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February 2, 2015
White Flags | Designer Tatsuya Okonogi on the 2013-14 Autumn/Winter Collection
White Flags
New Arrivals for Autumn/Winter 2013-14
An Interview with Designer Tatsuya Okonogi (Part 1)
Launched in Autumn/Winter 2011, the shoe brand "White Flags" is now entering its fifth season. It has gained popularity for its unique sense of mode and has continued to expand its reach globally since its debut in Paris. We spoke with designer Tatsuya Okonogi about the full scope of the latest collection.
Photographs by Makoto MIKAMIText by Morito IWANAGA (OPENERS)
The Theme is "Sports"
──What is the concept behind the Autumn/Winter 2013-14 collection?
This season, it's all about a sporty aesthetic. The theme is luxury with a sporty feel. In other words, we've taken elements of national brands and modified them with a sense of mode. Another key point is the evolution of White Flags' existing models.
White Flags proposes sneakers that are meant to be worn with suits. While they are perfectly suitable for the beach or resort, our fundamental concept is to create shoes that pair well with suits.
──There are four styles in total this season, correct?
I actually designed more styles, but I carefully selected them to best represent the look I wanted to convey.
Pant lengths change with trends, don't they? While not as much as in spring and summer, pant lengths have been shorter even in autumn and winter recently. With full-length pants, high-cut shoes are easier to wear by letting the hem fall over them, but with cropped lengths, the balance can be off. Low-cut shoes offer more flexibility as you can adjust the look with socks.
The most common question I get is, "What kind of pants should I wear with these?" I believe it's the responsibility of the creator and the presenter to address this. Therefore, I think designers should approach this with a stylist's sensibility.
White Flags
New Arrivals for Autumn/Winter 2013-14
An Interview with Designer Tatsuya Okonogi (Part 2)
Photographs by Makoto MIKAMIText by Morito IWANAGA (OPENERS)
Understanding Material Properties
──Are there any particularly noteworthy details?
This season, we're featuring quilting. The "Henri Quilt" is a quilted version of our "Henri" model, which was the very first design and has been in continuous production. We also have a low-cut version, which is called the "Ludwig" model.
This quilting process is quite challenging. If the thickness of the leather on the inside and outside isn't varied, the puffiness won't appear on the outer surface and will instead form on the inner side. With leather of the same softness, the puffiness disperses to both sides and doesn't form properly. Therefore, we use softer leather for the outer layer. The leather currently visible on the outside is actually the type normally used for the inside.
Designer Tatsuya Okonogi
The Mode of White Flags
Converse once released a white leather mid-cut All Star. I felt a sense of mode from it, rather than the street casualness typical of Converse. I loved them so much that I wore out about 15 pairs and didn't wear anything else at the time.
The foundation for the "mode sneakers" I create was established with that model, and it was expressed in the sneakers of "TroisO." That sentiment is now carried on in White Flags sneakers. The reason we have many models centered around white is precisely because of this.
I absolutely do not want to deviate from the principle that our core is mode. For the upcoming Spring/Summer season, we plan to focus on a street theme, but we will propose a street style that is centered around White Flags' signature mode. We're currently having lively discussions about how to best incorporate that street feel.
Tatsuya OCONOGI
After working at Tsumori Chisato, he served as a designer for Issey Miyake at MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO. In 2002, he became a freelance designer and launched his own brand, "TroisO," with a collection for Autumn/Winter 2004. In 2010, he established the designer footwear brand "White Flags."
White Flags
http://wfn10.com/
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Tel. 03-5459-4420
