Interview:Nonnative

nonnative was started by Satoshi Saffen in 1999 and began with a single t-shirt design. Two years later Takayuki Fuji joined as designer and the first collection was produced. Their aim was to create clothing of timeless style and durable quality.

The nonnative method is to take elements of classic designs and fuse them with their own ideas. Sourcing from an archive of blue-collar workwear, military and outdoor gear the clothes look good without being intrusive, and are practical and versatile at the same time. The nonnative character is expressed through the utility, longevity and quality of the product, while the use of new fabrics and inventive details balances practicality with aesthetic.

nonnative is almost entirely manufactured in Japan. For the brand it is essential that production is kept in Japan as much as possible, not just because of the high standard of manufacturing there, but also to ensure the designers and the rest of the nonnative team can visit the factories regularly to observe the manufacturing process.

nonnative is a brand that prides itself on quality in both production and design. We brought it over from Japan a couple of years ago and it has since built up a loyal following. We caught up with nonnative's designer Takayuki Fuji in Tokyo to gain a further insight into the brand.

LN-CC: Can you tell us how and when nonnative started?

Takayuki Fuji: It started in 1999 doing t-shirts. That's what nonnative was for the first couple of years. I joined in 2001 as full-time designer and that was the first time we did a full collection. A/W 2001 was the first full collection and A/W 2011 is the twentieth.

LN-CC: What was it like when you were first starting out?

Takayuki Fuji: Around that time in Tokyo the Ura Harajuku movement was going on, so brands like Bape, Neighborhood and w)taps were doing their thing. That was the era we were getting started so it was kind of difficult to jump in amongst those brands.

LN-CC: Yeah, I guess now those older generation brands have gotten bigger they have become a bit less relevant. nonnative seems to be a brand that people are looking towards now rather than the older Harajuku brands. But going back to your A/W collection - what were your inspirations behind the collection?

Takayuki Fuji: Each season is inspired by a different place and theme. We were in the UK for the opening of the LN-CC store last year and during that time we went up to Edinburgh where I found a patterned scarf that I liked. I brought it back to Japan and took it to the fabric manufacturers and that's how this fabric came about. So it can often be direct samples of things that I might pick up. Theme-wise I was thinking of the 90's in Tokyo, not so much the style but the attitude to fashion. Back then people were more free spirited in what they wore and less restricted by rules.

LN-CC: One thing that always stands out to me is the quality of nonnative pieces. Is everything sourced in Japan and made here?

Takayuki Fuji: First and foremost quality is the number one thing for me, it's really important that all of the fabrics are sourced and produced in Japan because that's the way we can stay on top of the manufacturing process from start to finish, to visit the factories and see how everything is being done. We have good relationships with the factories and a good level of control over the manufacturing process. But to be honest it's very difficult to produce all of the pieces in Japan because it is so expensive and the production costs are so high. My prediction is that in ten years time it will be even more difficult and therefore very very rare for brands to produce clothes exclusively in Japan.

LN-CC: Why is that?

Takayuki Fuji: In Japan factories are closing because it isn't economically viable for them to remain open. The factory that this piece (holds up garment) was made by is from the area affected by the recent earthquake. They make a lot of the shirting and jackets and are renowned for their excellent quality but because of the earthquake, it is going to shut down. We obviously want to keep placing more orders and support the local industry as best we can.

LN-CC: You guys are now opening your second vendor store. Can you tell us a bit more about vendor? Is it a flagship store or a store that carries nonnative? How do you connect the two?

Takayuki Fuji: It is part of the same company, TNP (That Nonnative Production), and 60% of everything stocked in the store is nonnative. The other 40% is made up of hobo, our company's other brand, as well as stuff selected by the TNP staff. Therefore, rather than being a nonnative store, it is fundamentally a TNP store.

LN-CC: It's interesting because you guys have been a domestic brand for the past 10 years. You've got stockists in China and Hong Kong but apart from us you're pretty much domestic. How do you see nonnative as a brand fitting in with the European market? It seems like the way we wear nonnative and the way our customers wear it is different to how it is worn in Japan right? In Japan is it sold alongside labels like Dries Van Noten as it is in LN-CC?

Takayuki Fuji: In Japan it is sold alongside brands like White Mountaineering and SASQUATCHfabrix.

LN-CC: And do you like the fact that in Japan it is put with those types of brand or do you prefer it next to Dries van Noten because they're two different angles?

Takayuki Fuji:We're not unhappy being beside those brands in Japan, but I do feel nonnative is suited to being next to other types of brands too.

LN-CC: We also love the labels you're talking about from Japan and we work them into our brand mix, but I can't get my head around why in Japan there is such a separation between nonnative, Unused and Dries van Noten, Margiela and Comme des Garcons. That's one thing we are trying to get across and I think because we've brought nonnative over to sit next to those brands it's benefitting in Europe because people perceive it differently than they would if it were in smaller shops amongst that workwear look. There are a lot of brands in Europe and America that are doing that look but not very well and it's one thing that we are trying to get away from. We want to mix it up a bit because we perceive your brand differently.

Takayuki Fuji: I totally agree, and for me that is European and English style at the moment -mixing it up- a piece from a designer brand with something more casual. In Japan people are sometimes a bit more conservative and might stick to one particular style. The magazines play a very important role in affecting peoples style here with a lot of customers taking one image and putting it on. I definitely like the idea of mixing things up a bit. That is basically the theme of this A/W collection.

LN-CC: Do you think it's a good time for domestic Japanese brands? It feels like there's a new wave of brands breaking through creating a new movement. Is that something you can feel at the moment in Tokyo?

Takayuki Fuji: At the moment I see brands like Wacko Maria and SASQUATCHfabrix doing a lot of creative things and it's good to see them doing well with their original styles. nonnative has a different aesthetic and we will continue doing our thing too. It's a different era at the moment and it's good the brands are doing their own things.

LN-CC: Yeah it's good to see the Japanese brands with a unique distinct style because with many of the European brands that often get lost because everybody seems to just go with the trend or copy each other. Since I've known Nonnative you've been doing the same thing, but doing it really well and touching on new things, like you mentioned how you went to Scotland. I always describe you as a solid brand that you can't go wrong with, you're not jumping on any band wagons.

We've been discovering now that when people get into it, they really get into it because of the quality. It's like how Margiela used to be when it looked quite simple but when you try it on it becomes your favourite piece. People are now coming to the store and discovering Nonnative and really getting into it which you don't get so much with trend-driven brands.

Takayuki Fuji: Thanks. For you guys expanding and growing, how do you see Japanese brands expanding across Europe?

LN-CC: For us, Japan is a place to find really interesting things. From Europe we buy the mainline brands and they are unbelievable with what they do, and of course are fantastic quality but in Japan we find more interesting things that you can't get here - the way the collections are and the way they are styled. We've always mixed mainline stuff with streetwear stuff and I think the UK is always the first to do something in Europe and then it spreads to the rest of Europe. We started buying a little bit of Haversack or something that was a little bit more on this heritage workwear thing in the UK about three or four years ago and then all of a sudden now the whole of the UK just buys workwear. And we never want to buy the same as everybody else, so we've gone to a lot of the Japanese brands to buy a street look. So we have a look from you guys, we still do Nigel Cabourn and a little bit of A.R.N and we keep it at that. The two or three brands that we have are what we think are the best ones.

I think that's it...would you like to add anything about the collection?

Takayuki Fuji: Just thanks to you guys and the customers, and hope you enjoy the collection.

LN-CC: Thank you.