WISM's Tomohiro Ichinose – A Trial as a Fashion Sneaker

 

There is another person who offered to cooperate with the Panther revival project: Tomohiro Ichinose, director of the Shibuya select shop WISM. He is well-known in the media and has launched numerous select shops, so how did Panther appear to him?

Ichinose : "The design is different from trendy high-tech sneakers and running shoes. These sneakers will definitely not become a trend immediately. I think customers will pick them up and ponder over them. That's why I thought they were perfect to carry at WISM right now."

Ichinose, who was close to Kunii, was able to accept Panther without any preconceived notions.

Ichinose : "When buyers are planning something, they often want to do something that is the opposite of the trend. You might think that it won't fit our style, but there's no need to think that way. On the contrary, it's more interesting to adapt it to our style."

However, I didn't expect them to sell like hotcakes. The current sneaker trend is clearly towards high-tech. They have a round, large form, and the latest functional materials are used to the fullest extent, both in the visible parts and the invisible parts that affect comfort. The Panther uses the latest cup insole, but from the outside, it doesn't give off any impression of being an old-fashioned retro sneaker. However, those fears turned out to be unfounded.

"PANTHER DERA" 14,040 yen

Ichinose : "Given the location, we have a lot of young customers, so I thought it might be difficult to sell to young people. But we also have adult customers who like to shop at a leisurely pace, so I thought it would surely resonate with the right people. When we actually put it on display in the store, we got two kinds of reactions. There were about the same number of adult customers, much older than me, who bought it saying it brought back memories, and young people who happened to come in and bought it out of curiosity. This was unexpected and made me very happy."

The select shop, which has always offered style suggestions, deliberately chose Panther shoes to emphasize the product itself. The question of whether they would be accepted without answering the question of "how to wear them" was a foolish question.

Ichinose : "These days, customers can decide how to wear them. Some want to wear them with wide-legged pants, others with slim-legged pants, and they don't refrain from buying them because they don't know how to wear them. It's a great example of how products can sell simply because they're new and interesting. I felt that Panther has that kind of potential."

"And one more thing..." Ichinose continued.


Ichinose: "When you want to buy the same shoes again and are told that you can't buy them anymore, it's a sad feeling for the user, isn't it? I've witnessed that situation countless times. When the season changes, sneakers, like designer brand clothes, have their collections change completely, and even if they have the same model name, they look completely different. This is especially true for sneakers from overseas brands, isn't it? But that's not what I want! I don't want a new design, I want to wear the same thing! I think Panther can fulfill that desire. Because it doesn't seem like they'll be releasing a new design (laughs). That gives me a great sense of security, and I think it's an important value that will truly satisfy people who love these sneakers."

"The Panther is a sneaker that deserves to become a staple." That's what Ichinose's words sound like. His words carry weight because he's not just a buyer chasing after new things and trends, but a man who has sincerely engaged with the culture of fashion.

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