The image of American items reproduced with a European interpretation.
You are also holding a sales event at "Ayamelo" in Aoyama to coincide with the release of this item, aren't you?
Imaizumi: That's right. Ayame's staff adjusts the fitting according to the customer's face. This makes the fit much more comfortable. I hope it will lead to a sense of attachment.
Kaneko: To begin with, the "example model" itself fits well (laughs).
Imaizumi: The thin part of the temples is designed to be easily bendable. This makes it easy to adjust the fit.
Kaneko: Wow, eyewear is really interesting. It's very maniacal.
Imaizumi: I am a maniac. When I started Ayame, none of the craftsmen would talk to me. Now I can talk with them over drinks.
It was the birth of this relationship that led to the creation of items made of celluloid without a core, wasn't it?
Imaizumi: People don't want to do it. As I mentioned earlier, it is a difficult and risky material to handle. That's why I didn't think it was possible at first. Through conversations with the craftsmen, I found out that it was possible, and that's how it came to fruition this time. Ayame's craftsmanship is also based on the relationship with these artisans. We make our own fabrics and lenses, but we also make new ones when a craftsman shows us a piece of fabric that he says is lying dormant.
Kaneko: That is great.
Imaizumi: By doing so, the color and texture of the material will be totally different. Besides, it will differentiate our products from those of other companies when they are placed on the shelf. Eyewear competes in a world of only around 145mm, so then we have to focus on that and maximize the appeal of the lenses.
I think it is important to capture very small changes in a big way, but it is very difficult to continue to design them.
Imaizumi: I have a lot of ideas because of the large amount of things I have seen so far. Of course the designs are different, but they are also made differently depending on the age. There are many brands from other companies that I like. Anyway, I like glasses and sunglasses.
Kaneko: You seem to have a crazy lot of them.
Imaizumi: I have lost many of them, though (laughs). While looking at various eyewear, I always come up with ideas of how I would design eyewear, so I think I can continue as long as I don't finish that. It's like makeup. It's something personal that makes an impression on you. The actual fitting process changes the way the wearer feels when wearing the glasses, and the weight of the glasses also changes with age. The fine-tuning is what makes it interesting.
How did you feel about Kaneko-san's proposal?
Imaizumi: It was very fresh. I was making a masterpiece that everyone knows (laughs). (Laughs) But when I faced it, I realized that it was a very unique work. There were restrictions, but I enjoyed fine-tuning it while adding my own interpretations of what I wanted it to be like. So I did not trace the "model" 100%, but slightly changed the balance. I created an arch that would rest on the eyebrows, and tweaked the nose pads so that they hit the right part of the nose.
Kaneko: So that's why they were perfectly aligned when I wore them this time. Also, I felt like the frames were much closer to my face on the original, but this one is just the right distance away.
Imaizumi: I think it's because I use large nose pads. But big is not enough. The nose is expressed as high or low, but in the case of Japanese people, it is narrow. Therefore, the nose width must be narrow, but if it is narrower, it will be tight. So, we opened it up a little and put the nose pads in a way that they stand up. This alone makes a big difference in the way the nose rests on the wearer's head.
I heard that you also made a supplement for this item.
Kaneko: This drawstring and hard case come as accessories. The name of the model is "L'AMÉRIQUE". This is the French translation of the word "America. This item is America from the French point of view. It is a reproduction of an American item with a European interpretation.
Many people may be able to tell what the "model" is by looking at the drawstring.
Kaneko: That may be so (laughs). This is made of eyeglass wipe cloth, so you can wipe the lens as it is.
How many are you making?
Imaizumi: In total, 200 pieces were made. According to the craftsman, that was the limit. Celluloid material is not easy to make, so I think it is really valuable. I even want one myself (laughs).
Kaneko: It's crazy special, isn't it? I'm looking forward to the event.
Imaizumi: I hope you will enjoy the craftsmanship of Sabae's artisans. Also, you can meet Mr. Kaneko at the event. I hope you can look forward to that as well (laughs).
