment, but why did you focus on both brands?
marshy rice field or paddyWhen I started UnRoute, I wanted to propose a style based on fashion and sports in a different context and from a unique Tokyo perspective. In this respect, both Mr. Kono and Mr. Hirata have their own sense of Tokyo, and I thought that both Mr. Kono's "undecorated man" and Mr. Hirata's "PONTI" are brands that symbolize today's Tokyo.
. Neither "undecorated man" nor "PONTI" is a so-called sports fashion brand, right?
marshy rice field or paddy：When we select brands to carry at UnRoute, we purposely keep our distance from so-called "sports fashion" brands. Fashion is fashion, and we want to work together with brands that have the essence of sports in their use of materials, cutting, and detailing. Undecorated Man and Ponti are just such brands.
Takayuki Kono / Designer, "undecorated man
After working as an assistant to Yoshio Kubo, the designer of "yoshio kubo" and "undecorated MAN," he became the designer of "undecorated MAN" from the 2016 fall/winter collection. undecoratedman.com
What is the appeal of "unroute" from the viewpoint of an up-and-coming designer?
-How do you view "Unroute", Mr. Kono and Ms. Hirata?
riverbankWhen Mr. Numata told me before the opening of "Unroute" that he wanted to create a store that was centered on running but also connected to fashion, I had a very urban image of what he was talking about. Running is a sport of running on asphalt, isn't it? I thought it was very modern and Tokyo-like to combine running with fashion. Mr. Numata mentioned Tokyo-ness earlier, and my impression when I first visited the store was that "Unroute" was a store that truly symbolized the current Tokyo-ness.
(historical) paddy administered directly by a rulerFor me, the launch of my own brand and the opening of "Unroute" were at the same time, and as styles incorporating sporty items are becoming trendy worldwide, I felt that "Unroute" was a store that successfully combines sports and fashion. As I myself got older, I began to think about my health. . When that happens, I think it is urban and mature to look at it from the perspective of fashion.
Nobue Hirata / Designer, PONTI
After graduating from Bunka Fashion College, he worked for an apparel company and a collection brand before becoming a freelance designer and starting his own brand "PONTI" in the fall/winter of 2014. www.theponti.jp
-What is your impression of the stores in Futakotamagawa, Kono-san and Hirata-san?
riverbank. Personally, I thought the store in Futakotamagawa was more like "Unroute" than the one in Ginza. It blends in well with Futakotamagawa, and I feel that the style proposed by "Unroute," including the original items, fits the characteristics of Futakotamagawa.
The concept of "Undecorated Man," which I am working on, is also in sync with what UnRoute is trying to do, even if they are not completely directly related. I hope that each concept and the city will become a trinity, bringing out the best in each other.
(historical) paddy administered directly by a ruler: I often went to the Ginza store because it was closer to my office, but I really liked the high ceilings and spaciousness of the store. It is also wonderful that Mr. Schema is working on it. I recently visited the Futakotamagawa store for the first time, and like you, Kono-san, I also got the impression that it fits the atmosphere of the city.
The importance of physicality in fashion resonates with me because I am a designer.
-How do you see the relationship between fashion and sports, Mr. Kono and Ms. Hirata?
riverbank. Fashion and sports are now closer to each other, but they were originally considered to be very distant categories. However, wearing sportswear and dressing up with fashion items are the same in the sense of wearing clothes. So, what you are trying to do and what you are saying make a lot of sense to me.
marshy rice field or paddyIn fact, there are many different scenes in a single customer's life. Unroute has fashion and sports items in one store, but we do not lump them together, but rather, we see them as two different things. We think this is more realistic for our customers.
What Mr. Kono said earlier, "Wearing sportswear and dressing up with fashion items are the same in the sense of wearing clothes," is so true. After all, the body is the basis for everything, and clothes worn by people who take care of their bodies look cool, don't they? In that sense, sports and fashion, although they take different directions, are at the root of the same thing.
Until now, sports style has tended to be described in the context of combining sports items with fashion items, but we at UnRoute want to support our customers' lifestyles by taking this one step further and following up with the actual physical activity. We are not athletes. Although we are not athletes, it is still important to be physically active in our daily lifestyles.
(historical) paddy administered directly by a ruler. I feel that it is very important not only to be physically active and healthy, but also to be healthy. I feel very deeply that things will not go smoothly unless we are physically and mentally healthy, and in fact, it is impossible to produce good products. In that sense, I think that " Unroute " is a place that makes me feel close to the importance of being healthy.
marshy rice field or paddy. Even if you don't play sports, I think just paying attention to what you eat will help you become more health conscious. As Hirata-san says, body and mind are two sides of the same coin, and it is very important to maintain a healthy state of mind and body no matter what you do. We are not just promoting physicality, but also conveying the importance of such things is the hidden message of "Unroute.
riverbankI myself am not an athlete to the point where I can proudly say that I play sports, but I do run once in a while. I run once in a while (laughs). When fashionable people like us start a sport, we first start with gear. I think that is one of the reasons.
Also, as Mr. Numata mentioned, just paying attention to food can lead to health consciousness, and that in itself is now a fashion statement. It is a little bit cool to be conscious of one's food. I think it's totally fine to look at it that way.
marshy rice field or paddy. Many fashion designers are physically active and pay attention to their health on a daily basis, and fashion and physicality have a deep relationship, don't they? Both Ms. Kono and Ms. Hirata are professional fashion designers, and whether consciously or unconsciously, I believe they are aware of their bodies. Clothes are ultimately worn by people , right?
