Koyama's pictorial style has no peculiarities in a good sense.
What exactly is important to you in the design of "Anfilo"?
Small mountain: Anfilo's clothes are designed to be "beautiful, easy to move in, and comfortable," and are designed from the perspective of everyday usability. We are conscious not only of the product aspect of the clothes, but also of their integration into daily life, such as being washable for comfort in daily life, and being foldable and portable for wearing in times of need.
Row of trees: It looks hard to wrinkle.
Small mountain: Of course, we use such fabrics. I was told by a PR person that a stylist wanted to keep an "Anfilo" jacket in his car so that he could easily take it out and wear it anytime. It doesn't get wrinkled even if it is handled a little roughly.
Even when handled roughly, it retains its classy appearance. The inside zippered pocket is convenient for storing a passport or other small items. This is another of Mr. Koyama's designs for everyday use. ¥14,990
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of clothes made from functional materials.
Row of trees: I wear pants. That is exactly why I love these cargo pants from Anfilo. The silhouette is neither too thick nor too thin, and because they are made of functional materials, they don't look too rugged.
Small mountain: Pants made of functional materials have become common, haven't they? It's easy to incorporate them.
Row of trees: I usually do salon work, so this kind of material makes it difficult for my hair to stick to it.
Small mountain: Ah, I see.
Row of trees: I also simply do a lot of standing and sitting, so pants that are easy to move around in are useful at work. The fact that they are easy to wash also comes in handy.
The fabric has eight functions: cool-to-the-touch, water repellent, moisture permeable, antibacterial, odor-resistant, washable, stretchy, and lightweight. A modern update of the snow camo pants, with a clean finish that moderately suppresses the intrepid mood of military wear. ¥13,990
I think it's difficult to differentiate your products from others because there are more and more clothes made of functional materials nowadays.
Small mountain: Yes, I agree. Functional materials have become the standard, so I think we need to think about differentiation from other aspects. The silhouette is the most important thing for me at Anfilo. The key to this is the pattern, and collaboration with pattern makers is at the core of Anfilo's manufacturing.
As you mentioned earlier, is it because you draw the design in detail that you need to communicate closely with the client?
Small mountain: Yes, I know. I had to get them to catch the details.
The items are designed with inspiration from classic menswear. Tailoring, military, sports, traditional, etc., the essence is extracted from the many drawers in designer Koyama's mind and poured into the clothes of "Anfilo".
Now, I would like to ask Ms. Minami, a pattern maker, to join the dialogue. It seems that there is something in your designs that other designers do not have.
South: It's not normal. However, for me, it makes things easier. There are some designers who do not express their intentions in their designs, which is fine if they can do as they please, but it makes it difficult to see where they are going to end up. On the other hand, there are also those who are so set that there is no room for detail. This makes it hard for me to be motivated, because all I can do is connect the dots that have been decided.
One of the pleasures of being a pattern maker is the joy of working together with designers to create what they are aiming for. In Mr. Koyama's case, it is very easy to feel this.
Small mountain: I believe that one person cannot make clothes alone, and that it is important to pass the baton to the other members of the team. Mr. Minami originally had experience not only in men's wear, but also in women's wear, and he has a wealth of experience because he has also pulled patterns for overseas brands.
Please tell us about your background.
South: I originally studied women's wear when I was a student. Then I joined my current company (Onward Kashiyama) without knowing anything about men's wear, and that's when I started learning about men's wear. I started learning about men's wear at my current company (Onward Kashiyama), which is a British brand called Joseph. To begin with, there is a difference in the way of thinking about patterns between Japan and England. In Japan, there are a lot of rules, and it is easy to fit into a set pattern, but in England, there is a high degree of freedom. That's why it was important for us to start from there.
Later, I also became in charge of the women's brand, which is very complex and has a lot more freedom. I had to draw a different line from men's wear, and I think that is where I was able to adopt a new way of thinking. For the next brand I was in charge of, I had to show everything I had cultivated! There was also an environment like that (laughs).
That is how I finally arrived at "Anfilo. I think there is a limit to how far you can go when you are free to do things on your own, and I believe that good things are born when you combine ideas, so I try to multiply what Mr. Koyama wants to express with my own lines that I have cultivated.
Mr. Koyama always asks me to create various lines. This allows me to use a variety of different techniques.
Small mountain: They could bring samples of interesting sleeves.
South: That's right. In a sense, there is nothing that really sets Mr. Koyama apart. Other designers have more peculiarities. In a good sense, perhaps the appeal of Mr. Koyama is that he is not bound by a single method. What he aims for is different for each piece of clothing. That is interesting.
Row of trees: Because you have seen so many different things, do you have a flexible way of thinking about how a jacket should be shaped, or how military pants should be made?
Small mountain: I think about bringing out the best in the clothes. For example, if it is shorts, I think the silhouette should be like this, or if it is slacks, I think it should be like this. It all depends on what the purpose is. I try to think about what kind of item, when I want to wear it, what kind of silhouette I want to show, what kind of material I want to use, and so on, to bring out the best of each item.
Three silhouettes are available: tapered pants (left), jog pants (middle), and relaxed tapered pants (right). Each length has two different pitches, and the size range is also important to accommodate a variety of body types. Each ¥9,990
South: It is clear that each piece of clothing has its own "this is how it should be.
Small mountain: Perhaps I was influenced by my previous job at a select store, where I saw many brands and manufacturing sites around the world and made a variety of clothes.
