I recently had a chance to sit down again with Iron Heart Boss, Shinichi Haraki, at his store in Osaka. It had a been a while since we chatted so it was good to get an update from him on how things have been lately for him and his company. Always a joy to talk …
Here we go with the continuation of our interviews on Japanese Denim and Covid-19. If you’ve arrived here directly and have missed Part 1, it’s here. Enjoy! 3. I think we can all agree that the whole coronavirus situation is pretty awful, but are there any potential positives that you’ve found in all of this? …
Denim Distancing: Japanese Denim and Covid-19, Pt.2 Read More »
As the coronavirus (or, properly, Covid-19) continues its spread across the globe, people are finding themselves confronting anxiety and inconvenience on one end of the scale, through to serious financial trouble and full lockdowns, right down to serious illness, and even death on the other end. It is against this unprecedented and somewhat surreal backdrop …
Denim Distancing: Japanese Denim and Covid-19, Pt.1 Read More »
Having such a long and storied history, tackling a company like Studio D’Artisan posed a bit of an initial challenge. All my interviews thus far have been with the founder of each individual company, but with a company that’s been in business as long as SDA has it was either seek out the original owner, …
Studio D’Artisan’s Yuji Tamanaha talks 40 Years of Denim. Read More »
For many, a denim pilgrimage to Japan is the result of years of yearning, dreaming, saving, and no small measure of spouse-convincing. A special chance to explore the birthplace of many of your favorite denim brands, perhaps being lucky enough to visit the brand’s main shop or even the company headquarters. The truly dedicated will …
Being based in Osaka, I’m often asked why I haven’t yet interviewed any of the legendary Osaka 5. A fair question, one I usually half-heartedly answer along the lines of, “Well, they’ll always be close by so I figure I’ll just start off with the ones further afield…I can interview the Osaka fellahs any time.” …
As I delve deeper into this indigo-tinged world, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet and talk to many of the industry legends, pleasantly surprised each time at how unique, open, and friendly each of them has turned out to be. One name that would often come up during these talks was TCB’s Hajime Inoue. “Have …
Katsu, can I ask what your favorite Momotaro jeans model or fabric is? K: Hmmm…there’s a lot of them, but lately I’m really liking this slim tapered I’m wearing now. Nice fades. K: Thanks…Momotaro tapered. What’s the best part about doing what you do? The funnest part of your day. K: Mmm, for me it’s …
It’s normally a 3 hour drive down to Kojima from Osaka, but I’ve somehow managed to do it in record time and now find myself poised outside Japan Blue’s headquarters a bit too early. No matter though as I head inside and try to find the man I’m looking for: Katsu Manabe, the son of …
I’ve just finished weaving my way through the lively, narrow streets of Tokyo’s Harajuku district, roller suitcase in one hand, umbrella in the other, tired and soaking wet in the warm summer rain. And yet I couldn’t be happier. After a 3-hour trip north from Osaka I’m on the doorstep, literally, of one of the …
Slub Talk: An Afternoon with Pure Blue Japan’s Kenichi Iwaya Read More »