A Simple Question: "Why Do People Only Visit Resort Areas on Holidays?"

Jeff Griffin, who used to visit Japan twice a year, hasn't been here for two years. But why is he missing a front tooth?

—What happened to your front tooth?

I hit it in March while preparing for "LOVE LAND FARM" (the farm Griffin is developing) and lost it. The very cooperative elderly people in Hartland find it quite amusing that I'm missing a tooth (laughs).

—It's been two years since your last visit to Japan. Why the long interval?

Until about 10 years ago, I was in the Portobello area of London. Then I felt a need for change, a need to move somewhere closer to nature. I first moved to Wiltshire in southern England. Two years ago, I started looking for an even wilder environment. It took a year to research and relocate, and now I've finally been living in Hartland, on the North Devon peninsula of England, for a year. That's why it's been so long since my last visit to Japan.

—Why did you choose Hartland?

Hartland is southwest of London and is a resort area that even the British Prime Minister visits. Whenever I visited famous resort areas like California or Tofino on Vancouver Island, I always wondered why people only went there on holidays. It's a place where people should live... Then, when I stood in Hartland, I was convinced that this was the place for my family and me to live.

—What kind of place is Hartland?

It's a very beautiful place with a lot of wild, undeveloped land. It's the only nature reserve in the UK where the entire peninsula is designated as a natural scenic area. You can see unique flora and fauna, and marine life such as puffins, deer, foxes, rare orchids, seals, and dolphins.

—How is it living there?

Everyone has dreams, which they think they'll realize "someday." But after a very close friend passed away recently, I decided to prioritize living each day to the fullest and making dreams a reality – "Don't wait."

In Hartland, there's a field (now LOVE LAND FARM) that hasn't been touched since the 80s. I instinctively felt this was our land. Over the past year, I've gained experience in everything from soil cultivation and weather forecasting to actual vegetable farming and animal husbandry, and I'm living a very stimulating life.

A Truly Lovely Life!

Hartland boasts some of the most dramatic scenery in the UK. From its granite cliffs, you can gaze out at the Atlantic Ocean, and its deserted coves and bays are increasingly popular as hot spots for sailing, climbing, surfing, walking, and cycling.

—Could you tell us about your daily schedule?

I work for about an hour early in the morning, feed the livestock and pets, and then take my three sons to school. Until 10 AM, I spend time with my family, walking the dogs on the long beach. From 10 AM, I'm in the office planning my schedule and working, but I put a ham by the fireplace for dinner. In the afternoon, I do house repairs or tend to LOVE LAND FARM. Of course, I also work. The children get home at 4:30 PM. We have dinner at 7 PM, and afterwards, I might go to the pub or take a walk, and I'm usually in bed by 9:30 PM.──That sounds like a lovely life.

—How ideal.

The purpose of moving to Hartland was to engage with authentic, simple, high-quality things, and to elevate our creations to another level. In other words, I wanted to establish a design studio in a place far from the city, rich in nature and close to animals. That's why I acquired LOVE LAND FARM, which is 5 acres (about 6,100 tsubo). First, we started raising pigs, chickens, and ducks, then brought in our water buffalo, "Bella" and "Shaggy," and began creating our own sustainable lifestyle.


—Raising livestock must be a lot of work.

For example, when raising pigs, I think about what kind of feed to give them, how to raise them, and how to butcher them to make delicious meat. And when you put effort into processes like smoking the meat, or making ham and bacon, you can eat it deliciously. It's truly interesting to consider what's best.

Buffalo might not be common in Japan, but they produce good low-fat cheese. And look at these water buffalo horns, aren't they wonderful? When I'm stuck in my design work, looking at the water buffalo clears my mind. I'm working the fields and raising livestock, but making milk and cheese takes a lot of time. My dream is to eventually do it all.

—Do you ever miss London?

The people in Hartland are very kind and supportive of what I want to do. When I'm working in my overalls with my name on them, they'll make jokes, in a friendly way, of course. I changed my life to sustain and be inspired by my passion for fashion.

Returning to Nature is Natural

Griffin says that moving to Hartland has given him "new inspiration and stimulation, even in my work of making clothes, which takes up a large part of my life. It has led me to re-examine my work methods and design activities, and has also influenced those I collaborate with."

—This beach visual is very striking.

It's a coast about a mile from my house. I deliberately aimed for a contrast between the black, which has an urban image, and the Union Jack.

—Have there been any changes in your life or work since moving to Hartland?

By moving away from the city, the way I communicate and interact has changed. As capitalism progresses, living close to work has become the norm in every city. I lived in London for 15 years, but now that I'm away, I'm convinced that returning to nature is a very natural thing to do. Most importantly, I appreciate being able to feel the seasons.

—What about the impact on your designs?

Nature gives me time to think. And it allows me to be more positive about quality.

—The "Quay Coat" sailing jacket from the 2011 Autumn/Winter collection is a superb piece.

I used traditional British Fox Brothers heavy wool and tailored a traditional pea coat using the latest technology. I like to follow traditional ways of thinking. And this coat was born precisely because I was in Hartland.

For instance, if I were designing in the city, sewing fabric would be standard, but I wouldn't come up with ideas like applying waterproof tape to all the seams, as in this coat. Because I have time, I can think more deeply. Since there are no seams, the surface is flat, giving a clean image, and the silhouette looks beautiful.
Pure ideas and sincere ideas have become more realistic by living in Hartland.

Building Everything to Do What I Want

The 2011 Autumn/Winter collection for the brand "GRIFFIN" was themed "A Mix of Technology and Tradition," and he says he "really enjoyed the design process." The theme for the 2012 Spring/Summer collection is "A Mix of Military and Tradition."

—What are the highlights of the 2012 Spring/Summer collection?

This time, I focused on the principle that "simplicity looks beautiful." The starting point for the ideas was a mix of military and tradition. For example, using very good fabric and then perforating it with a computer. Or applying waterproof zippers without sewing, or cutting off the edges. I design based on my experience.

—Reading your past interviews, keywords like nature, communication, authenticity, and local seem to appear. Has that changed?

Life is Journey—Life is an adventure. Various cycles come and go in life, but I feel lucky to be able to take on challenges in my life right now. Regarding Hartland, I plan to open a cottage-style hotel in the future, and I'm also trying new adventures in my work.
When I first came to Japan 15 years ago, I was very excited and got caught up in nightlife. As time has passed, I've come to think about life in a more calm and relaxed way. And now, I'm focusing more intensely on business. My values have shifted to building everything around doing what I want to do.

—Japan was hit by a major earthquake and tsunami in March of this year. This is also a natural disaster...

I can only imagine how difficult things must be for those affected. Regarding this great earthquake, I believe people all over the world are realizing the power of nature can be a threat.

—Finally, do you have a message for your fans?

As I mentioned earlier, my motto now is "Live each day to the fullest." I hope you all live your lives that way too. Please look forward to a new line from "GRIFFIN" scheduled for release in Autumn/Winter 2012.

—Thank you very much.

GRIFFIN
http://www.griffin-studio.com/welcome/