MODERN FOLK
FOLK:visvim's new line
08 2/7 UP
Text:Tetsuya Suzuki Photo:Shoichi Kajino Translation:Mayumi Horiguchi Edited by CUBISM inc.
- ──
- You mean that your aim is not at making superficial luxury shoes. The brand is not trying to improve its image by saying 'ecology before economy.
- N :
- Well, it's most important that our shoes are as comfortable as possible, but in order to achieve this we first have to know what a “good product” is. We feel it’s not only valuable to look at things past down from generation to generation, but important to offer new things that can be passed down to future generations. We’re not denying technology so to speak, but rather exploring what its significance is to and for our culture and society.
- ──
- Have you any doubts about high technology, if it actually will be of use to people?
- N :
- I do, actually. I think it’s important to verify that a technology is helpful to manufacturing, or whether it’s only being used as a tool of marketing…
- ──
- That is to say, your new "FOLK" line is the answer to your doubts. An updated version of the FBT moccasin will be launched as the first piece, then to follow a basic high-quality tennis shoe called the Foley.
- N :
- We’ve used very soft leather for the Foley, our tennis shoe model. The leather is vegetable-tanned, and it is very absorbent of moisture. The lining is made of soft leather as well, and it won’t interfere with the breathability of the outer leather. These shoes really breath when you wear them…You don’t need socks. As for the FBT, we’re calling this version the “Bear Foot,” which is a homophone of being barefoot, and this shoe closely mimics authentic vintage native North American moccasins. I actually collect tribal moccasins, so I knew that only one layer of leather is used for the outsole, but if we make modern shoes with this method people would find them uncomfortable and their feet would become tired very quickly from walking. To resolve this issue, we used Vibram outsoles to keep the profile as low as possible and keep the shoes looking as authentic as we could.
- ──
- Using the function of natural materials and technology effectively. It might be the ultimate technology.
- N :
- Well, I’m not a naturalist or an ecologist by any means, so my methods for creating product are very different from how these kinds of people would approach a design problem. But I did take hints from some of their ideas. Maybe some people will try to label us as a high-end eco brand or something because of it…
- ──
- Visvim was well known as a street brand, so the people who have a superficial way of thinking might feel Visvim is trying to be a trendy eco brand or luxury brand, because you are using high quality leather as a material.
- N :
- Well, I don’t really care how people label us (laughs)… Because I know what we need to do: Focus our attention on making good things only. It’s completely up to the customer how to style our product and how to enjoy it. If one of our customers has luxurious tastes, I’m sure they could adapt our product to fit. Or if a customer is more aware of ecological issues and our product is attractive to them because of it, that’s fine, too. The most important task for us is to simply be honest with our product. Image or labels aren’t a huge issue at all. If people think our product is comfortable to wear, that’s the best. All we want to do is make good product. Nothing more.
- ──
- You are obviously particular about products. You have devoted yourself to making good ones. I can even see this kind of thought present in your attitude.
- N :
- Well, I guess you can say I’m a “product fundamentalist” (laughs). As a matter of fact, we’ve used this as the theme for our Spring/Summer 2008 Dissertation (laughs). Thorough investigation and research during development is important. There are a lot of products out there that are the direct result of marketing alone, but hopefully the people who are becoming tired of this will naturally gravitate toward our brand and product.
- ──
- It seems like your way of thinking regarding products motivated you to create this "FOLK" series. Now that the line is completed, are you more confident of your philosophy?
- N :
- Well, I always stumble upon new techniques or materials during development stages when I least expect to, and these discoveries are a great stimulus for me. They definitely help with developing creativity. Seemingly small discoveries at the time always help everything else move forward, and are a great aid in actualizing ideas. I’ve had several moments in the past 8 or so years that have been like this, one of which was when I first launched Visvim, another was the inception of the FOLK series. I’m excited for this next stage in our company’s evolution.
