'coffee and milk' Born from a Personal Conviction

—This is a crucial point, but why did 'coffee and milk' have to be at the Gallery?

OzawaIt's a personal conviction of mine, but I've come to like the Gallery even more since it became the space it is now. There's no music playing, just a sense of tension in the silence, and customers seem to be looking at the clothes with a certain distance, which I find very cool. I simply think it's stylish.
If something a little pop, fun, and happy were to be introduced here, wouldn't it be even more exciting? With that thought, I pushed the idea onto Kubo. It was around the beginning of January 2006.



KuboAt the time of the renovation and reopening, which marked the 15th anniversary of International Gallery Beams, we considered how to express the gallery-like space within Beams, under the name 'Gallery.'
We maintained the concept of treating clothing as art and seeking out and proposing good items from various countries without boundaries, while adapting to the current atmosphere. If we were to play music in a space with such diverse clothing, it would impose a single mood, so we don't play any music.
This also aligns with the desire of Koichiro Nagumo, who was in charge of store design, to express the atmosphere and tension of the D.I.A Center for the Arts in New York.

OzawaThe current state of select shops requires the ability to curate what to choose, how to edit those selections, and how to present them. In that sense, the items from 'coffee and milk' don't quite fit the gallery aesthetic. However, the introduction of such an outlier allows for a better resonance with the cool items already present.

KuboThat's why Ozawa's proposal for 'coffee and milk' was so interesting. Pairing an Alexander McQueen jacket with a 'coffee and milk' T-shirt, and combining various items to be worn in a relaxed manner. It serves as a stimulant within the gallery, exactly as Ozawa intended.

OzawaWhen various elements are mixed, rather than sticking to a single brand, new meanings emerge.



—Why is the brand name 'coffee and milk'?

OzawaThe black of coffee and the white of milk are monochrome. Even if the designs and prints are casual, the monochrome base blends well with the gallery's concept. Well, it's within the realm of wordplay.

KuboThe rough sketch for the brand logo was drawn by Ozawa himself, and it was refined to become the current logo.

OzawaSince it's a brand by Kubo and myself, we made it pop, catchy, and easy to remember in one word, like a comedy duo (laughs). Please take a look at the price tags, which are also quite elaborate (laughs).

Brand 'coffee and milk' x OPENERS Exclusive Collaboration Completed!
Now Available at rumors!