British brand J&M Davidson celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. In September, it relocated and opened a new flagship store in Minami-Aoyama, incorporating a new concept. It symbolizes the brand's new beginning and serves as a base for communicating its global vision. This time, we trace the brand's history through the words of designers John and Monique Davidson, who are also partners in their private lives. --There's a wonderful story behind how you two met. Monique (M): We met in the summer of 1969, on a beach in Costa Brava, Catalonia, northeastern Spain. We were both on holiday, and one day John came up to me while we were swimming in the ocean and asked, "Would you like a coffee?" That's how it all began. --What was the journey from then until you launched the brand in 1984?

John (J): When we met, I was a photographer, and Monique was working as a ballet dancer and textile designer. It was around the time that handmade and custom-made items were all the rage. The idea for starting the brand came when Monique adapted a beautifully designed dog collar into a belt for humans. We looked up a collar factory and had them make the same design in human-sized belts. Making belts started as a hobby, but we started making them for other people, and in 1984, we launched J&M Davidson, based in Notting Hill, London.

M: After providing belts to various people, we decided to launch the brand. Our first collection, which was shown at an exhibition in Paris, was purchased by brands like Joseph and Barneys New York. At the same time, we also started a bag collection. We attracted attention by designing bags using fabrics that were rare at the time. To date, we've made 1,700 bag designs alone, and we name each one. At first, we only used the alphabet, but eventually we started naming our bags after people or places that matched the image of the bag.

J: Naming our bags is a very intuitive process. Sometimes we even refer to baby name books for ideas (laughs).

--What is the division of roles between you two?

J: We work together on selecting materials like leather and choosing colors. Monique draws the sketches, and I translate them into specific silhouettes and think about the technical aspects of production.

--How do you think your respective roots are reflected in our products?

J: I think we combine traditional British craftsmanship with a unique French elegance. That's why J&M Davidson is a brand where craftsmanship and fashion are exquisitely matched.

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