Ralph Lauren

[ABOUT]

Ralph Lauren is a well-known global brand.
In addition to fashion, we continue to propose a higher-grade lifestyle on a global scale, including home collections, restaurants, and resort hotel development.
Ralph Lauren Omotesando, Asia's flagship store, is a space where you can fully enjoy its worldview. Ralph Lauren, who represents American traditional fashion, and BROOKLYN MUSEUM, whose products are also influenced by American traditional fashion.
We interviewed CEO Masahiko Kusagaya to find out what kind of story there was.

━ How did Ralph Lauren and BROOKLYN MUSEUM meet?

One day in 2011, a person from Ralph Lauren Japan suddenly came to the store.

“Could you make the equipment for the shop out of leather?”
It all started when I heard about this.

━ Was the person in charge the user?

That's the difference.
The person in question was in charge of interior design for Ralph Lauren Omotesando, but he had known about BROOKLYN MUSEUM from his previous work at the company.
Before we opened our own store, we were involved in manufacturing for companies such as BEAMS, SHIPS, and Brooks Brothers, so we may have had some experience in the industry.

He came to our store based on his memory that we were also accepting OEM products.
I am very grateful.

━ What kind of equipment did you want for the shop?

The main items were carton and signboards, but what surprised me the most was that they said they would wrap leather around the edge of the carpet.

There was no problem with the cartons and signboards used at checkout, as they are also made by our store and other brands, but when it came to carpeting, I couldn't imagine it at first.

Also, the Omotesando store has a large floor area, so even a single carpet is quite large.
As long as it's within the range that can be sewn with our sewing machine...

“We are bringing in a carpet maker from India, so could you please arrange for the leather?”

Surprisingly, BROOKLYN MUSEUM Select leather is cut into strips and several carpet craftsmen brought in from India sew them directly at the Omotesando store.

I never thought it would be possible, but it is now a work of art.
I was even moved by the amount of effort he put into it.

━ It's amazing that you pay such attention to detail. Does that mean you started your efforts from there?

“I want to stick to the same quality as the leather used in the United States.”
Since we received this order, we proposed a leather of the same quality.

Both the founder and I love Ralph Lauren, so I know their background well. I also felt the enthusiasm of the people in charge.

“I want to be particular about even the equipment.”

In response to this desire, the leather we selected is Italian-made bridle leather.
The leather is strong and durable enough to be used for horse harnesses, and is characterized by the technique of applying wax over and over again to tighten the leather itself. It is a historical leather that has been passed down for hundreds of years, and above all, it is highly durable and repels rain and water, making it ideal for stores that have many customers.
It's too luxurious to use for equipment, but it's the Ralph Lauren of the world. They carried out thorough quality control.

━ The quality requirements for a product will inevitably be high, right?

Well, I just said that I would like you to leave it to us. We talked with a craftsman who specializes in firm, hard leather like bridle, and adjusted the way the core material was inserted and the way it was sewn together. Perhaps because they liked our attitude, there were no major modifications to the finished sample.

So, let's start from the Omotesando store.
At the time, there was also a second-line store called RUGBY aimed at the younger generation, so we received orders for different colors for that store as well.
The products I created are lined up alongside the brands I admire. Even if it was just supplies, I was happy.

━ How did it spread to Asia from there?

A senior manager who happened to be in Japan to inspect a directly managed store saw the carton and the signboard and said,

“I want to use it on flagships in Asia.”

That's what he said.
We are now receiving orders from directly managed stores in Asia, including Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and Malaysia.

As expected, there seemed to be long-standing suppliers in the United States and Europe, but I later heard that there were no places that could produce high-quality products in small lots.
I think this was the moment when the efforts we had made with other companies and the technology we had continued to focus on and improved were paying off.。