GORP CORE Vol.1
GOLDWIN Zero advocates the ultimate in modern wear.

Taro Motoda (hereinafter Motoda): First of all, we have chosen the regular circle as the symbol of this project, as a motif that represents the cycle of all people involved, harmony with nature, and a spirit of endless exploration. From there, we derived the "0" (= zero). Although we are not pushing a "sustainable brand" approach, this is a value that cannot be ignored when thinking about contemporary fashion. It represents our desire to create a better future for both the creators and users of our products by reducing the burden on the global environment as much as possible.

Motoada: I have always believed that technicalware should be something that moves people's emotions. In the same way that all cars end up looking like F1 cars when you seek speed, technical wear also tends to become less and less functional as it pursues functionality. If you want to make it waterproof, you don't need seams, and if you stitch it, water can get in through the seams. However, I don't feel that this gives the wearer an uplifting feeling. I wanted to give GOLDWIN's clothes a new character that would break away from that.

Motoada: Some brands have graphics and logos that are in character, while others have functions that fall into this category. 〈〈〈〈. GOLDWIN ZeroIn the case of "Zero", the concept is based on three axes: art, science, and nature. We have the technical capabilities that are second to none, and as the name "Zero" suggests, we coexist in harmony with nature. When we asked ourselves how we could complement our art, we came up with the following, Jean-Luc UmbridgeIt was a designer called

Motoada: I saw his work on the Internet and fell in love at first sight. His background is in graphic and speculative design, so his pattern-making, organic curves, and use of color were interesting to me. It was exactly the kind of artistry we were looking for. Although there were some well-known designers among the candidates, GOLDWIN ZERO was not a collaboration with someone's name, but a project to create a new identity together. In this respect, Jean is an anonymous presence who never shows his face and is the type of person who convinces people with his products. Because our stances matched, I proposed to the company that I really wanted to work with him.

Motoada: As you say, he is an artist, so sometimes his designs are not functional (laugh), but we prioritize creativity first and then add functionality. (Laughs) The engineers of the entire group gathered to discuss the design he had prepared, and we had detailed discussions about every detail of every single product number, such as "If we want to utilize this line, let's change the angle a little," or "This seam tape is necessary or unnecessary. It was really difficult to meet the quality standards set by GOLDWIN while taking advantage of his designs, and in that sense, I think this project was very challenging.

Motoada: Since it is based on ski wear, knitwear is one of the absolutely essential elements. However, knitwear cannot be made by feeling alone; it requires solid knowledge and experience. That is why the project members brought in a knitwear designer who has worked as a knitwear designer for luxury brands. Julia RodovicShe had a solid career as a lead designer who could control the creative process in such an environment. Also, Jean had no experience working in a corporate environment, so she was the right person for the job, as she had a solid career as a lead designer who could control the creative process in such an environment.

Julia Rodovic (Julia): Inspired by the style of the 1960s, which was very modern for the time, I created ski sweaters with textured patterns reminiscent of traditional Nordic jacquard, as well as engineered layered tops and pants. I am particularly fond of WHOLEGARMENT, a cutting-edge technology developed in Japan for zero-waste, which preserves the characteristics of clothes that people used to wear to protect themselves from the elements, while seamless stitching allows for comfort and freedom of movement beyond cut and sewn.

Jean-Luc Ambridge (hereafter Jean): GOLDWIN has an incredibly rich history in the field of outerwear. I was lucky enough to look through their vast archives and was able to reference some notes and designs. Using these as my filter, I was able to evolve the iconic Alice jacket and create the GORE-TEX ®︎ 3-layer pants with side seams.

Motoada: I believe that the role of a logo is to give an identity to clothes, and for GOLDWIN ZERO, I want it to be the design itself. That is why there is no need to mark anything. The brand name is not displayed at all on the inside of the woven name, and the only print is a circle graphic that represents the "finding form," the theme of the first collection. Since many of the items are reversible, we were conscious of the fact that even when the name is on the front, it blends easily as a single graphic element. This graphic will change with each season.

Motoada: My personal opinion is that it is not necessarily necessary to be sustainable first. Of course there are approaches like WHOLEGARMENT knitwear and SPYBER that can only be realized by GOLDWIN, but the important thing is to make the right decision. People often say, "You claim to be environmentally conscious, but in the end you use chemical materials, don't you?" But there may be a case where "GORE-TEX ®️" clothes that can be worn for the next 10 years are the right choice, rather than clothes made of sustainable materials but worn for only one season. We don't just clear the definitions on the checklist; we simply make appropriate clothing based on our own interpretations and judgments. Incidentally, GOLDWIN ZERO plans to start a free repair service this winter, and GOLDWIN's in-line items next year.

Motoada: It is said that petroleum, the raw material for polyester and nylon used in many outdoor sportswear to date, may be depleted in the next 50 years or so. In comparison, Spybar's Brewed Protein™ material is made from plant-derived protein powder. Even if it is only 1.21 TP5T, it is a very positive thing for the earth to replace a limited resource.

Julia: Depending on how they are spun, they can be transformed into outerwear or delicate garments that can be worn on bare skin. In this collection, they are transformed into shell jackets bonded to protect the wearer in the harsh environment of the great outdoors, and fleece knits that are soft and luxurious enough to absorb into the skin.

Jean: Julia is right, its versatility as a material is overwhelmingly different. Its flexible nature, which allows it to be woven into sturdy three-ply fabrics or spun into yarn for knitwear, is truly unique.

Motoada: OK-RM specializes in graphic-driven creative direction, and I was always impressed by their book design and typography. Coincidentally, a good friend of mine from my previous job was connected with them and wrote me a letter asking me to meet Taro (laughs). I called him and asked him to help me launch a new project based on the concept of art + nature + science, and he said yes with two words. I was happy that he was genuinely interested in the project, even though he probably had never heard of GOLDWIN.

Motoada: I was really surprised by the idea of the woven name. It was their suggestion to not include the brand logo and to change the symbol each season. That would never happen in the normal brand business, would it? But whether it was the armband of "Stone Island" or the stitching of "Maison Margiela," it became a solid identity because no one had done it before. When you go through the various aspects of the business, you find that things that you took for granted were not really necessary for GOLDWIN ZERO. It was a great learning experience.

Motoada: We thought it would be easier to convey the appeal of our products if they were shown as the body moves. For example, a red knit with yellow pleats at the back can look orange by spreading it out, and a shell can show the knit inside by opening the side seams. The performers we used for this collection also appeared in a movie that was shown at the Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO 2022AW in March. It was a rehearsal of a choreographer lecturing the performers to music and the recitation of a poem written by a poet. Normally, I would build up how to show the product based on the premise of the product, but actually, at that point, the sample was not yet finished. Instead of showing the clothes, we started from scratch to figure out what kind of poetry, music, and choreography would be necessary to express a single project based on the concept of art + science + nature. This look movie is what finally took shape.

Motoada: Yes, we do have a finale. And we also have a finale in the works. We are planning to release it on Thursday, October 27, the day before the collection launch, so please look forward to it.

Motoada: It is a packable parka. The inspiration came from women's ski wear from the 1950s that Julia found in a reference library, and we all remember being amazed that they were already making such contemporary sportswear at that time. It was Julia who proposed the idea, and Jean who designed it. As the only product in this collection that the two of us made together, I have a particularly strong attachment to it.