Mr. Nakamura's Affection for Paper?

YanagimotoFirst, you have an image of being "fond of paper." Could you tell us why and how it connects to your current work?

NakamuraI wouldn't say I'm a paper fanatic, but... my family's business is a bookbinding factory in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, specializing in special binding techniques. Back then, the factory produced CD liner notes and apparel brand catalogs, and I vividly remember the sight of them stacked up. Since I was surrounded by so many printed materials from a young age, paper was probably a familiar presence. At the time, I was deeply into George Lucas and American culture, and from my middle school years, I collected original movie posters, mainly from the 70s. That's probably when I started to consciously notice "paper."

YanagimotoIs the origami product "ORIGAMI FOR CRAIN" by HIROCOLEDGE & Co. also processed at your family's factory?

NakamuraYes. In fact, this particular product was developed as an original product of NACAMURA Inc. It was an attempt to explore new possibilities beyond our traditional role as a processing factory. We planned it with Hiroko Takahashi and Yu Yamada from Method (Design Director).

It might be a poor choice of words, but a processing factory, like my family's, has a wealth of highly original ideas stemming from its technical expertise, yet it struggles to bring those ideas to fruition. Fundamentally, as it's an order-based industry, there's no concept of creating something at one's own risk, which makes it difficult to independently generate creative output.

Since I sensed the factory's potential even as a student, I intended to take over the family business and joined a major printing company to gain industry experience. I was incredibly busy there, mainly handling the planning and production of commercial prints like promotional materials. After four years, although I still planned to inherit the family business, I also felt a desire to study further and see the world, so I quit and decided to go abroad. I spent six months in France, then another six months in South America. During this time, I visited many places and interacted with diverse people. Looking back, I was essentially just having a blast, but through it all, I was confronted with my own programmed preconceptions, assumptions, and even my Japanese identity, forcing me to deeply reflect on myself.

TABLE LIGHT REN / TABLE LIGHT EN

ORIGAMI FOR CRAIN

Meeting Artist Hiroko Takahashi

YanagimotoWhat happened after you returned to Japan?

NakamuraUpon my return, I immediately began assisting Hiroko Takahashi. I was intrigued by artists who passionately discussed craftsmanship. It was around the time she had returned from Paris and was starting to present her work. In reality, it was not straightforward for an individual to collaborate with factories and artisans across Japan for production, and to gain social credibility, HIROCOLEDGE was established simultaneously with the founding of HIROCOLEDGE Inc. This was in December 2006, six months after my return from South America.

Even after establishing the company, I had no idea what to do. Beyond the practical know-how of company management and methods for creating and selling artwork, looking back, even the fundamental purpose of the business was ambiguous. It truly felt like we just started a company on sheer momentum.

Given Takahashi's specialization in fashion and textiles, and her representative works presented in the form of kimonos, our production at the time primarily involved Japanese clothing like kimonos and yukatas, as well as fabric products. Previously, Takahashi dyed and sewed these herself, but as a business, quality became paramount, and holding inventory was necessary. This led to collaborations with various factories and artisans, which proved to be more challenging than anticipated. We often encountered responses like, "We don't want to dye this pattern; it's not a kimono."

For instance, even with something as simple as dyeing a tenugui towel, we'd face delays or low quality. In fact, we went through four different dyeing factories before settling on the current one. We continued production, enduring painful lessons about reality and operating on a razor-thin budget. Just as we finally had a growing number of products ready for sale and decided to focus on sales, Takahashi declared, "The purpose of making things is not to sell them."

It seems she felt that people shouldn't view her work solely based on criteria like "cuteness" or price, as she herself was hands-on in the creation process. She believed that craftsmanship is impossible without those who create the materials and those who make the tools. Her aim was to foster a situation where creators and users could mutually respect each other, while communicating the background of the creation process.

Even though the company had no financial leeway, and I offered logical opinions regarding sales, her response was the correct path for HIROCOLEDGE. Ultimately, my role was to support the artist Hiroko Takahashi.

However, Takahashi herself didn't have a clear answer about what could be conveyed through her creations. Yet, various people were drawn to her ideas and the appeal of her work, and the brand "HIROCOLEDGE" gradually took shape. This was also around the time we began holding frequent events at department stores and launched our online shop.

HIROCOLEDGE × HIDA OMOTESANDO "Takahashi Hiroko exhibition"

HIROCOLEDGE × HIDA OMOTESANDO "Takahashi Hiroko exhibition"

Looking Back at the Dramatic Year of 2007

Then came a major turning point for Hiroko Takahashi: the exhibition "HIROCOLEDGE × HIDA OMOTESANDO" held in February 2007. The "HIDA Project," launched in 2003 by the long-established furniture manufacturer Hida Sangyo Co., Ltd. and the world-renowned industrial designer Enzo Mari, had its direct-managed store, HIDA OMOTESANDO (at the time), open as a showroom. To celebrate its first anniversary in 2007, the "HIROCOLEDGE × HIDA OMOTESANDO" exhibition was held within the store.

Enzo Mari, who had designed the entire interior, was looking for fabrics to match his furniture and was approached by someone from Hida Sangyo for collaboration. Apparently, Mari, who always offered stern critiques, acknowledged Takahashi's designs. Whether for better or worse, he remained silent, without words (laughs). We proposed cushions and spent six months presenting our ideas to him regarding the content of the first-anniversary exhibition, which we successfully held.

During the exhibition, many people visited, and a newspaper article covering the event caught the eye of designer Issey Miyake, who contacted us immediately. He offered us the opportunity to create costumes for the rakugo performer Karyoku Yanagiya (in August 2007 for "Rakukyo Rakusho LUCKY LUCK SHOW" at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT).

That same year, we also designed the national costume for Miss Universe 2007, Riyo Mori. For us, who were still inexperienced, the people we met at that time were truly memorable. It was also a period of uncertainty about our future direction, so the words of encouragement from such wonderful seniors remain with me to this day. Looking back, 2007 was indeed a dramatic year.

KIMONO for Yanagiya Karoku

KIMONO for Yanagiya Karoku

Yusuke Nakamura | NAKAMURA Yusuke

Born in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, in 1977. Graduated from the Faculty of Education, Chiba University. After working at Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., he founded HIROCOLEDGE Inc. Serves as Representative Director alongside Hiroko Takahashi.

HIROCOLEDGE Inc.

Established on December 8, 2006. An organization that gives form to "things" and "matters" across genres such as crafts, art, design, and fashion, through the perspective of Hiroko Takahashi. In addition to managing various projects undertaken by Hiroko Takahashi, such as original creations under "HIROCOLEDGE" and collaborative productions under "HIROCOLEDGE&Co.," the company also handles everything from the launch of new brands for companies across Japan to the design and sales.

TAKAHASHI HIROKOhttp://www.takahashihiroko.com/