In September 2023, Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building will celebrate its 20th anniversary. While various events are planned, one of the highlights of the Men's Contemporary section on the 6th floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building is a pop-up shop in collaboration with BoTT, a Japanese brand that has attracted attention from all over the world. Titled "THE MELTING BoTT," the shop brings together brands with close ties and young creators, centered around BoTT's creator TEITO.

This promotion encapsulates the current Tokyo street scene and represents the next generation. This time, buyer Toriyama, the mastermind behind the project, interviewed TEITO along with two creators with whom he has had a long-standing relationship: director/videographer udai and Kei Hashimoto, director of the product label CarService, which advocates the fusion of car culture and fashion.

Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building will serve as a "hub," showcasing the current state of Tokyo's streets.

Toriyama: "The theme of our 20th-anniversary event was 'Tradition and Innovation,' so on the 6th floor, we wanted to focus on innovation and look towards the future. This milestone is a perfect opportunity to let many people know about Tokyo's new streets and their atmosphere. So the first person we reached out to was TEITO, led by BoTT. We knew that TEITO creates things while valuing their connections with their friends."

TEITO: "I have a lot of friends who are what you might call creators, whether they make clothes, work as graphic designers, or are involved in music. When I heard that this was a 20th-anniversary event, I immediately wanted to participate. As I talked with Toriyama-san, we decided it would be a good idea to gather my friends and create a space for it, so I reached out to a few people. I'm not exactly the leader type, though (laughs). The two people here today have been friends since vocational school. I'm very happy that we're able to work together like this."


Toriyama: "That's absolutely true. So, once again, could you tell us about your activities?"

TEITO: "I am the designer for BoTT. The brand itself will be celebrating its 5th anniversary next year, and we have been working with Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building since we did a pop-up there in 2021. We are currently working hard to gradually increase our activities overseas."

Kei Hashimoto: "I run a creative studio called CarService. With the aim of passing on car culture to the next generation, I create car accessories, arrange cars for brand visuals and music videos, and engage in creative activities without being bound by any particular form. I used to make clothes and hold exhibitions, but I prefer work like direction and curation, so now I only release clothing for special collaborations and am working to broaden the base of car culture in various formats."


Udai: "I mainly focus on video production, but I also do photography and other activities. I've made image movies for both BoTT and CarService, and I enjoy working with old friends, so I'm looking forward to this. I never imagined we'd be working together as a group while also pursuing our individual projects outside of school. Kei and I have known each other since high school. However, this is the first time the three of us have worked together since our student days, and it's our first public collaboration. So, in that sense, I'm really looking forward to it."

"THE MELTING BoTT," a melting pot of Tokyo's new culture.

Toriyama: "This time, we came up with a promotion titled "THE MELTING BoTT." This was an idea that TEITO came up with, and it represents a state where various brands and creators are mixed together with BoTT at the center. It also has a double meaning, and I think it's a really good title. As for the brands, BoTTfake as flowersKOWGAshoegazetokyovitamin, and Kei and Udai will be participating as individual creators."

Udai: "For this project, we created caps with the words 'LOVE AND DUTY' on them. In a world where it's easy to connect with people on social media, I wanted to convey the message that we should cherish real-life relationships more, not just out of obligation or sentimentality."

TEITO: "Udai is associated with hats, and I helped with the graphics this time, but I also talk to Udai about social interactions, including on social media, on a regular basis, and I think it's typical of him that there's a clear message."


Kei Hashimoto: "This time, we're planning to release items featuring our newly created logo. We'll print it on vintage T-shirts. Each one will have its own unique characteristics, and I think it will be fun for customers to choose the one they like best."

TEITO: "For BoTT, we plan to showcase new items featuring the star logo that we created for this spring/summer. They have a different, more pop image compared to our popular standard OG logo items, so we hope you'll enjoy the new vibe."



Toriyama: "We just received the samples, and as a special item, we've created a varsity jacket adorned with patches from each brand and creator. We had said that brand logos would be fine too, but everyone came up with graphics. I think that with brands that symbolize current Tokyo culture participating for our 20th anniversary, it has become a truly memorable item."

Udai: "I've been using bullet holes as a motif for a long time, and I've expressed them through embroidery. I've used them in collage works I made before, and I also have them as tattoos. It's a motif that I'm personally very attached to. I think each item reflects the individual colors of the artist."

Kei Hashimoto: "My new logo is a play on my nickname, Keiboy, and the famous car magazine 'Cowboy,' and is a modified version of the magazine's logo. This is the first time I'm showing it to everyone. It's a logo I want to cherish going forward."

I hope we can continue to grow together in the future.

Toriyama: "In terms of public image, Isetan is strongly associated with being a long-established department store. I'd like to see what happens when creators who represent today's street culture come together there, and I also want customers at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building to know about it. I think this will be a promotion that will allow us to showcase what we've been working on as a men's contemporary brand."


Kei Hashimoto: "Last February, we had a pop-up shop as CarService at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building . I think it's interesting for a company like ours to have a pop-up shop in a department store, so I was very happy when we were asked to do it again this time."

TEITO: "The idea that something we created would be displayed in Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , a place I used to frequent as a student, was something I never could have imagined back then."

Udai: "It's a place that naturally makes you stand up straighter, and it's definitely a special place, so I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of reactions we'll get."

TEITO: "There was a time when I thought being independent was the coolest thing, but now I don't have any resistance to brands growing bigger. In fact, as you grow bigger, you can do more things. Big brands that represent street fashion have established a solid brand image. I don't think they're that far away, and I think that if everyone keeps going, they'll naturally become that kind of presence, so I'm continuing my activities with that in mind, and I'd be happy if people could see where we are now."