Sadaharu Aoki (2): The Streets of Paris and Marunouchi
Thinking of Sadaharu Aoki and Paris... (2)
～The Streetscapes of Paris and Marunouchi～
Leaving "Pâtisserie Sadaharu AOKI Paris",
the conversation moves to the bespoke space at John Lobb Marunouchi.
Sadaharu Aoki and John Lobb share a commonality: a main store in Paris and a boutique in Marunouchi. In this second installment, we asked about the characteristics of these two cities, Paris and Marunouchi.
Composition and text by Daisuke Hata (City Writes)Photos by Jamandfix
If You Aim for the Best, Go to the Source!
MatsudaThe pastries and bread were truly exquisite. Did you always want to go to Paris when you were training in Japan?
AokiNo, not really. I was working under a chef in Aoyama who had just returned from France. There, I first learned pastry making as part of cooking. Then, the shop had Paris magazines and newspapers like "Le Figaro" and "Le Monde," and that's when I first realized that the roots of what I was learning were in Paris.
It was around that time that my aunt, who was in America, told me, "If you're going to do pastry, you have to go to Paris." Just as Ginza is the home of sushi, Paris is the home of pastry. She advised me that if I wanted to aim for the top, I had to start at the source, and that's why I decided to go to Paris.
Photos taken at Pâtisserie Sadaharu AOKI Marunouchi store
MatsudaDid the people of Paris welcome you warmly?
AokiEven now, the grandfathers and grandmothers in my neighborhood tell me, "Keep studying hard. There's so much to learn in France," and I feel their support.
Perhaps from their perspective, they see a "cute little Japanese person" diligently making pastries and trying to embrace their culture.
And people who love sweets will openly say outrageous things like, "When are you going to take on Pierre Hermé?" (laughs).
They accept people from other countries if they respect their own culture and have their own firm convictions.
As a side note, there's a pastry association called "Les Rêves des Desserts" led by Mr. Pierre Hermé. I was invited to join, and starting in September, we will be listed together. And since the membership list is in alphabetical order, with top chefs from around the world listed, I'm at the very beginning of the list (laughs). Unless there's a Teruhiko Aoi, I won't lose (laughs).
We Want to Draw People to Marunouchi
MatsudaBesides Paris, both you and John Lobb have a boutique in Marunouchi. Why did you choose Marunouchi for your Japanese expansion?
AokiActually, I was initially considering Ginza. But the person who designed my Paris store told me, "Marunouchi might just become the center of Tokyo." At the time, I only had the image of it being a banking district from 20 years ago, so I was hesitant at first.
So, when I returned to Japan, I observed the area and realized there weren't many customers on weekends (laughs). Since my business thrives on weekends, I was unsure what to do. I consulted with the people at Mitsubishi Estate, who are in charge of district development, and they said, "We're trying to make it a place where people gather on weekends." They also strongly asserted, "We won't lose to Ginza," which convinced me to go for it.
As for the location, I was wandering around the city when I saw Hermès right in front of me, and I thought, "This is it!" (laughs). I'm a craftsman myself, and Hermès is a brand I admire, representing the finest craftsmanship. John Lobb is the same, isn't it? I resolved that if I couldn't attract people here, my Tokyo expansion would be a failure.
MatsudaJust like John Lobb, you don't approach things with the idea of "this will sell," or...
Instead of marketing, as you just mentioned, it's about craftsmen pouring their pride into their creations, and customers accepting them.
AokiMarunouchi has become incredibly lively compared to three years ago, but I'd be happy if it became a bit more vibrant at night. However, I don't want it to become a sterile city. In Paris, even the lighting has a certain charm. Instead of uniform fluorescent lights, most are spotlights or indirect lighting. The light itself is part of the scenery.
In Paris, you have to apply to the district for approval for every detail of a store's facade color. Even if I wanted to use purple, they wouldn't easily approve it, saying, "It might be fine for you now, but it would look strange if this color remained 50 or 100 years from now." That's why our sign is pure white, "a color that would definitely be approved."
Also, my boutique in Paris faced a church, so we were prohibited from shining light outwards from the store. That's how the current style of illuminating the interior from the outside of the store came about. When we implemented that in Tokyo, being chic actually made us stand out. It's quite interesting.
Introducing John Lobb's August Recommendations
Model "Sprint II"
This is an evolved version of John Lobb's first sneaker, the "Sprint."
By extending the tongue and adding cushioning, we've achieved a more comfortable fit. It also has ventilation holes, making them comfortable to wear even in the summer.
As a pair that combines lightness and elegance, please enjoy them on your days off or during travel.
