MONTHLY CCC SESSION] VOL.07 Motoki Yoshikawa (BEAMS) "A Collaboration Born of Connecting the Dots

City Country City" is an anonymous brand that does not disclose its designer, but has been steadily increasing its presence. In this Series, we interview creators who have been close friends with the brand since its inception to find out what the brand is really like. We will be looking into the contents of this mysterious brand from all angles.

Motoki Yoshikawa, men's director of BEAMS, appears in this issue. He says that his encounter with this brand was like a revival of his youth in the 90s. These "dots" from the past led to the present, and this time, a collaboration was realized. Let Mr. Yoshikawa tell us the story behind the collaboration.

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The afterimage of the streets of the 90s remained in my mind.

How did you come to know about "City Country City"?

Yoshikawa:When I was digging for interesting brands on Instagram, I found "City Country City. Without any information, I was really curious about this brand. I was really curious about this brand.

So you wanted to pursue this mystery.

Yoshikawa:After that, I saw a post about selling clothes at "Mr. Clean" in Tomigaya, and I decided to go there as well. When I arrived at the store before it opened, there were already 5 to 6 people in line.

When I actually looked at the clothes, I saw that the T-shirts were made with "ONEITA" bodies, and at first I thought, "Is this Mr. Kurihara of "Mr. Clean's" brand? I thought, "Is this Mr. Kurihara's brand of 'Mr. Clean'? However, Mr. Kurihara was not present at the time, so I could not get to the bottom of it.

Did you purchase the items?

Yoshikawa:I bought a T-shirt. I often wear it on a daily basis, and I happened to be having dinner with Mr. Shimizu of WELLDER, and I was wearing it at that time. He asked me, "Do you know 'City Country City'? I was asked. Apparently, Mr. Shimizu has a connection with the brand, and he told me he would introduce me to the brand on another occasion.

So it was a series of coincidences.

Yoshikawa:That's right. I was introduced to the brand and visited their exhibition, where I saw that they had created items in collaboration with "Trattoria La Verde. We were familiar with this restaurant, which was located on Harajuku's Ton-chan Street, so our seniors used to frequent it often.

It's an Italian restaurant that has now moved from Harajuku to Uchisaiwaicho.

Yoshikawa:Before I joined BEAMS, I had a part-time job at a select store on Tonchan-dori. I was taken to "La Verde" by a senior colleague at the time. Being from Niigata, I had only eaten pasta at family restaurants and coffee shops. But when I had the thick bacon carbonara at La Verde, I was shocked (laughs). (Laughs.) That memory, combined with other memories, made me feel familiar with the "City Country City" brand.

You also held an event with "City Country City" at BEAMS, didn't you?

Yoshikawa:That's right. Last December, just in time for Christmas, we decided to have a party, so we played music, served drinks, and had a fun event. From the past to the present, many dots were connected at once as a line.

Mr. Kikkawa, did you first become interested in this product because of its attractive design?

Yoshikawa:First of all, I was attracted by the fact that the T-shirts were made with the "Onita" body that was often used in the 90's. Also, the logo was cool. I was also attracted by the cool logo and, above all, the fact that the designers were privately owned. I was also attracted by the fact that the designers were not public. I experienced the streets of the 90's when I was in high school, and the image of the street remained in my mind. The stores offering items were also limited, and I was attracted to that approach (laughs).

City City, Country City and "City" of "Honda".

How is the reaction at BEAMS?

Yoshikawa:The first delivery of this season has already sold out. Especially the items featuring Thelonious Monk sold out quickly. We only have stores in Harajuku, Shibuya, and one store in the Kansai region, as well as on the web, but the fact that we are selling out even online is proof that we have a core fan base. I have the impression that many people are just as interested in this item as I was at first.

What do you think is the appeal of this brand objectively?

Yoshikawa:I think it is a brand that is very close to our daily lives. I feel that the brand is easy to coordinate with, and it has a sense of design that encourages communication, such as "I like your graphic" when you are wearing it. It reaches where you need it and doesn't make too much of a statement, but the message is clear. I think the balance between the two is very good.

And now we hear that you are going to release an exclusive item for "BEAMS".

Yoshikawa:That's right. City Country City" and "City" of "Honda" were combined to create a capsule collection. The decision was made while we were having dinner at La Verde in Uchisaiwaicho (laughs).

That's another coincidence (laughs).

Yoshikawa:We were very excited about the possibility of doing this under an official license from Honda, and we were eager to get started on the project.

Cap ¥9,350 each

Coach jacket ¥22,000

Long sleeve T-shirt ¥10,780 each

T-shirt ¥8,800 each

Parka ¥22,000

Honda's "City" is a car from the 1980s, isn't it?

Yoshikawa:Cars from the 80's seem to be gaining a lot of market value now, and I often see pictures of them on Instagram.

And you have incorporated this into the design of City Country City.

Yoshikawa:The design you proposed was so appealing that we decided to keep out of it. The "City" logo of "Honda" exquisitely evokes the atmosphere of the 1980s, doesn't it? We were in charge of the MD aspects, such as the size range, and I think the items are now available in sizes that are appropriate for the current era.

The visuals that have been released are also cool.

Yoshikawa:With the help of art director Yukio Sugaya, we were able to create something with an 80's flavor. I think the visuals have the urban feel that Mr. Sugaya is known for, and are clean but cute at the same time. And this time, we will be selling the collection at a wider range of stores than usual, so we hope that you will pick up a copy at a store near you. The Harajuku store will be using this visual to promote the collaboration on a large scale, so we hope you will take note of it as well.

Lastly, what are your expectations for "City Country City" in the future?

Yoshikawa:As I mentioned earlier, I think the appeal of this brand is that it can be worn on a daily basis and lift one's spirits. There is music that makes you feel positive when you listen to it, and I think the clothes of "City Country City" have the same effect. I hope you will continue such creations in the future. I want to continue to wear comfortable clothes for everyday wear.

Motoki Yoshikawa
After joining BEAMS in 2001 and gaining experience as a store staff member, he became a buyer of men's casual wear in 2012, and was promoted to chief buyer in 2015, where he currently serves as director.
Instagram:@yoshikawamotoki

Photo_Kazunobu Yamada
Text_Yuichiro Tsuji