、 宮城県の北端から南端まで、東北本線・陸羽東線を乗り継いで 旅をしてきました。 English: ■We want to offer the "best of" at Isetan Salone in Roppongi

--From June 10th, Isetan Salone THE CORNER@ISETAN is running a promotion with a selection themed around high-quality gifts. What criteria did you use to select the "THE" items? Mizuno: I thought it would be okay for Isetan Salone to have some extremely expensive items. Like a vase that costs around 20 million yen each. It would be like a kind of art museum, and some people actually buy them one after another. We selected the products with the meaning of participating in Isetan Salone in mind. Roppongi really is the heart of Tokyo. We thought about what we should do in collaboration with Isetan, a trusted department store, in the middle of Tokyo. We wanted to present something that was "THE" and also, in a sense, "the best of" things. There were some things that we weren't able to realize, but we tried to choose the best items within the scope of what was possible from a security perspective. ■The common thread between "THE" and Hiroshi Sugimoto, who designed Isetan Salone

--The interior of Isetan Salone was designed by Hiroshi Sugimoto, based on the concept of "combining art and fashion." What was it like developing "THE" in an environment that makes use of traditional Japanese materials and techniques, including Yakusugi cedar?

Yonezu: When I first saw "THE" products lined up at the store's opening, I was happy that they didn't look inferior, even when placed in Sugimoto's museum-like interior. It made me feel like we had done the right thing.

--Unlike artworks created for a season, artworks that are considered to be good semi-permanently are stored in the collection. This is in line with what Mizuno said, "classics are long-lasting trends."

Suzuki: Rather than trying to create something new, I feel that Sugimoto's art provides an opportunity to revisit things that everyone has known up until now. One example is "Seascapes," which feature black-and-white photographs of the ocean. Sugimoto's art makes you aware of materials and techniques you've known about but never considered before, and this may be a distinctive feature of this shop. "THE" also shares a similarity in that it isn't trying to create something new. I think there are similarities in terms of creative thinking.

-- Sugimoto-san also talked about the idea that "things that have been considered good since ancient times are the newest." I think this is what connects to "THE," and makes it a great fusion.

■ If you think about the bag that's most likely to contain a present...

-- I heard that a new lineup will be added to "THE" from June 10th.

Yonezu: This time, it's THE KITCHEN CLOTH, and we're collaborating with Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten's "Hana Towel."

Mizuno: This is the original packaging for "THE." Since Nakagawa-san owns his own products, he doesn't want to sell them anywhere else, but he gave me permission, saying, "It's fine as long as we only sell them under 'THE'." The reason I went to all that trouble to sell them is because THE KITCHEN CLOTH is synonymous with the "Hana Towel." I also wondered what kind of packaging would be uniquely THE KITCHEN CLOTH. This packaging was born from my quest for what truly defines a dishcloth.

--Why did you choose to use both Japanese and English?

Mizuno: One reason, of course, is that we want people overseas to buy our products. Another reason is that, from the Meiji period to the early Showa period, Japan once saw a period when it adopted a culture of writing in English. When people think of dishcloths, they don't think of them as being like Blade Runner; rather, they think of the nostalgic atmosphere of the early Showa period. It was during this period that the dishcloths themselves felt like the real thing.

--I heard that original gift packaging will also be available from June 10th.

Yonezu: Ever since we opened THE CORNER@ISETAN inside Isetan Salone, there's been talk of making it a place specializing in "GIFTS." In fact, when we opened in April 2015, there was also talk of thinking about the nature of shoppers and gift wrapping, and one idea was to print "THE SHOPPING BAG" on the Isetan check shoppers that everyone in Japan knows. This time, we'll be selling gift bags made from the oxford fabric of our own product, "THE SHIRTS."

Mizuno: Ultimately, what kind of bag would make you happy to see a present in? When you think about it, a high-quality bag with a ribbon that really looks like it contains a present is ideal. So, after thinking about the kind of bag that a present should ideally be in, we came up with a design that read "PRESENT IS INSIDE" on the bag.

--What challenges would you like to take on with "THE" in the future?

Yonezu: "THE" is a brand that collaborates with partner companies to think about, research, and develop "THE" in various genres. The good thing about the "THE" concept is its versatility. I think there are new perspectives in any field with "THE" thinking, so I'd like to work with a variety of business types. Our members often talk about wanting to work with an automobile manufacturer on THE CAR. Also, beyond the retail business of THE SHOP, I'd like to try my hand at travel planning and food and beverage, such as the food and beverage chains THE Travel and THE CAFE.

Return to 1/2.