FACTOTUM will be holding a pop-up shop at the International Creators section on the 2nd floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building starting Wednesday, May 18th. Designer Koji Udo is from Kumamoto Prefecture, and we spoke with him about his hometown and his formative experiences in fashion.


To do a good job without causing trouble.

-- Ms. Udo, you're from Kumamoto Prefecture, right? Were you alright during the Kumamoto earthquake?

Thank you. My family home is in northern Kumamoto Prefecture and was undamaged. I was able to contact them the day after the foreshock, but my sister is in Mashiki Town, the epicenter, and it seems she can't sleep at home because of the fear of the earthquake. It also seems she's having trouble securing water for daily life.

—How did you react to the recent Kumamoto earthquake?

Japan is a country prone to natural disasters, and I often wonder what would happen if an earthquake struck Tokyo right now. But if we let that scare us, we wouldn't be able to do anything. Just like during the 3/11 earthquake, it made me realize again how fortunate we are to be able to make a living doing the work we love. This time, my family and relatives have actually been affected, so I've been sending them necessary supplies and providing support to the best of my ability. As for work, we're part of a team with factories and fabric suppliers, so we believe that doing our job properly without causing any trouble is what we can do right now, and that's what we're focusing on.


I naturally became interested in fashion and went to a fashion school in Tokyo.

-- Ms. Udo, you lived in Kumamoto until high school, right?

Kyushu, with Nagasaki, has a strong regional character that embraces foreign influences. In Kumamoto, for people older than me, there were several trendy shops like Masahiro Arita's legendary import shop "Blaze (now Permanent Modern)," and for my generation, there were stores like Beams and Parco, American casual shops, and the DC (designer character) boom, so we could enjoy a variety of clothing.

—I think people from Kumamoto have a pioneering spirit when it comes to fashion.

There are a lot of people in the industry, like designers and stylists. It's true that people from Kumamoto feel like they have to dress differently from others and express their individuality.


—Could you tell us about your formative experiences with fashion, Ms. Udo?

In middle school, I wore tracksuits from sports brands (laughs), but when I got to high school, I didn't have much money, but I loved going to look at clothes. Within my allowance, I'd go to vintage clothing stores and wear used Levi's 501s, Hanes pack t-shirts, and Converse All-Stars. I also bought Lacoste Izods at Beams and wore Clarks or other traditional leather shoes. DC was a bit expensive, so I remember buying some on sale.

—So that's why you decided to pursue a career in fashion?

After graduating from high school, I didn't really know what I wanted to do, I simply wanted to go to Tokyo. Since I liked clothes, I decided to go to a vocational school, and that's how I ended up at Tokyo Mode Gakuen. My first time in Tokyo was when I visited the school.


The joys and hardships of making clothes

--Thank you for sharing those stories from the past. You're currently working on three lines, so designing must be quite a challenge.

When I'm thinking about clothing designs, I can concentrate on them just like I do when I'm reading a book, so it's a very fulfilling time for me. I still enjoy it. On the other hand, the difficult times are when, even after designing and creating samples, some items just can't be produced. With trends like normcore, highly designed items tend to be shunned, which is disappointing for me as a designer. How to use those feelings to my advantage in the future is my current challenge.

Factotum Promotion
□May 18th (Wednesday) - May 24th (Tuesday)
□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 2nd Floor = International Creators

*All prices include tax.

inquiry
03-3352-1111 (main representative)