Case01_Hideaki Makino
Wayser RE 2.1, from the runner's point of view
PROFILE
Since joining "BEAMS" in 2004, he has experienced a wide range of careers from casual to dress, and is now a famous serious runner who has put more than half his body into the sports industry. In the on-run market "B mark MARKET," selected by popular staff members from their unique perspectives, "#," with the theme of "Coordination for running 10km anytime," introduces "fashionable daily clothes comfortable for running" and "high-performance gear full of functional beauty. and "high performance gear full of functional beauty" under the theme of "# Coordination for running 10km anytime. The best time for a full marathon is 2 hours 47 minutes 44 seconds (Tokyo Marathon 2023), which is under 2:50, and she is a "sub-ega" runner.
Instagram: @makinohideaki
Fashion is a culture of categorization. Sports is a...
What is your running situation these days?
Makino:I run on a daily basis, and just the other day I competed in a treerunning race in Nozawa Onsen and ran 14 km. Running is not limited to just running, it extends in all directions. I once wore a tuxedo and served as a presenter at the "Nagoya Women's Marathon" (laughs), and I often speak at shoe brand launch events.
I see that you have developed a variety of activities around the orchid.
Makino:Also, "B-Jirushi Market," an e-commerce site where selected staff members of "BEAMS" select and develop products using their own colors, was launched a short while ago, and I am one of them. Normally, I would not have been able to be a stocker, but in my case, I am not a stocker through the official channels. But in my case, I didn't go through the regular route and ended up there while I was running (laughs).
Please give us a brief history of your shoe history.
Makino:I have always liked clothes, and I love cotton more than synthetic fibers, and there was a time when I used to wear leather shoes 350 days a year. But now, in case of emergencies, mainly when I miss the last train (laugh), I wear so-called running shoes on a daily basis to be always ready to run. In extreme cases, I have even given up lifestyle shoes and only own performance shoes. Not a single low-tech shoe that everyone knows about. So, the shoes I wear are shoes that even the people at work have never seen before. I have never seen such performance shoes before. But wearing such performance shoes as a fashion item is fresh and fun for me.
It's a kind of gear, isn't it?
Makino:Yes, I agree. I think sports, and by extension, physical exercise and the technology associated with it, are very pure and certain. I am attracted to the clarity of it. I think fashion is basically a culture of categorization. You are casual, you are dress, you are mode. You are dress, I am mode," and it is easy to create a village. But when it comes to sports, especially running, people who run in the mountains, people who run in the neighborhood, and people who run seriously all share a common experience, so a sense of camaraderie is quickly formed.
You don't have to run, but you can.
Did you have an image of shoes in mind for Descente?
Makino:Yes, I have run in Descente's top performance shoes myself. I also know that they release very stoic models.
What is your impression of these sneakers?
Makino:I love quick shoe laces. It's simply good for function, and it's also good for fashion. I feel that the overall design has something in common with the solidity of the "Descente Ortelaine" line. Like Descente Ortheline, I like the fact that the design has functionality. I like the idea of sports and outdoor brands, so I am also attracted to them in that respect.
How do you feel about running?
Makino:These shoes are not in the performance line category, so I might not have mentioned them without these kicks. However, I tried them on and did some light running before I got here today, and they were comfortable and easy to run in.
The logo is also understated.
Makino:There are situations where I would wear a proper setup, and I would like to have these on my feet in those situations. From a distance, it looks like a suit-like setup with solid shoes, but in fact, they are all made of functional materials, comfortable, and runnable. That's the style.
I like it. These shoes combine the lasts of a leather shoe on the toe and a sneaker on the heel.
Makino:Then they seem to fit the setup even better. The best size for sneakers is 29cm, but these shoes are max 28cm, so when I tried them on and ran with them, they didn't feel tight. It seems that the last of the leather shoes has something to do with that as well.
Shoes that work in sports should not be uncomfortable in everyday life.
Please tell us about today's styling.
Makino:The theme of this collection is "everyday wear that you can run in. I made a special order for a bicycle brand called "NARIHURI," and enlarged the width of the garment while maintaining the functional use of materials. The brand makes clothes for bicyclists, but I thought this would work for running as well.
I thought it was the same thing, moving and sweating.
Makino:What is released for running is not necessarily for running alone, and I look at things from the perspective of how they can be used for other purposes. When I look at fashion items, I also look at them from the perspective of how they can be used for running. One of my acquaintances runs on trails in "BEAMS PLUS" tech baggy shorts.
I think that both functional clothing and performance shoes are useful in many ways when used in everyday life.
Makino:Clothes and shoes that are convenient when used in motion should not be inconvenient or uncomfortable when used in daily life. I am of the opinion that if I am going to pay for something, I want to pay for function, and I believe that functional materials and technology are valuable and reliable. Of course, there is always the question of what direction to take as a brand, based on the certainty of the material, but first of all, I always look at the functionality and technology associated with the material.
