White Flags designer Tatsuya Okonogi appeared for the interview in a fashionable style incorporating an oversized cardigan. The conversation began with Okonogi's definition of "design," as he said, "I think about how to wear even street-style brand T-shirts in a fashionable way."

Convincing a stubborn shoemaker in Asakusa

After graduating from the Kuwasawa Design Institute's Dressmaking Department, I worked as an assistant at Tsumori Chisato before moving to the Issey Miyake Paris Collection team. I started with accessories like buttons, then progressed to fashion accessories, shoes, bags, and eventually to designing cut-and-sew garments, woven fabrics, and outerwear, which helped me develop my styling and composition skills. Looking back, it was a wonderful time when I was able to learn everything from scratch.

When I was in charge of shoes, I frequently visited the factory in Asakusa and talked a lot with the craftsmen. To create something with attention to detail, you need the same knowledge of manufacturing methods and materials as the craftsmen themselves; if you don't know them, it's literally impossible to communicate. Of all the things I've made besides clothing, shoes were the most interesting.

The starting point was a fashionable pair of sneakers packed with meticulous details.

After his time at Miyake, he became independent in 2002. After working for the fashion brand TroisO, he launched his shoe brand White Flags in Paris in the fall/winter of 2011. At the time, there were no Japanese brands that produced "fashion sneakers" that fit in with the collections of overseas luxury brands, so he took seven styles of his first collection to Paris, describing them as "fashionable sneakers packed with attention to detail."

Since the brand name is White Flags, we made all seven models in white, and the owner of the Paris showroom was surprised, saying, "Why are you only making white ones!?" (laughs). He said that this wouldn't sell, but I replied, "Because it's the brand's concept."


Creating sneakers with an apparel-oriented approach.

I've loved fashion since my student days, and since starting my career, I've been designing things that are unique, cool, and beautiful. Even now, what I want people to see is the creation itself, and what I seek is also a created work. Half-hearted expression is the most boring thing.

Shoe design progresses concurrently with the development of materials and textures. I consider a seasonal theme and then combine the design and materials based on it, but I enjoy material development because it's something I'm good at.

The concept is the same as in apparel design. I'm always aware of the trends, such as the subtle changes in pant silhouettes and the appearance of oversized silhouettes on the runway, so I think the designs naturally give off a fashionable feel when paired with current clothing.

The design of next-generation shoes is like building a plastic model kit. Half-hearted expressions are boring.