Naoki Kawamoto, industrial designer and president of N&R Foldings, received acclaim for his ORISHIKI design, which he presented as his graduation project at the RCA Graduate School in the UK. However, he was forced to return to Japan due to the impact of the Lehman Shock. He nearly gave up on his dream of mass-producing ORISHIKI, but after returning to Japan, he gained renewed attention through collaborations with famous Japanese brands and artists like Sputniko!, and is currently selling a limited-edition clutch bag in collaboration with METoA Ginza. The reason he's so well-received by companies and artists seems to be his strength as a designer who can "make things" and turn ideas into reality. --You were forced to return to Japan due to visa issues and began working as an industrial designer. But you were 30 years old, had no corporate experience, and were expected to be hired mid-career. Were you worried? Yes, I imagined it would be more difficult for a designer to continue creating what you love as a freelancer in Japan than it was in London. I assumed I'd work at a design firm and wouldn't be able to develop my own personal products. I was optimistic that if that happened, that would be fine, but I still wanted Rodrigo to continue the ORISHIKI project. So I left him in London, telling him he could use it however he wanted and if the opportunity arose, he could use it.

However, I ended up not working at a design firm and have continued to work independently, which is where I am today. I started a company to commercialize ORISHIKI, but Rodrigo and I both work independently on client projects and develop new products. When planning collaborations, we split into a main and sub-team and collaborate, complementing each other's differences. 3D printers, cutting plotters, and other tools allow us to share data from anywhere in the world, and we can create value as a company by achieving results in both London and Japan. Now, Rodrigo has returned to his hometown of Mexico, and London has been replaced by another industrial designer, so we now have three global locations. Our goal is to create new things and provide interesting ideas by connecting places.

--It's impressive that you're expanding the scope of your activities as an industrial designer, not only working on product development but also on the work of artists like Sputniko!.

I met Sputniko! in London, a junior at RCA. She has a lot of ideas in her head, and working together has given me the opportunity to try my hand at speculative art and meet people from a variety of different fields, which I'm very grateful for.

The process of turning an artist's abstract ideas into reality is difficult, as it involves converting them into actual materials and data, but it's also a learning experience. Rather than holding multiple meetings to draw out their requests, I listen to their ideas in the midst of casual conversation between girls and think about how to make them appealing to women.


For example, when I collaborated with a domestic brand to create a clutch bag, I saw beautiful, fashionable women who I would normally have no contact with say with delight, "I want to have it!" It made me realize that I can create value that I had never considered before, and that I also had unexpected areas of expertise. There is a lot to learn from other industries, such as fashion and art.


--This is just my personal opinion, but when looking at a work of art, especially contemporary art, it can be difficult to decipher the meaning of the work or to deeply understand the creator's intentions. I can imagine that actually giving form to an artist's ideas, as you did, is even more difficult than simply appreciating them. Is this skill something you developed through experience?

Looking back, I think it may have been based on my experience at AIT, where I helped out as a student. Designers who could "make things"—who could listen to artists' ideas and then use technology and equipment to turn them into concrete objects—were highly valued. By coming into contact with many different works and working in various genres, he broadened his horizons, perhaps leading to client work that allows him to flexibly respond to requests.

--I'm seeing more and more of your work, and I look forward to seeing more of your future endeavors. What are your future plans?

Mass production of ORISHIKI has been our goal from the beginning, so while there are still issues with costs, we would like to develop it little by little.

Also, although this may be a very realistic statement, we are focusing on improving our company's cash flow and creating products driven by teams rather than individuals. Designers who are immersed in creativity and only value concepts cannot adapt to the current era, and I believe it is important for a company to study the flow of money in the world and improve its business side as well. Especially since I am the head of the company and am responsible for the livelihoods of my staff. I don't believe in simply delivering what is expected of me, so it is important to balance that with creations that express my own identity.

While I work on client work, ORISHIKI remains my core. Our current vision is to continue honing our creative side and raise the bar as a company in order to strive for better manufacturing.


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