Ready to surprise the world with purely domestic leather items

A wallet with a different color.
The appearance makes you feel as if you have overcome the violent rough waves many times.
This is a dish using Yamato made six years ago.
What time has the owner spent the last six years?
As a part of the owner, what kind of scene did this wallet attend?
The attraction of leather products is that they can project the owner's life on their own.
"I want to make a partner to live together"
Kusagaya is a representative of "All Japan" leather "Yamato".
What is "Brooklyn Vision" he envisions?

Interview with Masahiko Kusagaya, a Brooklyn Museum leather craftsman and representative director (second half)

"Yamato" was born by creating a unique route in the Japanese livestock industry and the leather industry, which had been divided, but how was the response after completion?

I sympathized with the story, and the number of products has increased. I am very grateful. I would like you to know more that Japan has wonderful materials even if you do not use Italian and France's leather, and those who have learned from Yamato about the "wastefulness" where the cow skin is thrown away. The number of is also increasing little by little, and I feel the response.

━ It has become an era when products can be sold in the story, and SDGs and eco are becoming more decisive for consumption behavior. What do you think about this trend?

Certainly, I feel that it has become such an era. For the Brooklyn Museum, it's not that we have done so, but we have synchronized with the needs of such an era in the process of pursuing our ideals.

━ Are you conscious of eco or SDGs?

Originally, there was a base of our philosophy, "I cherished good things and for a long time" since its founding 44 years ago, and the idea of ​​"eco" and "SDGs" was rooted in, so I do not have much awareness again. However, I am very pleased that social eco -awareness is increasing. Most of the slaughtered cow skin has been discarded is very "wasteful". Even if we are making leather products using Japanese beef skin, most of the skin has been discarded in Japan as a whole. I hope that the increase in social interest will cause a big swell that changes the status quo. It's very grateful to match the trend, but at the root of ours, it's a very simple feeling, so I hope we can continue to move forward.

The important thing is that you have a basic posture.

I agree. I don't think we should lose sight of our essence. "I will stop throwing the skin," "I make good things and have them buy at the right price," "Create an environment where craftsmen can concentrate on making it without thinking about cospa." I think that there is a "reasonable natural society" we think about it, so we will continue to aim for it.

━ Realizing a vision and successful business can sometimes be compatible, but how about that?

This is what I personally think, but in the current slumpy Japanese economy, I think that the industry I am having a great business potential.

How do you think of the current Japanese market as a manager?

As is often said, Japan has changed completely due to the deflation for nearly 30 years. My father, the story of the bubble heard from the predecessor, I don't think it's the same country, and even if I'm doing business, I don't have any price, and I sell it like flying anything. It looks like it is. It's a great era. But it is not such an era now. In today's consumer -sensitivity, there are a few people who say "buy something that can be high", and many people value "how to buy cheaply", so as a product creator, we can't match it. I don't get it.

━ “Cheap things” are one of the values.

I am grateful that I am also benefiting in my life, but as a person who makes things and sells it, the idea of ​​"making and selling it cheaply" has become established on the company. To be honest, it is scary to be honest because the industry and society can only be tapned.

━ Do you feel anything from the atmosphere of the city when you have a shop in a city that is sensitive to trends, Omotesando?

I feel a polarization. Omotesando is always gorgeous. A lot of people who lower their luxury brand shopper are walking. However, considering the average of Japan, the people here are just a few, and I feel that society as a whole is more likely to be in the times when things are not sold. Under such circumstances, can "definitely good quality but luxury products" survive in the future? The conflict is always in my chest.

━ The center of consumption is the Z generation, a child who does not know the bubble. They are said to have very little greed.

It's very tough. But after knowing everything, the thoughts in myself do not change. No matter what era, I want to make what I believe in a craftsman. That's why I'm doing my own store, and if there is only one person who loves the items I believe in, I want to live my life for that person.

━ Society is to go on my way while being conscious.

I agree. As long as I was born as a craftsman, I want to stick to what I want to make and never want to compromise. I have a path I believe, so I want to go there on the thorny road. And I want to make the best maid -in -Japan that can be proud of in the world. It may be blue, but I can't help but realize it because I can see that vision. However, on the other hand, I am calm as a manager, and from a bird's -eye view of the future of Japanese society, I want to do what I can do with the sense of crisis and hopes I have now. I have a thought.

━ The word "hope" came out, but could you tell me what kind of light you can see?

I think the point is to reconstruct the brand power of "Made in Japan". For example, in terms of leather, it is not the case that French leather and Italian leather are all high quality. However, when you commercialize it as a "special bag using Italian leather", it will feel a little high quality and cool. I think that is the case of the country's image and the product image, but in Japan should be able to do the same.

Certainly, Japanese culture has the originality that attracts attention from the world.

For example, how many maid -in -Japan brands are in the fashion industry in the world, there are some brands that represent Japan in each genre. But this is zero when it comes to leather. I have never heard of a world -renowned Made in Japan leather brand. Here is the reason I said, "I have a great potential for business." The world still doesn't know the leather items of Made in Japan.

I see! It means that you are aiming for the Japanese representative of the vacant leather items.

I want the world to know the splendor of all Japan leather items made using Japanese skin. Like Italy and France, I would like to make leather items from there, and make leather items from there, and make leather items from there.

━ It's a magnificent goal!

There are many people in Japan with a sense. And there are wonderful leather materials. If these are firmly engaged, I think that Made -in Japan leather items, like Italy and France, can secure a solid position in the world market. I hope that will cause metabolism in various industries, and that various things can become a natural form. In our industry, it is impossible to say, "I will stop throwing the skin," "make good things and buy it at a reasonable price," and "create an environment where craftsmen can concentrate on making without thinking about cospa." I expect it to be a natural figure without it. It's economical, eco -friendly, and a sustainable world. It can be said that I developed Yamato to open the door of the world.

━ “Yamato” is a symbol of empathy and a map that will lead to the next generation.

If we can succeed worldwide in Yamato, we think that some companies will follow. Actually, that is the best aim. In addition to us, if the number of leather items of maid -in -Japan using Japanese beef skin increases, the base will expand. Meanwhile, Japan may be able to become a leather item, like Italy and France. I want to head to a bright future throughout the industry. And in the process, I think that various things will return to what it should be, and that natural eco -cycle will be completed.

━ It would be nice if Japan along with Italy and France came!

I don't think it's a dream story. The "wasteful" spirit in the Japanese DNA is the most SDGs in the world. You may have forgotten it a little now, but I want you to remember the feeling to create a society that uses "good things" for a long time, and in such a case, you can choose items that you can choose as "good things". I want to keep making it.

━ In this interview, the word “what should be” has appeared many times, but for the time being, the idea of ​​“using good things for a long time” and “do not waste”. mosquito?

Perhaps because my father, who is the predecessor, has been told since childhood. It may be a little brainwash (laughs). My father was an antique lover and a collector. My father showed me the proud collection to me many times, saying, "If you take good care of it, you can use it over the times." Surely, that was the original experience, and I think it was shaped my view of life and philosophy. Now that I have become a leather craftsman, I started to focus on "use for a long time" than at the time, but in fact, Hermes and Vuitton leather products, which are two major brands in France, can be used for a long time. The predecessor was regrettable that there was no such brand, even though Japan was a "wasteful" country, and at some point he secretly decided, "If not, we will be like that." Right now, I'm facing the leather with the same thoughts, so I guess blood can't fight (laughs).

━ Salvage Project (Outlet) started last yearIs that also related to "wasteful"?

there is. We believe that we have a responsibility to ultimately give it to someone because it is an item made with the spirit. If you do not use it from skin to leather and commercialize it, you may not be able to use natural life as a Japanese beef.

━ Sure (laughs).

But until now, I didn't want to sell cheap. Leather is delicate, so a little scratch may be attached in the process of making. Even if there was no problem as a product, it was new but small scratches could not be forgiven for the craftsman's pride. That's why I was in an invisible place. But one day, I thought. "If you haven't been to the world for a long time, it's the same as being discarded as a skin." I was told what I was doing, even though I couldn't dispose of it, it wasn't eco -friendly.

━ But you didn't want to be a craftsman, right?

that's right. I'm sorry (laughs). But I thought it wasn't. I thought that there was a responsibility to make it as a product than the product. It is established by "having someone use it". Only after using it, the "circulation" that I value is also established for the first time. So I started outlet for a limited time. I thought it would have been better to get to know Brooklyn and be interested in eco and SDGs, so I should have done it earlier (laughs).

━ You gave priority to circulating firmly.

Someone said, "It's not eco -friendly. It's an ego of the creator." In that way, creating a cycle that keeps contacting somewhere in society while changing the shape is a true eco -friendly society, and I think such a society is a sustainable society.

━ "Yamato" with various thoughts, but if you have such an item, the way of life seems to change a little.

Thankfully, I will have many such stories. Just the other day, the customer showed me the Yamato wallet that I bought six years ago, and thanked me that I had changed my life after meeting my wallet. He said, "I want others to know that chosen things seriously and cherish life to enrich life." I did it. I don't know more about that six years, but it seemed like a wallet was talking. If you use it so carefully, it will be a craftsman. I was so happy that tears came out. I purchased a new wallet, and in a few years later, I wanted to look forward to seeing my life through my wallet.

━ That's a wonderful story.

One of the attractions of leather products is that they use them as part of the person to taste. I want you to use good things as long as possible, so I want to continue to create high -quality, polite, and elegant things that can be close to a variety of life.

After passing through the leather, Kusagaya talked about the following prospects.

"I want to pursue originality in how to dye. Right now, there are persimmon astringent and indigo dyeing, but there are still many ways to dye in Japan. I want to deliver items that I have never seen."

Yes, the future of the representative Kusagaya, who talks with a smile, was an exciting world with a vivid possibility opposite to the modern society with a sense of obstruction.