PROFILE
Born in 1979 in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, he opened the select store "the Apartment" in Kichijoji in 2009, sharing his passion for New York culture with the world. Under the phrase "APT FIELD TESTING," he is an active person who constantly goes to the outdoor field to test the products he buys at the store as well as his own prototypes.
Instagram: @theapartment_tokyo
The one that's not a yellow boot.
I didn't have the feeling that
We came here to talk to Mr. Ohashi, who must be very familiar with the "EURO HIKER" model, as it has been a long time since it was reissued in Japan. When did you first come into contact with the "EURO HIKER" yourself?
Ohashi: The first time I recognized it was when I was in high school. （I was in high school when I first became aware of the "Illmatic" album (by Nas), and it was right around the time that East Coast hip-hop was gaining momentum. But at the time, almost all rappers were wearing boots. Of course, yellow boots were already iconic, but there were several other patterns, and "Euro Hiker" was one of them.
I wonder if the people who wore "Euro Hiker" dared to remove their yellow boots on purpose.
Ohashi: No, I don't think so. World Hiker", "Moc Toe", and "Euro Hiker" were all made of oiled waterproof leather in dark brown and dark olive, weren't they? At the time, rappers on the East Coast were wearing Woodland camouflage, and slightly toned-down color clothes by "Eddie Bauer" and others were popular. Before that, there was a time when loud primary colors like Polo (Ralph Lauren) were popular, but then the sound gradually became dopey and darker, and when the tone of clothes dropped around 1994, 1995, and 1996, dark brown shoes like these became popular because they were easy to match. The dark brown shoes became popular because they were easy to match with the clothes.
Ohashi: So I didn't feel that there was anything "other" about them. I think they also wore "Euro hikers," "field boots," and "7-eyelet boots" at that time. The "World Hiker" was a luxury item, so I didn't think of it as something everyone would wear. Other than that, I think everyone wore them along with yellow nubuck.
When you were a boy, was there any difference between yellow nubuck and other "Timberland" products?
Ohashi: The one I admired the most at first was the yellow nubuck, but I don't think there was any preference. I liked them all equally. I think the fact that they were Timberland boots was more important. A little before that, the older generation had a variety of choices, such as boots by Karl Kani, but for us, Timberland was the only choice for boots.
There are many kinds of boots in the world, but "Timberland" is special, isn't it?
Ohashi: In the 90's, boots were like today's sneakers, and the individual's attitude, or what he or she liked, was expressed on his or her feet. People would say, "That person wears (Dr.) Martens," or "My older colleague wears Red Wing. In this way, I saw that people who liked "Timberland" boots also liked New York, especially hip-hop.
Do you have any memorable episodes of "Euro Hiker" in Japan?
Ohashi: There was a magazine called "LUIRE," which was the women's version of "WOOFIN'" at the time, and it featured the style of Lauryn Hill and other B-girls who liked black culture. B-girls who liked black culture often dressed like TLC, wearing baggy denim, Calvin Klein pants, and Timberland shoes. The "Field Boots" were usually worn by men, but the "Euro Hiker" was also popular among girls, perhaps because of its slightly narrower shape. Of course, men also wore them.
EURO HIKER HIKING BOOTS ¥19,800
How did you yourself adopt "Euro Hiker"?
Ohashi: At the time, baggy denim by GUESS and Girbaud (Marithe François) was all the rage, and the hems were very narrow. When I wore "Euro Hiker" or "Field Boots" with such denim, the hem would sit on top of them, and I liked that because it was a very beautiful silhouette. I liked to wear them with the hems pulled up, and the hems pulled forward, and that was how I wore them in high school.
Have you worn "Euro Hiker" yourself for a long time?
Ohashi: It's been quite a while since I wore them; I wore them when I was a teenager and even bought them after I started the store, so I wore them myself for a while, but it's been many years since then.
What was the reaction of the customers when you bought it?
Ohashi: I didn't get that big of a reaction (chuckles). I haven't actually measured them, but I think maybe the "Euro Hiker" has a narrower sole than other models. When we used to buy them, the fashion was more like "field boots" with a stiffer sole than these classic hiking shoes. But now, narrower styles like these hiking boots from the 1980s are becoming popular again, and various brands are reissuing them, so I think they are more easily accepted now than they were then. Among the various heritage Timberland boots, I think this is a pair that fits the current mood and mood, and I think it is especially interesting now.
Until recently, did you prefer "field boots" or something similar?
Ohashi: . Yes, it was. . It was easy to match with our favorite style, such as wearing military pants. However, it was quite a while ago when Supreme picked the "Euro Hiker" for a collaboration, and I thought, "Ah, it's a New York shoe after all," and it looked fresh. The shoes were originally a perfect fit for New York culture, and now seems to be the right time for the silhouette to fit into the fashion world. Tech-like outdoor wear like "Gopecore" is interesting, but I personally think that outdoor wear with a slightly retro feel, such as natural wool jackets and cotton outerwear like the Bentyle, is more interesting right now.
In terms of fashion trends, the 80s mood and retro outdoor style is fresh again, isn't it?
Ohashi: I usually climb mountains wearing a GORE-TEX shell, but I think it would be nice to wear a Rokuyon mampa or something similar and feel aggravated if I put on "Euro Hiker".
