The New Loewe They're Watching

SukezaneWhat left an impression on you at the venues?

NoguchiWasn't Kenzo the most shocking? The rainy Kenzo show.

SukezaneThat was unfortunate, wasn't it? Which show was it that went well outdoors?

NoguchiBerluti.

SukezaneAnd what did you think of the presentation at Ami Alexandre Mattiussi?

NoguchiThat was cute.

SukezaneIt wasn't a show, but Loewe was also good, wasn't it?

NoguchiI thought so.

SukezaneThe catalog and advertising photos were also great, weren't they?

NoguchiThe ads were by Steven Meisel. The lookbook was by Jamie Hawkesworth, right? The ad shot on a '70s-style beach is great. The new logo is cute too.



SukezaneIt's a small thing, but their rebranding is skillful. I think this brand is going to be big. I saw J.W. Anderson's first show as the new director at London Fashion Week in January, and it was interesting.

NoguchiHe was surprisingly tall.

SukezaneHe puts on such a bizarre show, and then he dresses like this (laughs).

NoguchiThey're just regular Converse, not even Chuck Taylors. Speaking of which, Eddie used to wear Converse too.

The Latest Real Gourmet Scene in Paris

SukezaneShall we move on to a general overview then?

NoguchiStreet elements were still strong. I really felt that street style would continue until the next Spring/Summer. There were a lot of sporty items and military-inspired pieces.

SukezaneMilitary is still going strong, isn't it?

NoguchiAnd there were a lot of light-wash, bleached denim jeans.

SukezaneWas that a suggestion for 'summer'?

NoguchiMaybe it's a reaction against all the rigid denim we've been seeing.

SukezaneWhat do you think of bleached jeans?

NoguchiI'm not so sure about those... When someone our age wears them, we look a bit foolish, don't we? Especially if you pair them with sneakers (laughs).

Sukezane(Laughs) That's definitely out. Maybe bootcut would be different. Tom Ford wore white sneakers with Yves Saint Laurent back in the day, in a '70s style.

NoguchiThat might be okay, but if they're shaped like old pedal pushers, it's really bad.

SukezaneExtremely dangerous...

NoguchiBut still, the cuts were all straight.

SukezaneSo, the street vibe is still lingering, then. I only went to Paris this time, but how was Milan?

NoguchiNew designers aren't emerging in Milan. I wonder why.

SukezaneHmm, I guess the boom of the late '90s isn't there anymore. No new Dolce & Gabbana or Prada has appeared.

NoguchiI feel like Dolce & Gabbana is becoming more like Armani.

SukezaneThey keep returning to Sicily as a theme, but I wish they had the simple, powerful aesthetic they once had. That was so good.

NoguchiLike the flat caps, henleys, and trousers – very Godfather!

SukezaneThey still have that, but it feels a bit different now.

NoguchiSpeaking of jackets, don't you think the shape became worse after the lapels got narrower?

SukezaneThey feel a bit long, don't they? I agree, they used to be more elegant. I recently pulled out an old one and wore it, and it was still so sharp.

NoguchiWouldn't it make a big difference if they had a good assistant? Prada seems like they'd have one, for example. A capable assistant.

SukezaneMiuccia is stylish, after all. But I really want Dolce & Gabbana to do well. It was thanks to that brand that I started attending the collections.

NoguchiWhat about London? You went, right?

SukezaneLondon was, above all, incredibly convenient. There were three venues, but they were all close to each other and well-organized.

NoguchiHmm.

SukezaneUnder the seats at the venues, there were phone charging adapters. So everyone could upload their photos to social media right away.

NoguchiNo wasted effort, then.

SukezaneExactly. The time schedules were also well-planned, making travel easy. I felt the 'seriousness' of the UK. Brands like Burberry Prorsum, Tom Ford, and the heritage Savile Row houses have their own venues, but even including those, the access was excellent. While I didn't know many of the brands or designers by name, the average quality was high.

NoguchiAbout how many brands show there?

SukezaneAround 10 brands a day, for three days.

NoguchiBut if you go to London before Milan and Paris, it becomes a really long business trip. And if you include New York...

SukezaneThat's when your funds run out. Lately, as I've gotten older, I've been indulging, riding around in limousines, so I get huge bills every time. Well, I regret it now. Looking back, I didn't need a limo in London. Taxis were perfectly fine. They're close by, too.

NoguchiParis also has less taxi stress now, right? Thanks to UBER. But during back-to-back shows, UBER isn't ideal.

SukezaneIn Paris in June, I took the metro in the mornings. It was so fast. No traffic jams either.

NoguchiThe venues are also pretty much fixed, aren't they?

SukezaneThe problem is Milan. Without a limousine, it's impossible. Changing the subject, how was the food scene in Paris? Did you discover any new places?

NoguchiParis doesn't have much spicy food, does it? (Sukezane's note: Noguchi likes spicy food). There aren't many Thai or Vietnamese places. So, someone invited me to a place with spicy Chinese food, and I went. It was quite spicy. Cheaper than Mirama, with plenty of chili, and it was refreshing. I think it's a good place. Though the interior was like a canteen.

SukezaneWhereabouts?

NoguchiNear Louis Vuitton. Between Rue de Rivoli and the river. The stir-fried beef with pickled chili and cilantro was delicious.

SukezaneWhat was so good about it?

NoguchiThe meat and cilantro, stir-fried with two kinds of chili, red and green. I skipped the rice.

SukezaneAnything else?

NoguchiAcross diagonally to the right from the Louis Vuitton show venue (Note: Hippodrome de Vincennes), there's a cafe, right? The one with the red tent. The lunch there was delicious. Bavette steak. Skirt steak. That was incredibly good. It came with sliced potato frites, which were also delicious.

SukezaneIsn't that where you always kill time?

NoguchiMy friends had burgers and chicken salad, which also looked good. Where did you go, Sukezane?

SukezaneI had many dinners with PR people, but I went to an Indonesian restaurant in Saint-Michel for the first time in a while.

NoguchiIndochine?

SukezaneYeah. And also a cafe bar-like place across from Indochine. Well, that one wasn't great. Did you go to Kunitoraya this time?

NoguchiI went for lunch. Udon, rice, and tonkatsu. It's thin, light, and just right.

SukezaneI was seated at the counter for solo diners there two days in a row.

NoguchiThe ones by the wall? The way those seats are designed is bad.

SukezaneBut I thought, 'Oh well,' and sat down. Did you buy anything? Any high-priced items?

What Items Did Tomoki Sukezane Buy in Bulk?

NoguchiA big mistake was a Valentino polo shirt I bought for golf. When I washed it on the automatic cycle, I forgot to switch it, and it shrunk. I hoped it would bounce back like Lacoste, but it didn't... I hadn't even worn it once, what a waste!

SukezaneI also had a jacket that was a bit too big, and I tried to put it in the dryer for just a little while, but I failed. About 10 minutes into the cycle, I got a call on my cell, and while I was talking, it shrunk dramatically. It was shocking.

NoguchiWhat else did you buy?

SukezaneValentino T-shirts. I bought three more in different colors of the one I'm wearing now.

NoguchiI went to Colette looking for some weird T-shirts, but there weren't any. My desire to shop wasn't really stimulated this time. I did buy something at the Maple & Co. exhibition, though.

SukezaneDid you buy T-shirts there too?

NoguchiNo, the T-shirts weren't good at all. The fabric was terrible. You shouldn't buy those. What have you bought recently?

SukezaneI'm still buying a lot of sunglasses.

NoguchiYou lose them often, though.

SukezaneYeah. That's why I ordered five of the same pair from LAFONT a while back. They said the minimum order was five.

NoguchiWhat are you wearing now?

SukezaneThese are Thom Browne. But they're Dita, and they're different.

NoguchiDo you shop in Tokyo too?

SukezaneThings like sneakers. There's a select shop near my place called 'JOHN,' and I've been going there a lot lately. You seem to wear a lot of striped T-shirts recently, Noguchi-san.

NoguchiI went to Saint James for work. I bought two each of white x navy and white x black, and the lighter fabric ones were so comfortable that I bought one more of each.

SukezaneAre they easy to wear with a rider's jacket?

NoguchiThat's part of it. But the neckline goes up quite high, so I wish there were ones that sloped down a bit more in the front.

SukezaneWhat about jeans?

NoguchiI bought black jeans from Restir Surfside. I get the straight slim fit and then have them tapered below the knee. Otherwise, it's still A.P.C., I guess.

SukezaneYes. In Rome. It was my first time, but I realized ordering a coat is a great idea.

NoguchiIt is. You can get the perfect length and have it made entirely to your specifications.

SukezaneI'd like to have suits made again, but it's hard to find ones I'm truly satisfied with. In that regard, I thought coats were great.

NoguchiIt would be nice if they offered a few different patterns too.

SukezaneI'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.