I want something that can stand on its own with just material, silhouette, and construction.

—THEE HYSTERIC XXX is menswear, but why did you launch it in 2003?

Right now, for womenswear, we have "HYSTERIC GLAMOUR" and "Hysterics." For example, there are many cases where someone wore "HYSTERIC GLAMOUR" in their teens, then became interested in overseas brands, and around their mid-30s, they discover "Hysterics" through word-of-mouth and think, "They make this kind of clothing too," returning to the brand as adults.
Considering that, we needed something new to broaden the brand's range for men as well.

—Does that include the idea that the designers themselves get older?

Our long-time fans are maturing, and we've aged along with the brand. Our staff also needed new challenges. We wanted to learn things we hadn't fully mastered, like items, materials, and construction, and by pursuing something more refined, we wanted to grow, including myself. I wanted something that could stand on its own with just material, silhouette, and construction. It's less a brand and more of a theme.

—Why do you think foreigners are drawn to HYSTERIC GLAMOUR?

I myself am strongly influenced by American and British culture. I grew up with the humor, music, films, and stories of the people living in those cultures. We in Tokyo are offering an answer derived from the influences we've received. It makes me happy when that is accepted by people overseas. When they find it interesting or understand and accept it, I feel, "I'm not wrong."

Bob Dylan in '65-'66, Johnny Thunders in '75

—What is the theme of THEE HYSTERIC XXX?

The fundamental theme is unchanged from HYSTERIC GLAMOUR. THEE HYSTERIC XXX expresses the 1960s that I admired in the past, particularly the decade from 1965 to 1975, which I was passionate about. I create these pieces by recalling what I thought was cool as a child and what I wanted to wear when I grew up.

—Could you give an example?

Bob Dylan in '65 and '66, when he started playing electric guitar and performing with a band, was quite punk in his sound. I love the two albums, "Highway 61 Revisited" and "Bringing It All Back Home." I can't get into anything else by him.
Dylan's style when he was in England around '65-'66 is incredibly cool. The sizing, the taste in items, the coordination... even The Beatles and The Stones couldn't match it.
Also, Johnny Thunders in '75, Andy Warhol who hung around The Factory, and The Velvet Underground. THEE HYSTERIC XXX draws inspiration from the musicians I admire.
Johnny Thunders represents the idea of a British teddy boy as interpreted by Americans, and Bob Dylan at that time represents British fashion as seen from America.

—That comes across in the catalogs for THEE HYSTERIC XXX as well.

For the first THEE HYSTERIC XXX catalog, I went to New York for location scouting, but there weren't many interesting places, so we shot at Coney Island. The second time, we shot in Detroit. The staff and models have been the same from the beginning. When it's all put together, these catalogs might become a lifelong project spanning across America.

—What are the future plans for THEE HYSTERIC XXX?

In terms of items, we are still developing, so please look forward to it.

—Thank you very much.