CLANE, the brand directed by Ena Matsumoto, celebrated its 5th anniversary in 2020. While the brand is celebrating its anniversary year with collaborations with various other brands, the most noteworthy is its collaboration with fragment design, helmed by Hiroshi Fujiwara. We spoke with Ena Matsumoto about this collaboration, which will be available for pre-order from September 2nd (Wednesday) at the Mitsukoshi Isetan online store.

--Could you tell us how this collaboration with Hiroshi Fujiwara came about?

Matsumoto Ena (hereinafter, Matsumoto) : Hiroshi and I went to the same junior high school. We met at an event a few years ago, and since then we've become good friends, going out for meals and such. We've collaborated once before, but as we were thinking of several projects for CLANE's 5th anniversary, I really wanted to collaborate with Hiroshi. I invited him through one of our usual casual email exchanges, and it came to fruition.

──What kind of interactions did you have with Mr. Fujiwara as you worked on the project?

Matsumoto : When I work with Hiroshi on a project, we meet in person and have many meetings. Sometimes we add CLANE's unique touch to Hiroshi's designs, and other times we have him add his essence to designs that CLANE proposes. This time, we based the project on military and men's items as envisioned by Hiroshi, and incorporated femininity and CLANE's unique style. Hiroshi also has a wonderful sense for graphics and names. In the end, we completed the project by adding graphics to items with feminine forms.

--For this collaboration, we've prepared three items: a T-shirt, a blouson, and a coat. Could you tell us about each of them?

Matsumoto : The T-shirt features a simple design with the logo that Hiroshi came up with as the main design element. The left chest has the logos of "CALNE" and "fragment," and the back has a bold tribal-like design that overlaps the "A" from "CALNE" and the "A" from "fragment." It comes in two sizes, S and L. The S size is a perfect fit for women. Because the graphic is masculine, we made it with a length that makes it easy to tuck in so that it can be styled in a feminine way. The L size is a big silhouette and can be worn oversized, and it is also a size that men can wear.



Matsumoto : The blouson is based on the "CWU-36P" used by the US military in the 1970s. While it has an authentic finish using military heavy nylon twill, we intentionally left out the padding. We incorporated the essence of <CLANÉ> so that it can be worn with a minimal impression, making it recommended even for those who don't usually wear military items. The colors are original dyes created for this collaboration. We printed white on the khaki and in a similar color to the black to give it a fashionable look. Another point is that we intentionally placed the pockets so that they overlap the "A" pattern that runs in a line. It's a blouson that can be worn not only as an outer layer, but also as a layering item to be worn with <CLANÉ> items, and will be a spice to your styling.



Matsumoto : The coat is based on the "M-65" and is a faithful reproduction of the real thing. It has authentic features, including a detachable hood. In the past, most military coats used cotton and satin materials, but since this is a collaboration item between CLANE and fragment, we used Melton wool to give it a more fashionable look and prevent it from becoming too casual. To give it a more mature look, the logo and graphic motifs are printed in the same color as the base color of the fabric.



--A pop-up event will also be held starting September 2nd (Wednesday). Please give a message to fans of <CLANÉ> and those who are looking forward to the event.

Matsumoto : The fact that CLANE has been able to celebrate its 5th anniversary is all thanks to the people who have always loved CLANE and shopped for our products. The apparel business can only exist because of people like that, so I am filled with gratitude. The world has been rather gloomy because of the coronavirus, but my belief that fashion should be something that lifts people's spirits, brings them joy, and brings happiness to people remains unchanged. As people who make a living from this, we want to continue to make suggestions and products that will keep our customers in a bright mood no matter what. We hope you will continue to support CLANE in the future.

As KURANES reaches its 5th anniversary, Matsumoto says that his ambitious attitude towards everything hasn't changed since the beginning. Valuing teamwork with his colleagues, KURANES wants to continue proposing new and interesting things, so keep an eye on them in the future.