Continuing from the previous session, this installment, "Fashion & Textile Designer Edition," features Hiroyuki Horihata and Makiko Sekiguchi, the designers behind the fashion brand "matohu."

The brand name "matohu" encapsulates a unique Japanese concept: "matou" (纏う) signifies the act of wearing clothes with an active aesthetic sensibility, evoking the grace of movement in the wind and a lingering, quiet presence. "Matou" (待とう) also suggests a call to wait for the maturation of inherent aesthetic values, rather than engaging in hasty consumption and disposal.

Their collections, which artfully blend traditional Japanese and Western styles with a distinct sensibility, offer a serene yet novel impression. The profound colors and the flow of the fabrics resonate deeply with the sensibilities of those living in Japan. Their consistently evolving creations have garnered significant international acclaim.

matohu
A fashion and textile design brand by Hiroyuki Horihata and Makiko Sekiguchi. Launched in 2005 with the concept of "creating new clothing that embodies Japanese aesthetics," their early collections for five years were inspired by the "Keicho era's beauty" (1596-1615), featuring bold designs that incorporated the spirit of figures like Oribe and Kabukimono. In 2009, they received the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix Newcomer Award and the Shiseido Encouragement Prize. Currently, under the theme of "Japanese Eyes," they are further refining their approach to creating clothing that integrates inherent aesthetic values into contemporary life. In 2012, the "matohu: Japanese Eyes" exhibition was held at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa's Design Gallery.

Kenmei Nagaoka
Chairman and Representative Director of D&DEPARTMENT PROJECT, and Editor-in-Chief of d design travel. Born in Hokkaido in 1965. After working at the Nippon Design Center Hara Design Institute, he launched "D&DEPARTMENT PROJECT" in 2000 in Setagaya, Tokyo, a new business concept envisioning a store infrastructure centered on long-life design. Concurrently, he began producing the travel magazine "d design travel," written from a designer's perspective, covering all 47 prefectures of Japan. Since 2011, he has been involved in the floor direction of "8/" at Shibuya Hikarie, opening "d47" there, a space that serves as the project's central hub, encompassing a store, museum, and restaurant.

Kohki Hiranuma
Architect. Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1971. His notable architectural works include the conversion of the "D&DEPARTMENT PROJECT" store and the environmentally conscious "University of Tokyo Air Space Laboratory" designed for the Komaba Campus in 2008. His experimental design proposals, often conceptual in nature, have received significant international recognition. He has won over 70 awards in more than 10 countries, including the Japan Institute of Architects Award, the Architectural Institute of Japan Prize for Excellence, the Grand Design International Architecture Award (UK), and the Innovative Architecture International Prize (Italy). He currently lectures at Osaka University and other institutions.