PROFILE
Fashion director. After working as a buyer at the select store "EDIFICE", he became independent. After working on his own, he launched "Reshop" in 2015. Currently, he is the conceptor of the store and also supervises various brands and labels.
First time buying in two and a half years.
Since it has been about two and a half years since the pandemic broke out in 2020, I would like to write an article about what Mr. Kaneko saw, bought, and felt there.
Kaneko:Best regards.
So you finally got permission from the company to go on overseas business trips?
Kaneko:That's right. I was like, "Go for it. But to be honest, I myself was not very enthusiastic. I heard that the yen was weak and that security was not good, and there were stories of discrimination in Corona, so I was a bit nervous.
The yen has been depreciating rapidly this year, hasn't it? Buying at that time seems to have a lot of restrictions.
Kaneko:Prices have gone up, and to be honest, it was unknown how much I could afford. So I told the company before I went that it would be difficult even if they expected me to do so. I told the company that I would go and see the place in my own way, even if it was no good. However, since I was going there, I wanted to do my best, and I was hoping to pick up some ideas or something that would eventually lead to work.
You went to England, France, and the U.S., right? And you went to England, France, and the U.S. in July, which is a little late in the buying season, isn't it?
Kaneko:Yes, it was a little later than normal buying. Even so, in England, it is possible to negotiate with factories. Also, this time I brought two staff members from "Reshop" with me.
You were accompanied by one person each in Europe and the U.S., weren't you?
Kaneko:Yes, we are looking to increase the number of buyers and eventually divide up the business. We wanted to increase the number of buyers and eventually divide the store into separate stores, so we asked the staff to accompany us in order to increase their experience level. Each staff member has his or her own personality. One of them likes Europe, and the other likes America, so I thought it would be perfect.
So the underlying theme was to teach the two staff members how to be buyers.
Kaneko:I asked them to come up with ideas for factories they would like to visit and brands they would like to see, and we worked out a schedule based on a careful examination of these ideas.
