Portland, Oregon, is consistently ranked as the number one city to live in the United States. This city attracts attention not only from Americans but also from people around the world who aspire to a rich lifestyle. We spoke with Nathan Williams, editor-in-chief of the Portland-based lifestyle magazine "KINFOLK" and director of "Slow Design for Men's Living," which will be held from November 11th (Wednesday) at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 1st floor promotion, to find out why. What does he consider to be a "rich life"?


Portland is a place where you can feel the quality of time passing.

"When I think of Portland, various lifestyles come to mind. For example, fine dining and spending time outdoors. From a creative standpoint, it's an ideal city for bringing ideas to life. Being a small city makes it easy to run into friends by chance, cycle to school, and simply live a relaxed life. 'Slow Design' is a concept born from such everyday life."


"Slow design" conveys the message that design is very important for people to live with a sense of ease.

"Slow living is about life itself. It literally means living at a leisurely pace. And it's a collective term for everything that supports such a lifestyle. We believe that slow living has great value, and that the designs that fulfill it play a very important role in helping us live a grounded life. Through this collection, we are very interested in how design can contribute to the universality of fashion, the creation of everyday items with functional beauty, and many other approaches to slow living. Slow design is exactly what we seek through our collections every season."

Furthermore, "small gatherings," a concept advocated by Kinfolk, are also an important element of this collection. "Small gatherings" are small get-togethers; that is, the joy and gratitude of spending time with close friends and family. Sharing a meal together around the table and enjoying delicious food is a key element of our act of "gathering." And now, by understanding the concept of "community" in a broader sense, we are appealing to the emotions that people are born with.

As he speaks, one can sense a certain "warmth" and "softness" in the collections he creates.


The perfect collection for living a relaxed and simple life – that's what ouur/Auur embodies.

"We believe that the best way to live life is to live simply and at a relaxed pace with friends. Auer is a publishing and design studio that explores how people can live simply and at a relaxed pace and deepen their communities. To that end, we publish books and magazines, design functional apparel and products, and provide spaces and experiences that allow people to re-evaluate these values."

This promotion also showcases Auer's vision for spaces and tableware, but the focus is still on menswear. I believe versatility and long-lasting wear are crucial. I personally prefer a simple style (not decorative), and simple clothing offers a lot of freedom—the freedom to coordinate and layer outfits, and the ability to choose what to wear for various occasions, such as work, dinner, or relaxing at home on the weekend. I hope that people will feel this lifestyle value through this promotion.

Nathan Williams' "Slow Design for Men's Living by Nathan Williams" will be on display from Wednesday, November 11th to Tuesday, November 24th. The main products available are listed here.

Nathan Williams is the editor-in-chief of the lifestyle magazine KINFOLK, which is published in over 30 countries worldwide. A Japanese edition was also launched in 2013. The magazine features beautiful photographs that capture scenes of everyday life, including food and short trips.

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