Kazuhisa Kusagaya, founder of BROOKLYN MUSEUM.
Born in Kanda in 1951.

He grew up in a downtown area where there were always children from artisan families in his class, and his uncle was also a bag maker.
It would be no exaggeration to say that growing up watching people approach manufacturing seriously had a great influence on Kazuhisa later on.

A generation that felt first-hand how the rich American culture that flowed in after the war landed one after another, and was exposed to the fun of growing up over time.
Television changed from monochrome to color.
The music turned to folk songs and electric guitar sounds. The Beatles took the world by storm, and it had a huge impact on Japan as well.

A group that excites tens of thousands of young people. It was nothing short of a culture shock for Kazuhisa, and he became so enamored with the guitar that there wasn't a day when he didn't listen to it.

The more I listened, the more I realized that great sounds came from America, such as the Ventures, the Beach Boys, and even Elvis Presley.

As Kazuhisa began to admire American culture, he also began to take an interest in Western clothing culture, and was particularly shocked by Ivy fashion.

The fashion of Ivy Leaguers attracted young Japanese people and created a unique culture. At that time, "VAN" was all the rage in Japan. People walking around Ginza were carrying VAN paper bags under their arms.

Navy blazer, loafers, button-down shirt, and Bermuda pants.

Undoubtedly, what shaped Kazuhisa's style was the "culture" of American students at the time.

As I learned about various fashions and refined my sense of style, I began to think deeply about the culture of clothing.

“What are clothes?”

“What is TPO?”

"Why do people dress up?"

There were no computers at that time.
After reading through books and magazines, I visit stores based on the information I have learned. The joy of getting something you like there.

“I wonder if this feeling of excitement is called playfulness.”

Kazuhisa, who was full of curiosity, continued to explore the playful aspects of fashion culture, following his heart's direction.

At that time, Kazuhisa's father, Masao, was running a restaurant.

My father wanted to follow in his footsteps.

Kazuhisa's desire to jump into the world of fashion grows stronger day by day.

No matter how many times we talk, we can't come to terms.

Gradually, a rift formed between the parents and their children, and the rift grew deeper each day.

Suffering from conflict, Kazuhisa decided to leave home.

That was when I was 18 years old.

It was a snowy day.