ADJUSTABLE COSTUME

TALKING PICTURES TV

Interview

Using frightfully clever technological gewgaws, we conducted an interview with Mr. Kakuzi Kodaka (who does not speak English), founder of Japanese menswear brand Adjustable Costume

Main photographs: Ryotaro Horiuchi

“Men have wanted to have the spirit of the samurai in Japan for a long time. I think it’s somewhat similar to the way British gentlemen think. Respect for the other person and cowardly means are not allowed”

hen did you found your brand

WAdjustable Costume and what was the starting point? Adjustable Costume started in April 2011. That year was the year when there was a big earthquake and tsunami on March 11th, in the Tohoku region of Japan. I remember starting in a very uneasy situation, and that’s why I felt I had to do what I wanted to do.

What is your professional background – did you have any training in fashion design or tailoring? I went to Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo for three years. There I studied design, sewing, and business. After graduating from a vocational school, I was employed by designer brand ficce uomo/ yoshiyuki konishi, then subssequently I worked for three American casual brands: The Real McCoy’s Japan, Pherrow’s, and Dry Bones. I had a lot of experience with these companies before I became independent! You seem to produce huge volumes of shirts, jackets, suits, coats, boots and other clothing items. How do you manage to produce so much? Do you have a huge workshop with hundreds of staff? We produce various items with the co-operation of many fabric stores, ancillary stores and garment factories. I do all the work, such as design production, production work, public relations, accounting, etc, by myself. There is no staff except my wife and son, and one cat.

The number of production is extremely small; we do not produce in large quantities. I’m not running a big business.

What defines your choices of each new item you make? Everything I make is what I want to wear now. It is not ‘sell now’ and with that you can never go wrong. I will obediently create the items I want to wear, regardless of the times I imagine and what the world wants.

Sometimes you refer to a specific film or historical character for some of your products. What are the biggest sources of inspiration for you? Many of my textbooks are movies. Movies make us feel the world that we can’t really feel in modern times. I hope I can express the feelings of the pioneers who lived in more turbulent times. I think that the past and the present are not separate things, but small things like chains, connected one by one.

When you create a new product, do you only make it in limited runs, or does it become part of your whole permanent collection? Some items will be discontinued in one season, and there is also a permanent collection expansion. All items have a consistent image that goes well with any age group.

Is there a big demand for quality vintageinspired clothing in Japan? There is a demand for high quality used clothing in Japan, but good quality products are no longer in circulation. Until about 20 years ago, many were sold at second-hand clothing stores. There are no good things at the moment, due to soaring prices in the used clothing market and transactions between collectors. However, I think that the number of people who are interested in used clothing is increasing.

Does Tokyo have its own scene of people who dress fabulously and enthuse about vintage clothing? Although it is a very small community, it is scattered in each region. With the recent expansion of the sns [social networking service] environment, it has become possible for small gatherings to interact. However, due to the influence of Covid-19, the events and meetings where we met directly have died with the coronavirus. This is sad.

Do you have any connection with Old Hat Tokyo? Old Hat London was a kind of hub for people with a passion for vintage Savile Row garments, and I wonder whether Old Hat Tokyo has a similar role in the city. I have been friends with the owner of Old Hat (Mr. Ishida) in Harajuku, Tokyo. They have lent me materials for reproduction. He provided materials such as button boots and a British military dispatch motorcycle coat. The store also sells my branded products. Last year, all the participants wore tweed clothes at a party to enjoy ‘wild game meat’, sponsored by Old Hat Tokyo.

How many people do you see around the streets of Tokyo dressed in vintage style? There are very few used clothing styles of 20s, 30s and 40s in Japan. I think there are more denim and Ivy styles. There are very few gentleman styles, such as wearing a suit, tie and leather shoes. I want to expand this world as much as possible.

In England it isn’t only about the clothes; people embrace the attitudes of the English gentleman, but with a sense of fun and even satire. Is this true of our Japanese counterparts? Of course, that idea also applies to Japan. Men have wanted to have the spirit of the samurai in Japan for a long time. I think it’s somewhat similar to the way British gentlemen think. Respect for the other person and cowardly means are not allowed.

Are there any specific clubs or societies in Tokyo where people interested in the vintage style congregate? The cafe and bar run by Mr. Wakabayashi, Cafe Streamline in Daikanyama, is a famous gathering place in Tokyo. This is a place that overseas vintage fans will definitely visit. Their Facebook page is called CafeStreamline

This year is your tenth anniversary – congratulations! How will you be celebrating this enormous achievement and how do you envisage the next ten years for your company? This year will be the 10th anniversary, but nothing has changed since the establishment of the company. With the cooperation of many colleagues and the support of my family, I have been able to continue. Thank you!

I’m happy that I can express more of my ideas, but I’m not interested in big businesses. Making a lot and selling a lot is not the way I want. Therefore, there are no directly managed stores, and we will focus on mail order and wholesale. I hope many vintage fans will still be wearing my clothing 10 years from now. n

www.adjustablecostume.jp

LINEN STRIPE FRENCH WORK-STYLE WAISTCOAT, TROUSERS AND JACKET