Goodness of foreign countries, goodness of Japan.
In London, did you do a lot of research while touring the city?
Kaneko:I was contacting brands I was interested in, but there were many I couldn't meet. That is why I spent more time researching. I decided to do my best to stock up by just moving my feet.
Kaneko:I was able to connect with a store called "Pillow Heat" that handles vintage "Vans". The store is owned by a world-famous collector. They make original T-shirts and other items, and when I made an offer, they agreed to distribute them.
Kaneko:Also, this is a suit made from Nike fabric. I heard that the brand also officially distributes the fabric, but I found this suit on the street, made contact with them, and was able to purchase it. I have the impression that more and more brands are making clothes based on the concept of "bispoke.
Kaneko:This is a brand called "Ventura," and I have been wanting to order from them for a long time. The designer, who originally worked for Fred Perry, became independent and started his own company. They only make this kind of workwear, but they have a lot of color variations. When I asked him why he chose this kind of collection, he replied, "Because it's easy. (Laughs.) But isn't it really cute? It's very simple workwear, but it's something you can't easily imitate. I would like to stock this collection.
Kaneko:I also went to the factory of "Pancelera". This factory is about an hour's drive from London, but they were adamant that nothing could be done... In the end, we were only able to order color-coded socks. In the end, we were only able to order color-specific socks, but personally, I am glad we went because this is my favorite sock brand in the world.
So, this is how UK buying ends.
Did you notice any changes in the city during your stay?
Kaneko:The atmosphere of the town and the things were the same, but my feelings were different and I was in a different mood than usual. It was like, "Oh, no, this imported stuff is bad!
It was like a fresh feeling that came back to you, different from the traditional buying experience.
Kaneko:I had not been keeping an eye on overseas markets because of the Corona disaster, so I had been making various special orders with Japanese manufacturers with the intention of creating products that exceeded the quality of items from overseas. I was satisfied with the high quality of their products, but there was a part of me that was not satisfied. I was overwhelmed in a good way by the weight of London's long history and the yearning for things that can only be found overseas.
I see.
Kaneko:Conversely, we were also able to reconfirm the quality of Japanese craftsmanship. No foreign brand can match the high quality of Japanese products. The level of precision and product quality is overwhelmingly higher in Japan. That is why I could see the challenges. We can make very good products, but I think we need to look at things from a different perspective. When I go to exhibitions in Japan, I hear stories about fabrics and items that are made this way and that, but I think they are missing some important part. This is also true for the items I make.
The Japanese are very good at gathering and editing various elements.
Kaneko:It is difficult to express the roughness of foreign items in Japan. It is sometimes said that it is more difficult to create rough items than to create beautiful ones.
I remember reading something similar on Kaneko-san's blog once upon a time.Here is the article.
Kaneko:I felt such things during this business trip. So that's it for the UK.
Thank you very much. The next issue will be on France. Please look forward to it.
