THE RERACS is a Japanese brand highly acclaimed worldwide for its "clothing that makes people beautiful," created through a "scrap and build" approach that infuses traditional and universal basic items with subtle individuality and a sense of the times, reconstructing them as a new standard for THE RERACS .

To learn more about their impressive and sustainable creations, which remain unshaken by the pandemic and the restructuring of the apparel industry, Sugita, the men's creators buyer on the 2nd floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building the brand was previously carried, and Watanabe, the men's contemporary buyer on the 6th floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building the brand will be relocated from the Spring/Summer 2021 season, interviewed the director and designer couple.

A director obsessed with materials and a designer conscious of gravity.

Founded in 2010 by director Naoyuki Kurahashi and designer Naomi Kurahashi, THE RERACS is a leading Japanese brand known for its basic yet modern and sharp designs. In 2017, they opened "THE RERACS Fitting House," a physical store where customers can try on clothes only. This January, they launched a pattern-order service for their iconic mod coat. THE RERACS is a popular brand that leads the industry with its user-conscious and innovative approach to creation.


THE RERACS , now in its 11th year since its founding, has revamped its woven brand logo. What thoughts lie behind this change, and what vision does this company, which leads the times with its innovative ideas and technology, have in mind? Sugita, who is an "old acquaintance" of the Kurahashi couple, offers some sharp insights.

Sugita: "The first time I met the two of you was when I was doing unannounced, impromptu interviews with fabric manufacturers in Shizuoka for my graduate school research. I was introduced to you by someone at the local Chamber of Commerce as a promising designer from Shizuoka."

The clean, fashionable, and simple style, devoid of any visible logos, is perfectly to my taste. The fact that he's also from Shizuoka made me feel a connection, and I quickly became a fan. What surprised me most at the time was Naoyuki Kurahashi's overwhelming passion and knowledge of materials and fabrics.


Naoyuki Kurahashi (hereinafter, NY): "That's right, I remember now. Afterwards, he said he wanted to join our company, but I thought that Isetan, the number one retailer in Japan, would be a better fit for Mr. Sugita's research than a manufacturer, so I politely declined (laughs)."


My passion for fabrics began with Jil Sander. It's not widely known, but she was the one who started leading overseas fashion houses using fabrics from Bishu weavers (fabric manufacturers). When aiming for a "cashmere-like" feel, the mainstream method until then was to mix a small amount of cashmere with wool, a technique called "chobi-blending."

But she showed that with non-pilling Super 140's wool, it's possible to achieve a cashmere-like feel with 100% wool. From then on, I became completely "captivated" by the fascinating world of fabrics, and while working as an MD for a major apparel company, I was able to work alongside various "authentic" fabric artisans.

At THE RERACS , we still carefully store tens of thousands of fabric swatches, including those that have been discontinued. From these, we carefully select fabrics that match the season and theme.

Naomi Kurahashi (hereinafter, NM): "Materials and fabrics are the foundation of THE RERACS ' creations, and first, Naoyuki Kurahashi takes the lead in deciding on the materials, the season's theme, and the overall color palette of the collection."

Because it's such an important process, we repeatedly select and discard fabrics from tens of thousands of swatches of past fabrics. Since we do this process and design work simultaneously, we sometimes change the fabric to one that fits the design, or we may even develop a yarn from scratch.


I have a strong attachment to fabrics, and even if they're discontinued or old, I just can't bring myself to throw them away. It's caused quite a stir in the warehouse, but... whenever I talk about old fabrics, every fabric manufacturer is happy to hear about them. (laughs)

Sugita: "Why is the fabric so important?"

NM: "This might sound a bit philosophical, but we are always conscious of gravity. Each person has their own 'unpleasantness' or complexes about their body, but we believe that by balancing gravity and neutralizing those 'unpleasantnesses,' everyone can appear beautiful."

I believe that the design naturally emerges from patterns and constructions that express a beautiful silhouette and a graceful "drape" that follows gravity. That's why what we add and what we remove might be different from other brands. We choose and place details in a way that doesn't interfere with gravity.

Sugita: "It's true that it's very simple, but you can immediately tell someone is wearing THE RERACS clothes, right?"


NM: "Really? Thank you (laughs). If I had to describe THE RERACS in one word, it would be 'clothes that are close to everyday life but can also make a strong statement.' We don't make a statement with the design itself, but rather we pay attention to the beauty of the materials, silhouettes, and patterns."

Ultimately, Kurahashi (Naoyuki) will put everything together, so I try not to look too far ahead, but I always prioritize creating clothes that people can wear for a long time. This is also my own feeling as a consumer.

Redefining modern "luxury" beyond mere "high-end" products.

Watanabe: "I hear that the brand logo on the woven label will be changed starting with Spring/Summer 2021. It seems like a fresh start after more than 10 years, doesn't it?"

NY: "Nothing has changed in terms of the creative concept. We've been talking about changing it since we started the brand, after 10 years. It just ended up being a little late. (laughs)"

NM: "Our theme for this season is 'Re-Luxe.' This is not 'relax,' but 'Re-Luxe.' The intention is to 're-examine the definition of luxury.' I feel that the way we perceive the concept of luxury has changed in modern society."


While being of high quality as an object certainly constitutes luxury, I believe that what people are seeking today is luxury that is functional, easy to care for, and brings ease and comfort to everyday life. We actively engaged in developing materials and creating lightweight tailoring to achieve this.

NY: "Especially in the world of menswear, the pursuit of high-quality raw materials has reached a dead end. Even cotton and wool have become scarce."

However, just because something is expensive doesn't mean it will prevent wrinkles from forming when you sit down or maintain its silhouette. In reality, it's troublesome and impractical for women to iron their shirts every time before wearing them.

To maintain beautiful lines and silhouettes without stress, we need to seriously consider hybrids of natural and synthetic fibers. Just as Jil Sander re-evaluated high-quality raw materials, we should re-examine hybrid materials that compensate for shortcomings and accentuate strengths.

Sugita: "The ability to easily combine beauty and comfort—that's what 'luxury' means to THE RERACS ."

NM: "Yes. What we mean by 'luxury' today may not be 'high-end.' Or rather, what does 'high-end' mean in the modern age? We create our products with that theme in mind. You may not see a big change in the design itself. But actually, it is evolving. Our idea of 'luxury' is here."


NY: "I think the next 10 years will bring bigger changes on the business side than on the creative side. The first step is our newly launched custom order service. When Kurahashi (Naomi) and I were still students in the Faculty of Information Science, a groundbreaking custom order service for sports shoes was launched, and we were shocked. We thought, 'What an amazing new option!'"

In fact, "The Relax Fitting House," a showrooming space that doesn't hold any inventory, is another "option" we've envisioned as a new form of customer loyalty. We plan to continue developing various services at each store, including e-commerce, such as customization and measuring.

Sugita: "We're in an era where 'selection and concentration' is progressing in various fields, and consumers' spending on clothing is decreasing. But that's precisely why brands like THE RERACS are needed and chosen. As someone in charge of the sales floor, I've become an even more ardent fan (laughs)."

Watanabe: "I look forward to your continued support!"

NY&NM: "Likewise, we look forward to working with you (laughs)."

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