There's a new type of creator who aims to change the way individual consumers think and make an impact on society. They are Danish brothers, Satoshi and Kiyoshi Inoue. With their unprecedentedly dynamic thinking and methods, they are poised to bring about social transformation.

The Inoue Brothers Founder & CEO
Satoshi Inoue (left), Kiyoshi Inoue (right)

Satoshi was born in 1978 and Kiyoshi in 1980. They are second-generation Japanese-Denmark brothers born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark. The designs that characterize The Inoue Brothers' collections, which are based on a love for Japanese delicacy and Scandinavian simplicity, are called "Scandinasian." Satoshi works as a graphic designer based in Copenhagen, and Kiyoshi works as a hair designer in London. They spend most of the income they earn from these jobs on The Inoue Brothers' activities.

It's difficult to categorize the Inoue brothers within the traditional context of "fashion designers." They openly state that their goal is "social contribution, not fashion," while at the same time saying they "want to create the coolest collection in the world."

"We founded The Inoue Brothers in 2004 with the desire to solve various social problems using design and creative skills. Since then, as we have traveled the world for research, we have come to realize that the values we hold as people living in developed countries have been distorted by a select few in power and by big corporations," says Satoshi.

For example, the idea that something made in an emerging country is of inferior quality is a mistaken preconception, and the reverse is also true. Around the world, there are unique handcraft cultures rooted in the history, climate, and traditions of each region, and one such example is the alpaca sweater I encountered in the Andes region of South America.

This chunky cable-knit cardigan, perfect as outerwear, boasts a deep color and luxurious feel unlike other black alpaca products. Cardigan ¥110,160

Kiyoshi continues: "The West has developed by expanding its market economy on a global scale, but this has also caused serious poverty problems in emerging countries. Now, it is possible to investigate even the details behind production using the internet. A profit-driven economic growth-at-all-costs approach that exploits someone somewhere in the world without them knowing is wrong. I believe that conscious choices by each individual consumer will change this system and eventually become a movement that will involve companies and governments and change society."

When the two first visited the Andes region, they learned that many of the indigenous people who raised alpacas suffered from extreme poverty and a lack of respect. That's why they decided to create a system to give back to the local community through fair means and to empower them. With the cooperation of the Pacomarca Alpaca Institute, an experimental farm in Puno, Peru, they spent two years developing a high-quality alpaca wool material with an unparalleled fineness. Then, after another three years, they launched the world's first collection of alpaca wool that is completely undyed and in natural black.

Satoshi says, "The fundamental premise of our collection is that everyone involved can be happy. The world's best products must be made in the right way. I think that's what true 'luxury' means."



Alpaca wool color is determined by genes, and originally there were 36 colors ranging from white to gray, brown, and black. However, from the 1950s onward, when alpaca products became available worldwide, pure white fibers that could be dyed any color were valued, and white alpacas were prioritized for breeding. As a result, the original colors of alpacas gradually disappeared, and today there are only 28 colors. In recent years, black alpacas have been driven to the brink of extinction.

Currently, there are approximately 3 to 4 million alpacas inhabiting the Andes region, of which about 300 are black. This figure of less than 0.01% truly makes them worthy of being called "legendary." After searching tirelessly across the vast Andean highlands for these black alpacas, whose whereabouts are unknown, they have finally managed to launch this collection. The "The Natural Black Alpaca Collection" debuted in the fall of 2015 as a Charlie Weiss exclusive product, and this is its third release.