The Timing to Broaden Our Horizons to the World

The interview took place the day after returning to Japan, following the Milan show and a Paris exhibition/order fair. "It was great to be officially listed on the Milan Men's Fashion Week schedule and present to the world. But once we arrived in Milan, finding models was difficult, and with so many issues piling up, it felt like this is the real world," Ochiai commented.

To date, nine designers have held shows at Armani/Teatro as part of Armani's "Young Designer Support Brand" program. FACETASM is the first selection from Asia; all others have been emerging designers active in Italy. This was FACETASM's first overseas show in its eight-year history.

When asked about the selection process, he explained, "I heard that Mr. Armani himself made the final selection. We had our show on the last day of Tokyo Collection 2015-16, held an exhibition/order fair in Paris, and our items were stocked in Dover Street Market stores worldwide. It was a time when we were looking to broaden our horizons globally, so I was very happy."

An Experience Unlike Any Other in Tokyo, After the Show

The Spring/Summer 2016 collection was originally planned for the Tokyo Collection in October, but with the Milan show in June, there was very little preparation time. "We had just over a month of actual preparation time, a tight schedule, but we presented 33 looks."

"Armani/Teatro is a building designed by Tadao Ando. When I entered the venue, I realized it was too grand for a show of our scale. The makeup rooms were also more spacious than I imagined. It felt a bit like a foreigner performing Kabuki at the Kabuki-za theater (laughs), but I truly felt the honor of it."

After the show, the editor-in-chief of VOGUE ITALIA came to the backstage to offer encouragement, saying "The live performance is great!" Hirofumi Kurino, advisor for United Arrows, also appeared. "Receiving such praise was an experience I couldn't have had in Tokyo."

How to Engage with the World as a Designer

"Milan wasn't an option for FACETASM's shows, so it was great to dive into Milan, the heartland of menswear, with Armani's support. I think it was a good time to have our show in Milan."

When asked what he meant by "good time," he replied, "It was great that we could go to Milan at this moment while maintaining our independent spirit. We were lucky. This kind of vibe we have now might only last a few more years, and it was a good appeal to the world. Since we entered Milan so smoothly, we now have more options for how to engage with the world as a designer, relying on our own strength."

"Tokyo's fashion scene is interesting right now, and without any arrogance, I felt that whether it was our brand or others, we would be evaluated to some extent if we had the opportunity to show overseas. However, when I was in Tokyo, the media would say things like 'Japanese brands are getting attention globally,' but once I went to Milan, I realized how exaggerated that was. I was often asked, 'What's special about Tokyo brands?'" he said with a laugh.

The Name "Armani" is a Universal Language

Reflecting on the Milan show experience, he said, "I've become quite tough. From the start of the brand, I intended to tackle challenges one by one on a global scale, but now that we've launched from Asia, I want to cherish the opportunities given to us. During the preparation period, both in Japan and on location, I realized that 'Armani' is a universal language. It was beneficial in many ways."

Mixing Personally What I Find Beautiful

FACETASM held its Spring/Summer 2016 collection show in Milan. The collection's theme was "Ambiguous daze in my ambiguous days." What did this theme signify?

According to the collection's explanation, the theme "expresses the sense of discomfort and contradiction born from the combination of words suggesting a highly personal image of the self and the word 'ambiguous,' which contradicts it, as well as the oddity of capturing a single moment within the vastness of nature."

When asked about the concrete expression of this theme, Ochiai explained, "For this show, I used five Black models, but I mixed personally what I found beautiful, regardless of race or age. For example, I paired oversized, rugged MA-1s and nylon jackets with simple, structured bottoms. I expressed destruction and rebirth through unbalanced styles, drawing inspiration from what I find cool and interesting with a contemporary sensibility."

Incidentally, the theme for the Autumn/Winter 2015-16 collection was "LOVE." He mentioned that he is always keeping his antenna up for inspiration.

It's Enough to Evolve as a Brand

The Spring/Summer 2016 collection features summer wool with stripes and checks, jacquard woven with the brand's signature stripes, and items in original colors focusing on brown, green, blue, and orange-red, layering the brand's expression of "fleeting pop."

"I believe FACETASM's shows are always enjoyable, which is why they invited us. If they see potential in the brand, there's nothing more gratifying. Showing overseas should open up various opportunities. I want people to see our good creations and think, 'He really loves clothes.' While we have a lot of freedom, it also comes with significant risks," he said.

The music for the FACETASM shows is handled by the manager of "CITY COUNTRY CITY," a store in Shimokitazawa, who is also Ochiai's high school classmate. "He's been doing the music for our shows since the first one. He understands our vibe with few words. It feels like a pure Shimokitazawa music lover is creating the show's music, and I think that's a choice only we could make."

"The most enjoyable part of creation is a certain moment. A show is a way for the brand to level up, talking with students who love fashion also lifts my spirits; each moment is enjoyable."