The feelings embedded in objects that captivate people. The journey from the birth of a brand to its growth. By gazing at the true face of the creator, rarely seen by the public, we want to consider the reasons behind the "richness" that is felt through the five senses, created through design. This time, we feature Takayuki Kijima, the designer of the hat brand <KIJIMATAKAYUKI>. What are his thoughts on his journey and his approach to craftsmanship, as told by him...?


It was over 25 years ago, but I started my career in hat making at a hat designer's atelier. The five years I spent at the atelier were during what was called the heyday of Tokyo Collection, and all sorts of brands came to the mentor seeking "outlandishness." At the time, extreme designs were mainstream, and it wasn't easy to create hats that were also comfortable to wear... I learned so much about design and material usage.

However, it's difficult to create a good balance by adding design elements; often, the designs clash and detract from each other. Even if a hat is well-made on its own, it might not go well with the shoes when styled. You could say that was just the way things were back then, but it made me realize that omitting design elements is also a valid form of design.

That's why, since launching my own brand, I haven't set a concept for each season, and I've made a conscious effort to avoid creating a standout presence. My ideal is to create hats that don't interfere with an existing style, yet add a hat that helps define that style. Since they are ultimately just a part of fashion, they must be understated yet assertive. Finding that balance is crucial.


Also, since I personally prefer items that can be matched with various styles, regardless of whether they're high fashion, streetwear, or conservative, I'm thinking about creating pieces that are easy to pair with a variety of clothing. And if I can incorporate a bit of the current zeitgeist into that, it would be even better... This has become the identity of my brand.

Another concept we have is to address the inconveniences of wearing hats. For example, they can be cumbersome to carry around when you take them off. We've turned that to our advantage by designing hats that, even if they get shoved into a bag and lose their shape, develop a nice character, or by using materials that can be easily rolled up. The prime example of this is paper hats. They're easy to carry without any stress, and their excellent breathability has made them a staple summer material that we've used extensively for many years.

This kind of craftsmanship wouldn't come about if we were bound by traditional hat-making techniques and rules found in textbooks. That's why we leave room for "design flexibility" in our approach.


We've always enjoyed and sought out evolution, sometimes commissioning production from a factory specializing in cut-and-sew garments, even though it's a completely different field, and sometimes trying out bonding techniques when we hear they're trending in clothing. Up until now, we've always followed the established practice of selecting the thickness and material of the interlining and designing accordingly, but it's only in the last few years that we've begun to question that. Not using interlining makes it easier to create subtle nuances and allows the wearer to adjust the hat to their own hairstyle and face shape. Achieving this requires a certain ingenuity, but it has now become a technique we can call our specialty. This, too, is the result of evolution and trial and error.

Lately, whenever I see people wearing my hats in the city, I'm really learning from how well they wear and use them. After running the brand for about 20 years, I'm so happy that I feel like hats are finally taking root in Japanese fashion. A foreign journalist once told me that "it's rare to find a country where so many people wear hats as in Japan," and it really struck me...


Overseas, hats are a symbol of formality. That's why gentlemen wear gentlemanly hats, and workers wear work caps. I realized that even though there's a tradition, hats are still developing as a fashion item... The impulse I felt towards the Japanese 20 years ago welled up again, and that's when I started my challenge overseas two years ago. And the feeling that arose within me was the desire to become a long-established brand that can compete with other brands.

 

People often use the number of years a company has been in business as a benchmark, right? But it's something that requires accumulated effort that I can't achieve on my own, so rather than focusing on years or history, I want to become a brand that people think of when they hear "hat," and that's KIJIMA TAKAYUKI. To achieve that, I think it's necessary to continue creating products that are loved for many years, even as they change with the times, rather than just being caught up in trends.

Especially with men's hats, the impression they give when worn can change dramatically with subtle adjustments to details that aren't immediately apparent, such as the roundness or brim length. That's why I think it's necessary to make minor adjustments and evolve the shape every 3 to 5 years. I believe that continuing this process is how we can bridge the gap in time and history. I'm quite competitive, so if I'm going to do this, I don't want to lose to established overseas brands! That's the mindset I'm currently using to focus on design.

Related articles ▶
・Valuing handcrafted work and maximizing the quality of materials—the next stage that hat brand <Kijima Takayuki> aims for.

Photo: Ozawa Tatsuya
Text: Miyata Keiichiro