We were all children once. Those innocent first years of our life most likely define and shape what's behind the adults of today, and it's then when we first get that draft of an idea of who we are, what we like or what kind of life we would like to have. Hideaki Shikama had a childhood deeply rooted in the underground street culture, skating, dancing, and riding bikes, and of course, dressing accordingly. His friends from back then in Yokohama are his friends now, and what he loved and lived as a routine is now being remembered with nostalgia and being brought back to life in scenarios like Pitti Uomo or the Tokyo Fashion Awards in his very adult job as the founder of Children of the Discordance — a brand that channels the unique sense of identity and of self-expression that can only be found in Japan. We talked with him about how the past shaped his present and how fashion tells the most when it's raw and real.
Hello Hideaki! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us. Where are you right now, and how are you feeling after presenting at Pitti Uomo in Florence?
I’m currently spending time at my atelier in Tokyo. Presenting at Pitti was a particularly meaningful experience for me, so I’m really glad it all went smoothly. On a personal note, this is my favourite collection out of all the runway shows I’ve done so far.
That's great to hear; congratulations on it, by the way. How did returning to your roots, revisiting the underground streets of Yokohama, feel in a professional and personal sense? Was this something you've been wanting to do for a while?
My fashion roots are undoubtedly in the port city of Yokohama.
When I was 13, I met a group of friends the same age as me, and we’re still close to this day. They were very mature for their age and deeply into street skating, vintage fashion, and gangsta style. I learnt a lot about clothing from those three back then. Around the same time, I also started street skating and got into hip-hop and hardcore music.
By the time we were turning 14, our influence had grown, and about twenty of us had formed a stylish group at school. We would ride lowrider bikes to class and spend our time street skating and dancing. Among our group, there was an unspoken local rule that you couldn’t wear the same clothes as anyone else, except for sneakers and jeans. Thanks to that, I think we all really honed our sense of individuality.
Looking back, it was a very fortunate environment in terms of being exposed to so many styles at such a young age. But it was also a rough neighbourhood, so standing out came with real risks. It sounds unbelievable now, but we were just trying to survive. I stayed in that kind of environment until I was 18.
I had always wanted to show respect to my hometown friends through a collection someday, so I’m glad I was finally able to make it happen.
When I was 13, I met a group of friends the same age as me, and we’re still close to this day. They were very mature for their age and deeply into street skating, vintage fashion, and gangsta style. I learnt a lot about clothing from those three back then. Around the same time, I also started street skating and got into hip-hop and hardcore music.
By the time we were turning 14, our influence had grown, and about twenty of us had formed a stylish group at school. We would ride lowrider bikes to class and spend our time street skating and dancing. Among our group, there was an unspoken local rule that you couldn’t wear the same clothes as anyone else, except for sneakers and jeans. Thanks to that, I think we all really honed our sense of individuality.
Looking back, it was a very fortunate environment in terms of being exposed to so many styles at such a young age. But it was also a rough neighbourhood, so standing out came with real risks. It sounds unbelievable now, but we were just trying to survive. I stayed in that kind of environment until I was 18.
I had always wanted to show respect to my hometown friends through a collection someday, so I’m glad I was finally able to make it happen.
This new collection clearly signals rupture, rebellion, and creative defiance. What does this concept “enfant terrible” mean to you? Are you the enfant terrible you are talking about here?
This season’s theme reflects not only myself but also all of my friends. I’ve shifted into a higher gear in how I approach garment-making and translate ideas into design, so I’m happy that people have noticed that.
Your upbringing was very in touch with different sides of culture: skaters, DJs, graffiti artists—all disciplines where freedom is very much encouraged and celebrated. How did this early environment shape your instinct for individualism and resisting conformity?
Without anyone noticing or being consciously aware, our senses and instincts were naturally sharpened, and once we all became adults, we realised we had grown up in an incredible environment. When we were little, we thought it was the same everywhere, so if I were to share those stories now, I believe people would be shocked. I’m confident I could write a dramatic novel about it.
I realised this when I was 19 and entered a fashion school in Tokyo. I noticed that there wasn’t a single stylish person there, and I wondered what was going on. Then I understood that my friends back in Yokohama, where I grew up, were just deeply knowledgeable about culture and fashion and truly unique. I think I seemed much more mature than the average 19-year-old back then.
I also believe that the mindset and character shaped by culture become part of your individuality only through experience. Looking back, I think that was a great education for me. After all, the street way of life isn’t something you learn at school.
I realised this when I was 19 and entered a fashion school in Tokyo. I noticed that there wasn’t a single stylish person there, and I wondered what was going on. Then I understood that my friends back in Yokohama, where I grew up, were just deeply knowledgeable about culture and fashion and truly unique. I think I seemed much more mature than the average 19-year-old back then.
I also believe that the mindset and character shaped by culture become part of your individuality only through experience. Looking back, I think that was a great education for me. After all, the street way of life isn’t something you learn at school.
The collection blends complex tailoring with deconstruction and asymmetry in a very free but at the same time very careful way. How did your collaboration with a London-trained pattern maker evolve the visual language of the brand? Did this provoke an unexpected merger of cultures or styles of creation?
The new pattern maker who joined the team is an old acquaintance. We reunited in Harajuku after 15 years, and when I consulted with him about this collection, the feeling was good, so I decided to ask him to collaborate. I didn’t ask him to work on every item, but I entrusted him with all the pieces related to tailoring. I can confidently say that this choice was the right one, and as a result, I believe the collection gained more depth. I would like to continue incorporating tailoring pieces into future collections.
Also, a stylist named Auska, who joined the team for this collection, played a big role in clearly conveying the world I want to express. He worked closely with me on every detail of the styling to show exactly how I wanted the runway to look. I believe those who saw it found it both authentic and fresh.
Also, a stylist named Auska, who joined the team for this collection, played a big role in clearly conveying the world I want to express. He worked closely with me on every detail of the styling to show exactly how I wanted the runway to look. I believe those who saw it found it both authentic and fresh.
The palette—faded, sun-kissed—reflects your trips to Vietnam. How did the smoky dyes and hand-bleaching process channel the energy of the Vietnamese alleyways? What did you feel or see there that made you want to translate it into garments?
To elaborate, my collection now has a production base in Hanoi, Vietnam, which has increased the number of times I visit. We produce difficult embroidery pieces there. Vietnam is a city I had never visited before, and it has been very stimulating and educational for me. The atmosphere and energy I experienced on-site inspired the colour palette for this season.
You highlighted an “unfinished” aesthetic and tactical refinement. How do you balance the contrast between rawness and sophistication? It's a duality that seems to be common in your work.
This is a very difficult question to put into words. I believe the balance in my designs reflects the countless experiences and failures I've had through being exposed to an extraordinary number of garments since I was a child.
Of course, I’m always conscious of expressing both an unfinished rawness and a certain sense of dignity in the garments simultaneously when creating a collection.
Of course, I’m always conscious of expressing both an unfinished rawness and a certain sense of dignity in the garments simultaneously when creating a collection.
Tell me about the last look, the sort of avant-garde, streetwear bridal look. What was the inspiration behind it and the process of materialising it? If it is in fact a bridal look, who is she getting married to?
The final look, the dress, actually started with an idea that stylist Auskou had developed for his graduation project. I stitched together sixty original T-shirts that I had silk-screen printed myself, and as a result, it ended up with a long, dress-like length. While the overall vibe was good, it was so long that walking in it became impossible, and it just didn’t match the image we had when in motion. So, we decided to add a pannier, which improved the silhouette, and that’s how it came together. Originally, we had no intention of designing a women’s dress. Many people have asked about the dress, but I want to be clear: it’s not meant as a cosplay.
Children of the Discordance has always celebrated individuality, being different from the rest. How do you translate this deeply philosophical and personal belief into a new collection each season? Is it easy to stay unique and individual in the current fashion industry?
From the moment I included "Discordance" in the brand name, I’ve been deeply committed to creating something truly one-of-a-kind. As long as I’m the one designing, I believe that sense of uniqueness will remain intact. I’m a designer who, unusually, is not influenced by current, mainstream fashion at all, because for me, drawing inspiration from the latest trends is simply not an option.
While I do take influence from vintage and archival pieces, I have a personal rule: whatever I create must transform those references into something entirely new. If I’m going to sample from the past, it has to surpass the original; otherwise, there’s no point.
While I do take influence from vintage and archival pieces, I have a personal rule: whatever I create must transform those references into something entirely new. If I’m going to sample from the past, it has to surpass the original; otherwise, there’s no point.
Talking a bit more about the fact that your latest collection was presented at Pitti Uomo. Your urban-rooted work is clearly disruptive in a scenario where classical or traditional proposals are more common. How do international audiences, like the one at Pitti, respond to the “chaos” you are presenting to them?
I think many people were surprised to see a label like ours presenting at Pitti. But I didn’t do the runway show to break traditions or defy expectations. From the very beginning, I had always decided that Pitti would be the first international stage where I would present after Tokyo. In fact, I had already exhibited collections there for four seasons starting in 2018. The reason I kept showing at Pitti is because there weren’t any brands like COTD participating. That made both myself and the label stand out significantly in Florence.
As a result, our international business expanded greatly. I wanted to give something back for that and also express my gratitude to the Pitti team, who continued to invite us even during the COVID period. So I’m truly happy to have been able to achieve that. I realise that many people didn’t know the background, so I feel a bit sorry for having caused some “chaos,” haha. That said, the response to the collection was very positive, and the Pitti team was also genuinely pleased. If our show ends up inspiring more labels like ours to present at Pitti in the future, I think that would be an exciting development.
As a result, our international business expanded greatly. I wanted to give something back for that and also express my gratitude to the Pitti team, who continued to invite us even during the COVID period. So I’m truly happy to have been able to achieve that. I realise that many people didn’t know the background, so I feel a bit sorry for having caused some “chaos,” haha. That said, the response to the collection was very positive, and the Pitti team was also genuinely pleased. If our show ends up inspiring more labels like ours to present at Pitti in the future, I think that would be an exciting development.
Do you feel the brand preserves this underground feeling or vibe despite presenting at major international stages or winning important awards like the Tokyo Fashion Awards?
That hasn’t changed.
Are there new subcultures, materials, or concepts that have caught your attention in recent years? Something that you think would fit the Children of the Discordance universe and that you want to explore more?
Now that the tailoring-focused collection has started, I can’t talk about it in detail just yet, but I believe new designs will emerge from concepts I’ve been nurturing for a long time.
What I’d like to explore more deeply in the future are things I personally haven’t been immersed in, like motorcycles and cars. I think I’ll be able to make an exciting announcement in the near future!
Lately, there hasn’t been a fresh wave of new hip-hop genres, so I’m really looking forward to that. Up until now, I mostly listened to US, UK, and Japanese hip-hop, but since the global scene is heating up, I’d like to start exploring more from around the world. I’ve also been a bit distant from electronica and abstract sounds recently, so I want to dig back into those again.
I’m constantly influenced by the slang used in music and track titles, so music is something I engage with every day.
What I’d like to explore more deeply in the future are things I personally haven’t been immersed in, like motorcycles and cars. I think I’ll be able to make an exciting announcement in the near future!
Lately, there hasn’t been a fresh wave of new hip-hop genres, so I’m really looking forward to that. Up until now, I mostly listened to US, UK, and Japanese hip-hop, but since the global scene is heating up, I’d like to start exploring more from around the world. I’ve also been a bit distant from electronica and abstract sounds recently, so I want to dig back into those again.
I’m constantly influenced by the slang used in music and track titles, so music is something I engage with every day.
You launched Children of the Discordance back in 2011. If you look at your early collections and compare them to something like Enfant Terrible, what do you think has remained unchanged, and what has shifted?
The method of deconstruction and reconstruction has evolved since the early days, but it remains a consistent form of expression for me.
What I like about it is that it allows me to create one-of-a-kind pieces.
This technique is the very essence of Discordance.
What has changed over time is that I’ve started to develop an interest in product design beyond clothing. The increase in footwear pieces is one example of that shift.
What has changed over time is that I’ve started to develop an interest in product design beyond clothing. The increase in footwear pieces is one example of that shift.
For someone unfamiliar with Enfant Terrible and Children of the Discordance, what feeling or idea do you hope they take away from both the collection and the brand?
The culture I have experienced lives within my clothes. I hope more people will recognise on the street, at a glance, that a piece was made by me, no matter what kind of garment it is.
Reaching new milestones and presenting in new scenarios, it seems the brand is entering a new level. What would you like to achieve in the future, and where would you love to see your brand going? What's your ultimate goal?
Going forward, I want to expand globally, so I plan to continue presenting collections overseas. I’m looking forward to many new encounters there, just like with METAL MAGAZINE. I already have a clear vision for the future direction of the brand, so I hope everyone will look forward to the news coming from the label.
