This is a designer interview plan that focuses on the creator's ideas and brings you to the back of creation.
This time, D.HYGEN is based in Osaka.
D.HYGEN's works have a unique charm and certain persuasiveness.
There was a firm philosophy behind it.
D.HYGEN has for concept「「STRAINISM」＝ linked to the concept of tension principle.」under which their products are made with a basic style disassembled and reconstructed.
And making them into "real clothes" that have a very beautiful and unique aspect.
The leather is tailored according to a special technique, to which metal parts are added to create this industrial, cold and hard impression that make the uniqueness of these products.
D.HYGEN was established in 2016 by designer Sadakane and pattern maker Tateishi.
After many twists and turns, the two of them, who met in their childhood when the origin of creativity was nurtured, in their student days when they were greatly influenced, and in their professional student days, established a brand and released their first collection.
This is the first time the two of them, who have never shared their profiles, have shared their history.
Strainism
A concept that is the origin to create a solid and profound world view.
--- The brand concept is Strainism. What does this mean?
Sadakane (designer)
This concept has two meanings, one for the customers who wear our products and the other for ourselves.
Current trends tend to favor things that feel unpretentious or that can be easily chosen from your wardrobe.
Of course, I understand the merits of that, but the fashion we want to propose is the exact opposite, and although it's real clothes, it's not something to wear in that way.
Don't be afraid of misunderstandings, I think it's clothes that make you nervous about wearing.
By wearing such clothes, I want people to feel exalted that they are wearing special clothes that are different from their usual daily clothes, and I want them to feel the fun of choosing and wearing them.
Tateishi(Pattern maker)
The other is to reflect the sense of tension that we, as creators, feel when we produce our works.
Because it is something special for our customers, we make our products with a sense of tension, and in order to make them feel that way, we have to be particular about the details to make them feel that way.
Tateishi(Pattern maker)
In that sense, we make clothes that reflect the fact that we also feel a sense of tension when making them, so that people feel special when they wear them.
You mean you want to make clothes that can be passed on to the wearer.
These are our brand concepts.
The signature tailored jacket and leather.
These two pieces are representative of the brand concept.
--- What does the concept have to do with positioning tailored jackets and leather as signatures?
Sadakane
The tailored jacket is the most basic of all men's clothes, and I think it is a complete form.
This item can be worn as a suit for business or formal occasions.
In terms of production, it takes time and effort, and it is difficult to make a solid item without technique.
As for leather, it is considered to be a standard and special item in men's wardrobe, and I personally find the possibility of leather very attractive.
As I develop new products every season, I find it particularly interesting. I also focus on the fact that I can work with a sense of tension in the sense that there are many new discoveries and I still want to pursue the possibilities.
--- You are attracted by both the positioning of the items in men's clothes and the fun of the materials.
Tateishi
That's right.
In addition, many of our works are originally made from not only patterns and fabrics but also secondary materials, and a single craftsman finishes all the processes from cutting to sewing by himself.
Otherwise, I don't think it will be special for our customers, and if not, they won't feel the exhilaration and the joy of choosing that I mentioned earlier.
By using these items as signatures, we, including the craftsmen involved in the production, will be able to create a situation where we have to work with a sense of tension all the time.
This leather knit was made after a year of material development.。
--- Are these ideas cultivated in the year you talked about last time?
Tateishi
The year was a period of trial and error, so there were many failures from pattern to material development, and we wanted to thoroughly work out what we needed to express 100% of what we wanted to express, so we thought about various things from leather processing to interlining and repeated trial manufacture.
These discoveries and discoveries are the basis of our current work, and the philosophy we have built is the basis of our thinking about men's clothes from the direction, silhouette, patterns and materials of what we want to make.
We know that change is necessary depending on the times, but we felt that we cannot do that without a solid foundation, and I think it was the time that we realized that we can produce clear colors as a brand because of that.
--- This led to the creation of original products.
Sadakane
Through trial and error, we came to the conclusion that we couldn't make 100% without doing so.
Then we can do everything by ourselves. That hasn't changed even now.
As for recent leather knits made in the 20 -21 fall/winter season, there was no acceptable thin and long string leather, but when I came up with an idea, I really wanted to make it, so we decided to develop it if not, so we started with the development of thin thread of leather and made it after 1 year.
A design made from daily life, experience, and two people's sensitivity.
The production of the work is a joint work.
Uncompromising works are produced from the draft stage with a clear common understanding.
--- Where does design inspiration come from?
Sadakane
It may be common, but it is all of daily life.
But I don't get inspiration by looking at clothes, but I get inspiration from things that happen, hobbies, and my own experiences.
For the past four seasons, we have decided on a season theme as a means to express the tensionism, which is the brand concept, more clearly.
--- When do you incorporate that into your design?
Sadakane
I don't often think about design intensively at a specific time, but I often think about things that come to my mind while thinking about them all the time in accordance with the season theme and concept.
It's my job to think about whether it's a pattern or a texture of the material, but we think that a pattern is also part of design, so we tell Tateshi about it and create it by exchanging ideas about the design that comes to mind.
Design often depends on whether or not new ideas are reflected in patterns, and many of our clothes are structured because they reflect the aspect that we think as part of design.
--- As a pattern maker, what kind of things do you think about in shaping it?
Tateishi
After hearing the design idea from Sadakane, I think the first thing to do is to express the work that he wants to create, but if the structure is not comfortable or he cannot create the silhouette that he wants to express, I also express my opinion and try to work it out together.
Then, before making a sample, twirl is assembled to form a shape once, but the pattern is included in the design, so I have an image that the design starts in earnest after making it to that stage.
On the other hand, we cannot make our clothes unless we go that far, so this is when the design is actually completed.
We attach great importance to this process, and since it is a process that leads to the creation of new ideas and the development of technologies, it is an essential process that we cannot omit even the simplest pattern.
--- That's how the atmosphere from design and molding is created.
Sadakane
A person who came to an exhibition in Paris once said, "Clothes like sculptures.".
The clothes we want to make have a dignified atmosphere just by hanging them on a hanger, and we wanted to make them, so in the sense of expressing the atmosphere, I think they are words that symbolize our works.
What we want to make is clothes that are at the opposite end of the plane, so we want to continue to make works that can be said so.
20 -21 AW collection at Paris exhibition.
Leather jacket with outstanding three-dimensional design.