From Wednesday, April 20th to Tuesday, April 26th, Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building Building at Isetan Shinjuku Store, in the men's accessories section. We spoke with Tomoyasu Hirano, the designer of this popular brand celebrating its 20th anniversary, about the latest collection.


“ Enjoy this one and only life = MI VIDA LOCA ” Collection

Puerta del Sol, meaning "Gate of the Sun" in Spanish, was founded in 1995 by Tomoyasu Hirano. Based on the concept of "ROCK & LUXURY," the brand uses motifs such as chess pieces, playing cards, and dice to create rock-inspired works with a high level of design sense and solid technical skills, attracting many fans, both male and female.

This time, the "2016 1st collection," which will be unveiled to the public before its general release, will feature new jewelry, primarily from the "MI VIDA LOCA collection." Hirano begins by saying, "MI VIDA LOCA, which is a direct translation from Spanish, means 'MY CRAZY LIFE,' and I take a positive view of it, thinking, 'Let's enjoy this one and only life.'"

(Clockwise from left) "R1000YG" ¥48,600, "R1002" ¥21,600, "R1001" ¥21,600, "R1000" ¥21,600, "R1001PG" ¥31,320

"Tattoo designs, which are originally three-dimensional representations that are then rendered in 2D, are transformed back into 3D for Puerta del Sol and presented as a tattoo series. For example, a ring with a ribbon wrapped around a heart contains the messages MI VIDA LOCA (A life full of ups and downs), VIVA LA VIDA (Long live life), and LA VIE EN ROSE (Life in the rosy sky), while a ring with a ribbon around a spade is inscribed with MEMENTO MORI (Remember death and enjoy the present), CARPE DIEM (Cherish this moment), and GODSPEED YOU (May good fortune come to you)."

For example, MEMENTO MORI means "always remember death," but Hirano interprets it positively as "make the present moment shine even brighter." Also, CARPE DIEM literally translates to "pick the flowers that are in bloom now," but he sees it as "enjoy this moment."

"Since tattoos themselves are a way of recording one's way of life, the tattoo series has a stronger message. It's like 'a tattoo to wear,' but the tattoo series designs in this MI VIDA LOCA collection are characterized by their elegant evolution."

From left to right: "PE1004CZBK" ¥27,000, "PE1004CZ" ¥24,840, "PE1005" ¥54,000

The reason why design has become more elegant

From the tattoo series designs to the pendant tops featuring ribbons wrapped around a cross, where the ribbon and cross are polished separately before being combined, allowing the parts to move beautifully, and the feather motif pendant tops, with their titanium coating, shine with a rainbow of colors that varies from piece to piece, all of these pieces have an elegant feel that is perfect for adults.


"The brand has been around for 20 years now, and fans who were in their 20s back then are now in their 40s. The things I made when I was 30 look very rough and cool now, but I think it's also necessary to add some elegant elements as I get older," he said, showing me one of the brand's signature pieces, a handcuff-motif bracelet, which he was wearing on his wrist. "I first made the handcuff bracelet in the CHAIN series 10 years ago, but the atmosphere of the original and the newer ones are completely different," he added.


From left to right: "BR1009MTBK" ¥51,840, "BR1009BK" ¥49,680

The innovative matte black titanium coating

One of the most popular items from Puerta del Sol is their coated series, and this collection also features bangles with a matte black titanium coating.

"The matte black titanium coating is achieved by first finishing the silver, then sandblasting (a process that involves blasting the surface with abrasive materials such as sand) to create a matte silver finish, and then applying a titanium coating on top of that. The bangle, like the tattoo series, is engraved with the message MI VIDA LOCA/VIVA LA VIDA, which inspires self-improvement, and the inverted rounded, tapered silhouette offers a substantial and satisfying volume."

Hirano came up with the idea for titanium coating while looking at reference materials on art knives. "At the time, I was looking for a way to color silver, and when I looked at a book on art knives, I saw something with a coating on metal, and when I looked into it, I found out it was titanium coating. It's the same with the white baked paint used in the Chess series, but the appeal is that it takes on the character of the person who uses it the more they use it."



A popular series inspired by the work and hobbies of friends.

Another series gaining female fans at Puerta del Sol is the "For You" series, which features accessories shaped like tools symbolizing various professions. It's popular as a lucky charm series.

Hirano explained, "For You is a series of small accessories featuring icons that symbolize the work and hobbies of people I care about. For example, a friend of mine loves bass fishing, and as I researched lures, I came across a manufacturer called 'Gan Craft,' which is well-known among bass fishing enthusiasts, and we collaborated." He then showed us a giant lure and the pendant he was wearing.

From left to right: "A Fork" ¥9,720, "A Spoon" ¥9,720

"For this 'For You' series, we've created a silver spoon as a baby shower gift. Choosing a baby shower gift can be surprisingly difficult, but this size allows the child to wear it as a pendant or keychain as they grow older. The option to engrave the child's name and birthdate is also a popular feature."

From left to right: "R1016D" ¥50,760, "R1016" ¥18,360

She also recommends the rings in the MI VIDA LOCA collection, saying, "I have many musician friends, so I incorporated the position markers on the 12th fret of a guitar into the design. The black part on the surface of the ring is epoxy, and there are also versions with diamonds."

In the second part of the interview, we will ask designer Tomoyasu Hirano about his creative process.

*All prices include tax.

PUERTA DEL SOL Trunk Show □ April 20th (Wed) - 26th (Tue), 2016
□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 1st Floor = Men's Accessories
*On Saturday, April 23rd, from 1 to 7 pm, designer Tomoyasu Hirano will be at the store to offer suggestions tailored to customers' requests and styles.

Photo: Suzuki Shimpei

inquiry
Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 1st Floor = Men's Accessories
03-3352-1111 (main representative)