KEN KAGAMI × NANGA

Q01:

Were there any products that you were particularly impressed with at the exhibition?

Kagami:
When I entered the exhibition hall, I noticed that there was something that looked like a calculator at first glance.

NANGA:
So that's what led to the calculator sleeping bag, which we'll go into later. (Laughs)

Q02:

We heard that you don't normally camp out or do outdoor activities. Can you give us a reason for your reluctance to go camping?

Kagami:
I mentioned that I don't really like outdoor activities, but I do play sports in general. I don't want to brag, but I'm actually pretty good at sports.

NANGA:
Oh, so you like sports!

Q03:

Is there a specific sport you're currently involved with right now?

(Laughs)

Q04:

In designing for this collaboration, what were some of the ideas, concepts, and inspirations that came to you?

Kagami:
Because this was a collaboration with an outdoor brand, I made it a point to eliminate the outdoorsy feel, especially for the sleeping bags, which is something you would actually use in the great outdoors.
I think the fun part about collaborations is that you can make items that you normally wouldn't be able to create on your own.
And most importantly, I like to put my collaborators in a state of complete puzzlement. I make an effort to create my works beyond the imagination and expectations of the collaborators, but sometimes, my works render them so utterly speechless that I end up not getting the job. (Laughs)

Q05:

What was the first item you came up with for this collaboration?

Kagami:
The moment I saw the sleeping bags, I thought they looked like calculators, so ran with that inspiration to design the product.
I don't think there are any other opportunities in the world to make calculator-inspired sleeping bags.

NANGA:
We've produced a variety of sleeping bags in the past, but we had never been proposed with this type of idea before. (Laughs)

Q06:

Do you have a theme for the tees?

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Kagami:
For these, I considered NANGA's branding and tried to interpret my style as much as possible into the designs. They're basically based on flashes of inspiration and a pun on words.

Q07:

How would you envision these tees to be worn by customers?

Kagami:
I would be thrilled if they wore the tees over their suits. The wide fit was just as I imagined, and the tees were so superbly done. They're perfect for wearing over a suit. (Laughs) What if this becomes a trend? (Laughs)

Q08:

The two phone cases you've designed tell very interesting messages. What was your concept for creating these artworks?

Kagami:
I depicted the tent as an apartment property. I thought the message was pretty spot on despite the orientation of apartments and the outdoors also being on the complete opposite ends of the spectrum. (Laughs) You know, like, this tent has a vacancy, it's pet-friendly. (Laughs)

NANGA:
So there's certainly a play on words here, and you've put a lot of thought into coming up with the perfect words! (Laughs)

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Kagami:
I'd like for the cases to be used not only as practical cases but also as a signs to hang from tents! You might find an uninvited stranger or a pet occupying your tent though.

NANGA:
It would be fun if that leads to meeting new people!

"We want to ask you about the photo shoot you did for this project.
It was with Mr. Daifu, a fellow photographer who belongs to the same gallery. The photoshoot went above and beyond anything that we had imagined."

Q09:

Was there a pre-planned theme for the shoot?

NANGA:
To us, the theme was totally unpredictable. We did say that we would leave the photo shoot completely up to you, but we had no idea how it would turn out.

When the shoot was about to begin, the first thing you did was to take off your t-shirt and shorts and change into a suit. At that moment, the atmosphere was charged with a feeling of perplexity, and we were all confused as to why you would model a suit. The next thing we know, you're already fixing your necktie. (Laughs)
The resulting photos were absolutely astonishing, though. We knew then, that we made the right decision to request the photoshoot as part of the project.

Q10:

There's just one thing that we want to clarify. When you walked into the photoshoot, you brought two large, overstuffed bags. What was in those bags beside the suit? (Laughs)

NANGA:
We got to see a glimpse of your sincerity and earnestness! (Laughs)

In terms of the order of the shoot, the sleeping bags came last. We were impressed with the way you were meticulous in adjusting the angles of the shoes and calculator placed next to the sleeping bags. You also took a lot of time in selecting the right color of the socks.
That obviously had to do with your past experience as a stylist. But, we truly believe that it's also because you exerted your every effort into the project that the photos came out so beautifully, instead of them being simply goofy.
Or, it's that you were so serious at being goofy that these photos came out so great! (Laughs)

Q11:

We hear you have some new ideas for the upcoming season. Can you give us some hints on what you have in mind?

Kagami:
We're already in the development stage, and I expect the items to be pretty interesting to say the least. Please stay tuned.

NANGA:
Now that's another phrase we normally wouldn't hear in the outdoor or fashion industry. (Laughs)
We are very much looking forward to the second edition of our collaboration with the world of Ken Kagami.
Thank you very much for your time today.