Made in Japan, using brass castings and original materials, these men's bags are crafted in a high-quality handbag factory.
Ryo Inami, men's bag buyer at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , says that the bag brand Tof & Loadstone is "a rare find among bag manufacturers, with its technique of skillfully incorporating contemporary designs into functionality while paying attention to color, materials, and details."
We spoke with Kazunari Sakai, the representative and designer.

The beauty of the brand's iconic brass hardware gives this bag a distinctive presence.

"The silhouettes of businessmen in suits carrying bags generally look the same, but the distinctive features of Tof & Loadstone bags are immediately apparent. Even from 10 meters away, you can tell the difference by the way the brass hardware on the bag shines. They've been featured in various fashion magazines, but our bags are exceptionally beautiful," says Kazunari Sakai.

Many Japanese bag manufacturers started with craftsmanship, resulting in high product quality and consistency. However, their "creative" aspects tend to be uniform. This is especially true for business bags, where functionality is paramount, making it difficult to express individuality.

The reason why Tof & Loadstone bags lead the way in creation, including design, seems to be that Kazunari Sakai comes from an apparel design background...

The origin of creativity taught by Marithé and François Girbaud

—I understand that you were originally interested in clothing design, Ms. Sakai.

Kazunari Sakai (hereinafter Sakai) : Yes, I love clothes, I love Ivy League style, and when I was 18 I worked part-time at a major select shop. I dropped out of university, and just as Esmod Japon, a French fashion school, opened, I enrolled as one of the first students. It was a truly international school with all sorts of students, which was interesting, but I was more interested in materials than design drawings or sketches, and I would think about clothes starting from ideas based on materials and accessories.

—So, what about finding a job?

Sakai: I didn't want to get a job in Japan (laughs), so I went to Europe to work for Marithé + François Girbaud, a French fashion brand that I admired at the time. I even went to their atelier, and although I didn't end up working there, I was so impressed by the subtle modifications they made to the clothes that I asked them about their approach. They told me, "We don't just look at clothes and make clothes; for example, we look at how the roof of a convertible opens and turn it into a garment with two arms." I decided that this would be a key point of focus for me going forward. It was a very valuable encounter.

—That's a very Girbaud-like anecdote, considering how casual and popular he was at the time.

Sakai then returned to Japan and became involved in designing for import brands. It was during the bubble economy, and it was commonplace to create things from scratch, such as designing original zipper pulls or developing materials. Around the age of 30, he started working on bags and became the chief designer for a bag manufacturer. In 2004, he became independent, and the following year, he founded Tof & Loadstone, a brand name that harmonizes the classic "TOFF" (stylish) and the modern "LOADSTONE" (something that attracts people) .

Above all, the most important thing about a bag is that it is a fashion item.

Ms. Sakai showed us a women's business bag, saying, "This bag has remained consistently popular for 12 years since the company was founded." It's a long-selling staple bag at one of Japan's leading select shops, and its appeal lies in its perfect size that fits A4 documents and the presence of its brass hardware. Ms. Sakai added, "Many women buy a new one when the handles wear out."
It is said that this also served as a major inspiration for the men's bags that were launched in 2013.

—Is designing bags difficult?

As I mentioned earlier, I started out designing clothes, especially developing original materials, so my approach was different from that of other bag makers from the very beginning.
Women's bags can be designed in any way as long as they can hold things, and are expected to be versatile. Men's bags, however, are subject to many constraints and are limited in design. Nevertheless, for both women's and men's bags, it's important to remember that "bag = fashion."


—What are your particular preferences when it comes to fashion?

What I've realized while working at Sakai Clothing is that the small details of clothing, such as buttons, zippers, and materials, are often overlooked and people tend to focus on the overall coordination. However, in the case of bags, developing these small parts is extremely important.

For example, the "Double Bit" series uses a magnet on the lid that allows for one-touch opening and closing, but I personally don't like seeing metal parts other than brass, so I've made it a secret (hidden) feature.
This method is less stressful than opening and closing a zipper, and is also more convenient to use. The use of magnets, which is employed in both men's and women's products, is one of Toff & Loadstone's commitments to balancing design and functionality.

Tof & Loadstone Double Bit Briefcase ¥57,240

The key to designing men's bags is to strip away the unnecessary elements.

--Could you please explain the design of "Double Bit"?

Sakai's "Double Bit" is inspired by wooden trunks, with brass fittings on both sides, reminiscent of mooring posts in a harbor, serving as its design icon. The top flap opens, and the flap has a hidden magnet. The front has a deep pocket, and there is a zippered pocket inside. The zipper can be opened and closed without removing the brass fittings, making it suitable for storing valuables.

The interior features a zippered pocket, a cell phone compartment, and a multi-purpose pocket, all crafted from a luxurious original monogram jacquard fabric. For business travelers, an open pocket has been added to the back, allowing it to be easily attached to a carry-on suitcase handle. Normally, the lower zippered opening can be closed to use it as a regular pocket.


—The design is just right for modern business use.

Sakai: Both the men's and women's designs are interesting in their own way, but for men's wear, the key is to strip away as much as possible and avoid excessive design, while for women's wear, the design involves both subtraction and addition.
Especially for men, we want their clothing to become the "standard for work," so we value a subtle statement, including the brand's iconic brass hardware.
I've always loved imported goods, and I've even traveled to Europe in search of them. For example, when it comes to cars, I think it would be ideal if there was something that combined the design of a foreign car with the meticulous attention to detail and ease of use that is characteristic of Japanese cars.