■ Pursuing Functionality and Beautiful Design Even in Kids' Wear
Since the brand's founding in 2002, Takayanagi himself has been drawing the master patterns for the brand. "The fact that I draw the patterns myself may be the brand's strength. The more complex the design, the more complicated the patterns become and the more likely it is that the pieces won't fit together. On the other hand, having no design at all makes the clothes boring. That's why I'm always looking for a good compromise." This commitment to functionality and beautiful design is also evident in children's clothing. For example, only slight darts are placed on the back to highlight the beauty of the large chain-pattern textile. Furthermore, to avoid stress on areas that come into contact with bare skin, there is no brand tag on the back neck of the polo shirt; instead, a tag with a quality label is attached to the waist where it fits over the pants. This attention to detail leads to functionality and beauty that allows the wearer to relax and enjoy fashion.

The brand's children's clothing is produced in the exact same environment as adult clothing. "We aim to create cheeky children's clothing that will make people who pass by a child wearing Kiryu Kiryu think, 'Wow, they have children's clothing like this!'" she says with a laugh. "What made me happy was when a customer who purchased a three-piece suit for their Shichi-Go-San ceremony had not only siblings and relatives, but also neighbors come to borrow the suit," she says.

When asked about her approach to craftsmanship, she replied, "Because we are a customer-centered brand, I work while carefully considering how to maintain the Kiryu Kiryu identity and how to incorporate the tastes our customers like into the modern era." It's this desire to sincerely respond to customers' unspoken needs that drives the brand's approach to children's clothing: to provide stress-free clothing of the same quality as adult clothing.

Back to Part 1.