Life in the Atelier

What is life like in your own atelier?

I live in a life-sized environment. I design and do shipping there, but I also listen to music, bask in the sun, eat sweets, water plants, and more.
I'm conscious of being natural in my daily life, and even in special occasions, I strive to remain natural.
This fir tree was given to me by an intern as a housewarming gift for my studio. I'm currently tending it every day, but I'm also thinking about planting it in my garden someday.

Are you enjoying a relaxed life?

I try not to rush things too much. But I just went to the post office, and they close if we don't send out by 4 PM, so I'm always rushing around during shipping duties.
The interns usually start work at 10 AM, take a lunch break at 12 PM, eat dinner together for an hour, then work from 1 PM to 4 PM. In the evening, I work during busy periods, but usually I watch movies or read books, or work during the day and do whatever I like in the evening.

So you all eat lunch together, right?
What do you eat?

I go to the supermarket in advance to buy ingredients and cook. Sometimes one or two interns join us, and at most there are three of us, including me, and we eat together. I bought a book on prepared side dishes about three years ago, and since then I've been making staple dishes. They're simple, but they're often quite fancy. I usually make one-plate meals, often using vegetables and bacon. I often make soups that bring out the flavor of the ingredients, like boiled eggs, pickled purple cabbage, salads, or meat dishes that suit the day. I usually have small side dishes, vegetable soup, and rice. That said, I had gapao rice yesterday!

Now that we've talked about eating, let's talk about listening.
What kind of music do you have in your studio?

I always have music playing in my studio. But I separate the songs I like from the ones I listen to when I'm working. For example, Kaneko Ayano's lyrics are too strong, so they don't work well for work. I get too emotional, so I want to listen carefully. When I'm working, I choose Western music or Debussy as background music because it helps me concentrate and doesn't interfere with my design.
I'd like to play records, too, but I only bought a record player after moving into this studio, so I haven't collected any yet.




I wasn't originally very knowledgeable about music artists and couldn't physically search for them myself, but streaming has made it easier to find them, and I've started looking for music that suits my mood. I sometimes listen to songs I'm into over and over again, and sometimes listen to songs I've never heard before in the hopes of discovering something new. When it comes to music, of course I like it, but I'm also the type who is quick on my feet and wants to learn about everything! So I explore with a positive attitude, eager to discover new songs, and choose what fits each time. I also often ask my friends for recommendations. A while ago, they introduced me to SaToA. When I listened to it, I thought, "Oh, I like it..."

※SaToA is a three-piece girl band based in Tokyo.They have an unusual style, with guitar, bass, and drums, and all three members singing together.




Also, sometimes I feel like I don't know much about basic things, so I bought Cruel to study standards and I also read the music section inside.
But I do like music, so I make playlists for each exhibition, linking them to the image of the clothes.
Oh! I also look for and listen to songs played in movies. If you liked the movie's atmosphere, listening to the song will help you remember it.


Here's the playlist playing in Kanda's studio:

Do you also like books?

I'm currently displaying only my favorites.



The book with all these sticky notes is Lee Rang's "Sad and Cool Person." To be honest, I want to read every book while putting sticky notes and underlining, but I hold back because it would make the book messy. However, this book had a lot of parts that made me go "wow," and I couldn't stop putting sticky notes on it. It made me realize how honestly she writes about herself and how she feels.

*Lee Ran is an artist born in Seoul, South Korea.
She is a singer-songwriter, filmmaker, comic artist, illustrator, and essayist, and her activities are diverse. "A Sad and Cool Person" was published in 2018.



Ah, this "desk that makes dreams come true" in Nakahara Junichi's book "Happy Dining Table" was heavily influenced by the design of my studio. Books are lined up next to the sewing machine stand, and there are chairs where you can gather around and talk. Life is packed into this space.

*Nakahara Junichi = A popular illustrator for the girls' magazine "Shojo no Tomo".
In 1946, the first year after the war, he launched his own women's magazine "Soreiyu",
followed by "Himawari" and "Junior Soreiyu", among others.

How do you think this atelier will evolve in the future?

Although it's called an "atelier," I envision it gradually becoming a store. Right now, I can only sell my own clothes, but I'd like to purchase local products as souvenirs when I visit Taiwan, or sell them together with a vase maker. I'd like to share more than just clothes, including food, clothing, and shelter, as part of "lifestyle." Also, while we have an online store, customers can see our products in person, including our clothes. I think some customers would prefer to communicate with us and make a more personal decision. I also think there are probably some customers who want something now, rather than a seasonal order meeting, or who want to try it on before buying! I hope to be able to introduce "ritsuko karita" to those people through the space.





Actually, if I had the time, I'd love to open a cafe-style space, serving tea and sweets, although I'm not sure how. As an extension of my life, I want to create a space where I can enjoy everything myself, but also invite other people to come and share time with me, and if they find something they like, they can take it home. However, I've always worked with clothing, so I want to continue making clothes without wavering from that.

Have you decided on a date when everyone can come to your atelier?

The first "Plain" exhibition is scheduled for April 13th. The pop-up for "Ririnka's" final collection and the first "ritsuko karita" exhibition at Isetan Shinjuku will be held from April 1st to 7th, so it will be right after that.
After that, I'm thinking of announcing the store opening date on social media. I'd like to do it on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, but I don't think it will be possible every month. I'd like to increase the number of openings when possible.

Is there anything further in the future that you're interested in, or something that you think might one day be born in your atelier?

I'd like to try unisex clothing or men's clothing, for example.
At "Ririnka," I focused on girls, but sometimes I feel like I admire boys, and even in my private life, I like men's-like clothing. For example, I'm tall, so I like pairing cool pants with a jacket because I feel like I can still be myself when I wear them. However, boys' body shapes and sizes are different, and I have a lot of respect for the men's clothing already on the market, which pays attention to even simple details, so I thought maybe I didn't need to make it myself, and for now I'm still focusing on girls. More than anything, when I'm drawing designs, I feel like making clothes for girls! That said, I'd like to study a bit more and branch out into things that men can wear, while still cherishing the core of what I consider cute and romantic that I've always felt. When I started Rinka, I was determined to make only girls' clothes, and I was particular about girly clothes, but I've realized that the clothes I make, and the clothes I want to make, change with age and environment. Because I'm operating under my own name, the brand "ritsuko karita," I hope to be able to express my individuality.



▼Editor's Note / TOKYO Kaihoku Chiba Hinako
We have been introducing Kanda's creations in TOKYO Kaihoku as "Ririnka." Ever since the "Ririnka" days, I have thought the sense of distance and relationship between Kanda and the customers who come to her exhibitions was wonderful. And in the handwritten message from Kanda that came with my "Ririnka" clothing order, I felt her calm yet strong-willed, gentle and careful love. And I'm excited to think that with "ritsuko karita," which will be launched from this atelier, we'll see even more life-sized expressions and creations from Kanda.
I hope that through this interview you can get a sense of Kanda's personality, her way of thinking and feelings, and what she wants to communicate.



≫Enjoying the Atelier from the Beginning: Vol. 1