JUN HASHIMOTO AT PITTI 86

Part of what, in my mind, makes Jun Hashimoto such an interesting character is that - relative to most of the people at Pitti - he’s an obvious pragmatist. Well, he borders on cynical, really; and I respect him all the more for it. The last time we spoke he had brought a booth full of nothing but white shirts, and although he had shirts with him this time too (including the same white ones), the obvious stars were the multicolored leather jackets. I asked him why he branched out. The discussion is below.

Jasper L: The last time I saw you, you brought a bunch of white shirts. This time, leathers.

Jun Hashimoto: Yeah. Because leather is my strong point. With the shirts, I wanted to show my new details, but last time it was very difficult. It was…too simple.

*we share a laugh, like old friends*

JH: But, you know, I tried to change the collar, and the side, so that people would understand. And then, for leather, my strong point, I think it’s also very easy to understand [when you see it in person].

JL: You tend to do washed leather. Why?

JH: For display, and for the fitting. Because when you make a small [tight] fitting, it’s good, but sometimes it’s too small. So this shrunken style is a little bit bigger; then when you shrink it you have [the same pattern], but you have the space. This way, it’s very comfortable. But very skinny. Tight.

JL: Are these standard styles you do every season?

JH: I almost don’t change the style. I change the color and add some materials. So this time, it’s a horse leather. The basic one is calf. I’ve been using calf for maybe ten years. So it looks the same, but the feeling is very different.

JL: [Points to shrunken orange moto] What about this one here?

JH: This one is horse, but a different horse. And it’s a piece dye.

JL: And then you have the shirt-jackets as well.

JH: Yes, and these are very clean. Not shrunken. Very silky touch, you know?

JL: Yeah. Wow, I like the orange. But…this is a great blue.

JH: Yeah. This is nice. I mean, basically, I use black. Black is forever. But this orange, sky blue; it’s just for the show. Just to catch the eye - but this blue is my favorite color for now. This blue is so nice.

JL: Last time we talked about iteration, and about the idea of not changing things much. How do you approach designing a summer collection? When you have such a strong background in leathers, and in the heavy shirts, what is it like to put together a spring collection?

JH: I don’t care about seasons. Also, I have many collections in Japan. So when I bring just shirts, shorts; it’s not strong. It’s too basic. So that’s again why I’m kind of just showing…well, this time, I know it’s for spring/summer, but this [gestures at leathers] I can deliver for winter. So, it’s like a winter collection - no, not a winter collection; an early spring collection.

JL: And the shirts are the same way, season-less instead of seasonal.

JH: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Same way.

JL: In January you had all white. [We move over to the other shirts, I point to a camouflage piece] Is this, this camo, something you’ve done in the past?

JH: Uhhh. I don’t like this style. It’s strange, you know? This is kind of…commercial. Last time I had only white, like this [points], and people didn’t understand. If you see, you understand. But people don’t touch, which is a big point for me.

JL: So, if you were going to wear Jun Hashimoto, what would you wear?

JH: [Points to the same white shirt he brought in January.] I wear this. Also, I have one more idea. [He pulls out a deep, black shirt that is impossible for me to photograph] This is looks very basic, very black, but this is paper. Washi. And the dye is from Kyoto. Kyoto dye means perfect black.

[Jun shows me a Kyoto-dye and a charcoal-dyed shirt in the same fabric, and the difference is…obvious]

JH: [Points again to the Kyoto-dye] If I wear black, I wear this. This [gestures to the camo], just for Pitti.

JL: Yeah. When you come to Pitti…[we trail off into silence and look around us at the circus] Well, this doesn’t quite feel like the Jun Hashimoto scene.

JH: Nah.

JL: So, when you come, how does it…how does it work out?

JH: No no no no - it doesn’t “work out,” this is input for me. Because I know it’s very difficult for sales, here. So, this is just for my experience. When I stay here and meet people, it’s very good for me.

I love this dude. I wish I liked his clothes more, but they're often just too conservative for me.

That black shirt seems really cool though, as does the jewelry. The leathers are incredible ... that orange.

Could I recommend that you bold your lines for easier reading?



brad-t said:

I love this dude. I wish I liked his clothes more, but they're often just too conservative for me.

That black shirt seems really cool though, as does the jewelry. The leathers are incredible ... that orange.

Could I recommend that you bold your lines for easier reading?

Click to expand...

Yes, will do that now.


I took a million pictures of the damn shirt and couldn't get a single one to work out. Interestingly enough, when I later spoke to Aldo and Giulia at Harris Wharf, they also showed me a coat also dyed with a Kyoto black.

One thing that Jun mentioned, but which didn't come through in the interview, is that he'd like to be able to showcase traditional techniques alongside the modern clothing. I think the shirt is the great example, as are the Edo Kiriko pieces.

Here are two very brief write-ups about the Kyoto dyeing industry: http://kougeihin.jp/english/crafts/0210/f0210.html and http://tumblr.leonnyc.com/post/19431956677/the-blackest-black-kyotos-black-dyeing-tradition. If anyone has any more insight, feel free to share.

Strikes me as a pretty self-aware dude.

Also: *we share a laugh, like old friends*

So, he's wearing camo? Even though he doesn't like it?

Thanks for sharing... As usual.



ClambakeSkate said:

So, he's wearing camo? Even though he doesn't like it?

Thanks for sharing... As usual.

Click to expand...

That's what I mean about the pragmatism - he was also wearing cuffed pants and sneakers, if I remember correctly. Bright colors, camo, cropped pants - Jun does Pitti. Sort of.

...off to look up the definition of "pragmatism"...

Damn art school education.

great write-up J

sig-worthy quote

Synthese said:

Jun Hashimoto: I mean, basically, I use black. Black is forever.

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Synthese said:

One thing that Jun mentioned, but which didn't come through in the interview, is that he'd like to be able to showcase traditional techniques alongside the modern clothing. I think the shirt is the great example, as are the Edo Kiriko pieces.

Click to expand...

Jun, if you are reading this, make a heavy sashiko jacket, kendo and jiujitsu ready.

K. Thanks. See you next time.

That sky blue and navy leather... oof.

This. I want this.

Yeah, that inner rider jacket is ******* sweeeeeeeeeeet.

Synth - when I look at his website - http://www.junhashimoto-exclusive.com/ - almost all of the shots of things make them look tacky (for example, god DAMN those pants are tight). Do you know of a retailer that has better product pictures?? I like a lot of what I see, but I'd love to see it worn too.

http://rule.shop-pro.jp/?mode=cate&cbid=970455&csid=0
http://ameblo.jp/junhashimoto/
http://www.avenue-jp.com/?mode=cate&cbid=519653&csid=0
http://www.ivory-store.com/products/list.php?brand=88
http://www.global-websystem.net/wgc...p=0&v=10&g1=004000000000000&a=0&f=0&g0=#a_top
http://www.idheart.net/products/list745.html



DividedWay said:

This. I want this.

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It's a holy sheet jacket.