Starting November 23, 2024
On the occasion of the 7th exhibition, MUYA 24A/W collection,
I had a chance to talk with Mr. Sakagami from norm.

Sakagami) The MUYA exhibition at norm is the "2024 Autumn/Winter Collection," and this will be my seventh exhibition.
They create new items for each exhibition, and make new items as special orders for Norm.
Why are you putting so much effort into this?

Muya) Why do they do it? Yeah, it's quite difficult. I can't answer right away.

S) Your eyes are completely closed.

M) I wonder, there is a place called norm,
It would be better to explain what this place called norm is and why it is called norm.

S) Is there anything that's difficult to say?
Whenever there is an exhibition at norm, I think they always create something special, something to go with the exhibition.
Let's take a quick look back at the exhibitions we've had so far, starting with the first one.

M) That's right. Yeah.

S) The first exhibition was in June 2017, about a month after norm opened, and it featured T-shirts.
The loop wheel fabric is made and designed in Wakayama, sewn in Wakayama, and sold in Wakayama.
The plan was to complete everything in Wakayama.
The photo in the DM brings back memories. I took the photo before the store opened, when the air conditioning wasn't even turned on.
Was this your first time making T-shirts?

M) That's right. Up until then, I didn't have any money, so I was only making shirts, and only a few patterns.
That was the first time I made a T-shirt.
Now that I think about it, I think I only did Type 1 Shiro,
It was still incomplete as a product and I felt like I still had a lot to learn, but I remember feeling like I was putting all my effort into it.
It was my first time exhibiting almost entirely by myself, so I was really happy and worked really hard (laughs).

S) Also, Nakamura Takashi will be selling ice cream.

M) Is ​​that the first one?
It brings back memories.
The ice cream was delicious.

S) It was delicious. It sold out quickly.

S) In the second episode, we actually had a haori coat.

M) He is now the breadwinner of our family. It's the Livery Court announcement.

S) It was displayed in a floating manner.
It was timed to coincide with the announcement of the company's breadwinner.

M) It was Japanese clothing. I have fond memories of making it.
Just before that, there was a section on a form for exhibiting at some event where you had to write down the items you were participating in,
If you're a bakery, you make bread, if you're a furniture maker, you make wooden furniture, etc.
At the time, I wrote "clothes" at first, but I was wondering, "Is it Western?" or "Is it Western?"
Of course, it's not a kimono, so in the end it's clothing.
So I started studying Japanese clothing, and I decided to try making clothes with the straight lines of Japanese clothing.
Let's give it a try. Something like that.

S) The second time, there were also aloha shirts.
Aloha and Rivalry Court have been announced.
It's a double feature.
This time, I asked Mr. Uemura to design the direct mail.

M) Oh, we went to Shirarahama Beach early in the morning when there was no one around and took a photo of Nao wearing white top and underwear.
Running, holding the fabric used for the aloha shirt like a flag.
I think that in many cases, Sakagami-san will work on it and then turn it into a product.

S) Do you think it's a trial?

M) No, no, it's almost like the real thing, it's super serious.

S) The third MUYA exhibition will feature photo frames.
This time, it was sold with a photo of Naguya-kun attached.

M) The photo frame is one of Naoko's signature works.
I am still continuing to work on it as a product.

S) It's a simple photo frame with acrylic sandwiching the photo and secured with brass fittings, but it looks cool.

M) The brass parts are made by Mr. Takeda of Household Industry in Kuroe.
This was really hard to make at first.
I wanted to make it, so I went to the factory in Tanabe, Wakayama, but they said they couldn't make it, and that it was impossible with these specifications.
So I was introduced to another factory, but they said it was impossible, so I ended up going to Fukui.
In the end, we had the acrylic parts made at a factory in Fukui, and they still make them to this day.

M) What about the fourth time?

S) The fourth time, "Brown Tones" exploded in popularity.

M) Yes, I did. Brown Tones. Like beige, brown, dark brown.

S) It's an earth color, a brown gradation that evokes the image of soil or the ground.
There were also haori coats and cut-and-sew tops.

M) I know, the word "recognition" sounds a bit arrogant, but...
The fourth episode was the one that got everyone started buying it.
At the time, I was in Wakayama or Shirahama, or I don't know how to put it,
It was a time when I was thinking about what I could do in this place,
I guess that's how it turned out.
That's why I took a photo of the grounds of Senjojiki in Shirahama and sent it to DM.

S) The fifth event will be held in December 2021, in the winter.
This time, it's the announcement of shoes.

M) As for shoes, she said she was looking for shoes to wear to entrance ceremonies, formal events, weddings, and other such occasions.
It all started when my wife suggested I make it myself.
So I consulted with tomorka and asked him to make it for me.

S) At that time, the theme was "black," and shoes and BLACK OVER DYE were also released.
Had they already moved at this point? Or was it just after they opened?

M) It's open. We moved the store during the exhibition, and it was really a last-minute opening.
Can we make it work after investing such a huge amount of money?

S) When you think about it, it's amazing, considering the number of staff and the range of things they do.

M) Yeah, we're still struggling financially.

S) How did BLACK OVER DYE come about?

M) This is a piece that has uneven color or has faded a little, so we dyed it black again.
It started with the idea of ​​circulating products back into society. I don't want to waste clothes,
It's the same with vegetables, but if they're even slightly damaged, they're removed.
In the end, it's difficult to get clothes into the hands of customers through mail order or other places that are not visible to the naked eye.
If we were face to face, there would be a little bit of a tangled thread here,
However, although we can explain that this is not a problem with the product, it can be difficult for people who cannot see.
Yeah, that's it. It's like it's me or the Dalai Lama.

S) It's huge. It's huge.

M) Like the Earth, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller or me.

SM) lol lol lol

S) It says two-bath dyeing, but what does that mean?

M) It takes two dye baths, which is a bit of a hassle.
Sewing thread is usually made of polyester, which is hard to break.
If you sew with cotton, it won't stretch much and will tear.
So when you dye it, only the cotton turns black.
You've probably seen things like that, where only the thread stands out.
However, two-bath dyeing literally means dyeing twice.
It is dyed once with a dye that dyes cotton black, and then dyed a second time with a dye that dyes the polyester that was not completely dyed.
So it costs twice as much.
However, as a product, it definitely looks cooler when it's dyed twice and is uniform.
You're a big fan of this black T-shirt.

S) Yes. I really like the pink thread on the back.

M) I think I went a little too far with that. I think I went a little too far now.

S) No, no, that's really good.
I have a lot of black T-shirts, and when I fold them I can't tell what's what.
But even when it's folded and stored, you can easily tell it apart by the pink thread.
I thought that somehow, a thread that seems to have no relevance to everyday life can actually have an effect in these situations.
I think that kind of design is interesting, and it makes it easy to find when you're looking for something.

M) I see. It's not about the silhouette of the clothes when they're worn, or the material,
It's easy to find when searching for something in daily life. That's true. In other words, it means that you're folding it behind your back.

S) That's why it happens. You end up wanting to fold it on your back.

M) Wow! It seems like I've even changed my lifestyle (laughs).

M) What about the 6th one?

S) For the 6th event in 2023, there will be no special orders, but the pants will be released to coincide with this event.

M) I think that was the most enthusiastic I've ever been.
At that time, I was thinking most about my own clothes when I wrote the piece.
As I write, I think again about what kind of feelings I have when I make clothes.

S) This is the sixth time, which is almost the most in norms, so I think they're doing a great job.
So I asked him to write something for me.
It felt like a look back at the past, and when I said I wanted to hear some words from Naguya, he wrote a long, passionate message.
I was surprised because I didn't think I'd get such an amazing response.

M) You don't have a fever.
But it's now on the website.
I've been using this for a while now, rubbing it over and over again haha

S) It says on the website that it has been revised and updated.

M) That was only once. We had a sale for the 10th anniversary, so we just deleted that part.
Oh no, don't lie. You've had a sale once.
We had one sale to mark our 10th anniversary.
I don't really want to do it, but instead of doing it every season or everything,
Sometimes I think it would be better if it were in someone else's hands.
It's the way things are done. In fact, in the normal apparel industry, there is a flow that is done the same every year as if it were a given.
No, it's important to have a proper reason, or a reason why you should do it.
So, at this time, rather than making a special order, I thought it would be better to just release everything that MUYA is now.
I think Sakagami-san said something like that.
It seems like the straightforward approach is fine.

S) It coincided with the announcement of the pants. It was a first for MUYA, and the first pants.

M) At that time, Sakagami-san told me that finally, more and more people were buying MUYA for the whole body.

S) From the store's perspective, it seems like the way people shop has changed. From top to bottom.
I was happy that it sold, but I also felt a sense of surprise and I was really into it.

M) I think I'm always combining things, but
I'm glad that you wanted pants too.

S) Looking back, it's all so interesting.
The exhibition started with just one shirt, then expanded to include T-shirts and shirts.

M) What year was your first exhibition?

S) 2017

M) When I started MUYA in 2014, I didn't have much money so I only had one type.
If I could go back to that time now, I'd feel like I'd made it this far.
If you think about it like that, it's no exaggeration to say that I've walked this path alongside Norm.
All of my current works started almost entirely from norms.

S) I'm grateful for that. Every time there's a special order or new product announcement.

M) Yes. The release of this new work has become a staple for us now, and it has become a leader.

S) This year, 2024, will be the seventh exhibition.

M) This time, we are working on all of the products for Fall/Winter 2024. Sakagami-san had been asking us for a while to create something with dark clothing, so
I'm making a new jacket and pants set.
Up until now, most of our products have had colored fabrics, but
This time, we used product dyeing, a method of dyeing the product black after it has been made.
Since it is dyed after it is made into a product, it has a soft, limp feel to it.
The clothes have a slightly worn look, creating a unique look.

S) Do you mean product dyeing? Or post-dyeing?

M) Product dyeing has its advantages and disadvantages.
If you dye the product, the color will gradually fade because it is dyed later.
But this time, I'm not dyeing normal white fabric, I'm adding color to fabric that already has color in it,
Even though the colors are faded, they still have a certain atmosphere.

S) What was the original color?

M) Originally it was made of navy-colored fabric.
If you dye white fabric and wash it too much, it will start to look dull.
However, this time I used a dark navy for the body, so I think it will still have a nice atmosphere even though it's faded.
The shape is a setup.
It's like adding a collar to a collarless jacket.
It's what we call a tailored jacket, but it's called a tailored cardigan.
These aren't products made for this fall and winter, but products that can be worn all year round.
The fabric is not too thick and can be used all year round.
The pants are also made in a completely new style.

*For norm 2024

S) I heard the pants are a little wider.

M) That's right. The previous ones were more of a normal straight line, but
Imagine a bit more of a norm.
Hmm, it's hard to describe, but it's the wind.
Let's make it a little fluffy, like it's flowing in the wind.

S) norm is wind.

M) Yes, I made it a little thicker so that it would move when I walk.
I was imagining Sakagami-san, or rather, norm.
Sakagami-san and norm are nearly equal, so I created it with that in mind.

S) It would be great if they could make a special color for me, but
I'm really grateful that they created something new this time from the design perspective, with norm in mind.

M) I've always wanted to do setup work.
After all, when it comes to sets, most people think of them as a collared outfit and pants, so
I'd like to look back on this in five years and remember it as a masterpiece.

S) A lot of people always come to MUYA's exhibitions,
For those who came this time, I would like to talk about the worldview and freshness of MUYA.
I hope you enjoy it.

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MUYA exhibition
"2024 AW collection"

November 23rd (Sat) - December 1st (Sun)
13:00-18:00 Open daily during the exhibition
23rd (Sat), 29th (Fri), 30th (Sat) | Until 9:00 PM