Pursuing Novelty in Both Design and Technique

Unlike bags or wallets, leather items classified as stationery have traditionally been made with "unisex" appeal, often in subdued colors and designs, primarily intended to "match any era."
On the other hand, the Isetan apparel floors attract many fashion-conscious women, reflecting Isetan's image as a fashion destination.
We wanted to create stationery that such customers could pick up with the same sensibility they use when choosing a wallet, perceiving them as fashion items.

In this sense, the greatest point of this collaboration with HIROCOLEDGE is our attempt to shift from the traditional "unisex staple" to a proposal of "a fashion item for fashion-forward women."

While plain designs are common, these feature embossed patterns across the entire surface. Notebooks, business card holders, and pen cases are all available in the same design, allowing for a coordinated set.
In addition to basic black, the colors include this spring's fashionable pink and purple, offering shades that bring joy just by owning them.

To achieve these striking embossed designs, the skill of highly specialized artisans is essential.
For this project, instead of the commonly used etching or copper plates, we utilized extremely heavy brass plates, about 2cm thick. By applying uniform weight and heat, the patterns are rendered sharply and are designed to retain their form over time. It is said that only a few pieces can be pressed per hour due to the slow, deliberate pressure application. Furthermore, leather thickness can vary, making uniform pressure application quite challenging. We hope you will appreciate the artisanal skill involved in applying the patterns evenly through subtle adjustments.

A World and Products Guaranteed to Delight Fashion Enthusiasts

—What are your impressions of Ms. Riko Takahashi's work?

I deeply admire her stance of not merely creating something novel, but of understanding the essence of each object and then designing to maximize its potential within her own worldview.

Regarding the leather items for this collection, she considered not only Isetan's request for "what we wanted to create" but also how to incorporate the artisans' skills and passion into the products.

The result is a line of leather items with eye-catching colors and patterns, yet designed subtly enough for business settings, while also fulfilling essential functional requirements.

Yuko Hattori

—Regarding this
"ISETAN LIVING×HIROCOLEDGE" Project

The variety of living goods is vast, and until now, each item has been proposed based on the individual buyer's vision.

However, this initiative allows customers to view a diverse range of items within a single, cohesive worldview. I believe this is an unprecedented project for the Living department.

—Sales begin on Wednesday, March 4th.

This is the first time we are presenting such a wide array of items under a single theme,
and I am very much looking forward to it.

I am confident that customers with a keen sense of fashion, who typically visit Isetan's apparel floors, will be delighted.

We aim to draw customers who may not usually visit the Living floor to the 5th floor. Until the launch on Wednesday, March 4th, we will continue to refine the product development, merchandising, and presentation strategies.

On Leather Items with Buyer Hattori (Riko Takahashi)

The leather items proposed by Buyer Yuko Hattori for this collection are four pieces: a system planner, a book cover, a pen case, and a business card holder.

While maintaining the user-friendly sizes, specifications, and materials of these items as before, we explored possibilities for their expression. Just as with fabric, leather is a material that can be dyed or printed. However, considering what techniques are unique to leather, we focused on embossing, which creates a three-dimensional texture on the surface.

At first glance appearing plain, the texture reveals the pattern clearly through subtle shading when viewed up close. By using techniques that forgo color, we have achieved a finish that is timeless and enduring.