CFCL

I view it as a positive thing that I was able to launch my brand in a year that is memorable like 2020. It is usually said it is important to start small with a business and because of 2020, I had no choice but to do so. We had to pause bringing our brand overseas and waited until very recently to rent an office and hire employees. Even our first showroom viewing was minimal and small. Fortunately, many buyers and journalists in 2020 were willing to confront the problems facing the fashion industry and, as a result, we had the opportunity to be featured in the media as a “brand for the new era”, which led to orders from financially stable clients.

In my previous job, I visited production areas all over Japan many times. I fully understand that they are indispensable in the creation of innovative products. Including ones outside of the fashion industry, many companies have access to unique and specialised technologies. Innovation starts by thinking of ways to use technology in a way we couldn’t imagine before. We work directly with the engineers in the field and up until now, we continue the trial and error process.

I learnt a lot about comfort, functionality and social issues while at the Issey Miyake company. In this area, we are fully aligned. I had always dreamed of owning my own brand since I was a student. While at Miyake Design Studio I was entrusted with a major role as the men's designer for the Paris collection, I always thought about when to establish my own brand. After ten years of being with the company, I decided to start my own brand. When I was a student, I discovered 3D-computer knitting and studied knit dresses. In 2009, I won a prize in an amateur contest, Soen Prize, with that dress, and collaborated with contemporary artists Elmgreen & Dragset. Since then, I have been working on the idea of starting my own brand with 3D-computer knitwear as the main product.

I feel that we are becoming less and less influenced by the fantasy of fashion. No matter how attractive it looks, if it threatens human rights or the environment, it must be stopped immediately. I believe that to face the current situation plaguing the fashion industry and the problems of society, we must show efforts to solve them, it’s an important element in the definition of cool clothes.

I believe that 3D-computer knitting can meet the needs of modern life in the following three points. First of all, the efficiency of the production process made possible by programming. In the creation of woven fabrics, the fabric is purchased, post-processed such as printing or embroidery is done to differentiate the product from others, and then the fabric is cut and sewn. Computer programmed knitwear, however, is a completely different process. We purchase the yarn, design the knitting structure and yarn combination, and create the product from the yarn all at once. Knit products do not have to go through several factories for fabric processing and sewing, and there is no waste produced when cutting the fabric. It can be regarded as fuel-efficient in every respect.
Secondly, the flexibility of production bases made possible by full automation. Many manufacturers have been making efforts to lower prices by locating their production bases in developing countries. When labour costs become high, they move to areas with even lower labour costs to keep prices down. From China to Vietnam, Vietnam to Cambodia, Bangladesh, and so on. In addition, they promise the factories to produce in large quantities to keep the wages even lower. This approach is not sustainable. However, if the production is fully automated with programming data, the price will be almost the same whether it is made in Japan or Bangladesh. If the product is made in an area close to the market, the transportation cost and CO2 emissions can be reduced.
And finally, further possibilities of technological innovation. You probably still remember how knit shoes revolutionized the sneaker industry. They were extremely light, supple, and breathable, and were immediately accepted by many people. Although programming knitwear is still in its infancy and has many limitations, it has the potential to replace all woven products, make life more comfortable, and simplify the production process.

When I made a dress with 3D-computer knitting in 2009, there were very few designer brands that made dresses with jersey or knits. Recently, however, we are seeing more and more of them. In the last decade, the time has become more casual, and knit dresses are now ready to handle any occasion. For better comfort, stretchy clothes are now preferred. Although knit dresses are not yet the mainstay of the fashion industry, I believe they are sure to gain more market share in the future.

The concept of "Knit-ware" may be easier to understand if you compare it to tableware rather than architecture. For example, in tableware, it doesn't matter how beautiful your dishes are if they don't make meals look nice, it is not a good design. The role of a plate is to make people say, "that was delicious” after they have eaten. The point is to have a person say that over saying, “that’s a nice plate”.

When I was a child, my dream was to become an architect. Although I liked fashion, I still wanted to be an interior designer when I entered university, so because of this, I decided to then major in textile design. My interest in Miyake Design Studio was also triggered by the fact that the design studio had produced Mr. Tokujin Yoshioka. I thought that if I could find a job at this company, I might be able to work as a product or space designer. Even now, I want to work not only in fashion but in lifestyle as a whole. By designing fashion and holding on to these aspirations is what most likely led to CFCL and what it is today.

For me, the use of recycled yarns, the fact that there is no waste, and the claim that people of all shapes and sizes can wear the clothes. I value the potential of knit dresses with 3D-computer programming the most. I enjoy communicating directly with knitwear programmers and yarn developers, saying, "we can do this, we can't do that". I think it is incomparable happiness to be able to support as many people as possible in living flexibly in contemporary life by creating original clothes that have never been seen before.

I start my creations without first deciding on a collection theme. I just have a vague idea of what I want to do, and gradually find the words as I shape them. For example, in Vol.2, from the very beginning, I thought, "I want to make robust Knit-ware”. This is because, in general, knitwear is a standard item for winter, casual and relaxed. I lined up words that are contradictory to the image of "knit" such as construction, straight line, and solid. On the other hand, I wanted to keep the theme from Vol. 1, so I searched for a word with equal power to the previous word "pottery". As a result, I chose the theme of housing, or architecture, as well as pottery, which has been around humans since the beginning of civilization. It is not inspired by any particular architecture, but rather by images from ancient, modern, and contemporary architecture.

Fashion is one of the most accessible industries to all people. The fashion industry is global and expansive. Designers and fashion shows are at a surface level easy to understand. We believe consumers need to become aware that they are only one of the many geological layers that exist on this Earth. On the other hand, designers need to be more conscious and aware that they are more than a layer on this Earth and they are easily recognisable and carry influence. It is our duty as designers, to overcome and help solve the problems of the industry to help shape and share a better vision of the future. To emphasise this point, it is not enough to just show, but we need to take action with a long-term vision of our own. We hope that the media and the industry will support this over the long term.

I have my doubts and concerns about the semi-annual show within the fashion industry, However, I don’t have any negative thoughts about having a show itself. It does take a lot of effort and energy to put on a worthwhile fashion show that moves people. It would be nice to have a physical show when it has a special meaning to it. Examples of this are when it's an anniversary, or when a partner shares the same feelings.

There are countless fashion brands all over the world, and there is more than enough clothes to go around. When you think about the need to start a brand and make clothes, if you believe that the world or surrounding would be a better place if everyone closely around you or the greater world wore your clothes then, that is when it is time for you to start a brand.