In the 1990s, Tokyo's fashion scene rapidly accelerated.
MADE IN WORLD has evolved from a parallel import product lineup to a select shop for up-and-coming domestic brands, and sales continue to increase tremendously.
At that time, there were no select shops that carried domestic independent brands, so MIW was approached to establish a brand.
They were all friends of the staff, and the unique groove that came out of that was really cool.
Also, because of Boo-chan's good personality, it seemed like more and more people were gathering around him. Kiyonaga-kun before he founded ``SOPH.'' and Omura, who became the representative of ``Supreme'' in Japan, rented MIW's office and went on to spread their wings.
While watching them step up from the sidelines, I was also trying to grow in my own way.
In 1995, he established a company of which he was the representative.
The name is "FUTURE INN".
Shortly before this, I started working independently, producing catalogs for various men's magazines and select shops, just as I do now. Although it wasn't my intention to start a company, I felt like it would be easier to organize my work that way, so I just wanted to make it a corporation for convenience.
However, like most people, I also rented space in the MIW office.
However, the days I spent with them, who are 5 or 6 years younger than me, were also exciting.
Naturally, I was also involved in the direction of MIW, and in addition to domestic bras, I was also involved in purchasing overseas brands, so I traveled overseas quite often.
There was a time when I went out 13 times in one year, the most.
Looking at the fashion scene from a different perspective during this era, the ``select shop boom'' was amazing.
``BEAMS'', ``SHIPS'', and ``UNITED ARROWS'', which are known as the three selected brands, were featured in the magazine Begin, and as a result, the press profession became a star.
The foundation of Begin today can be traced back to this era.
I also worked as a stylist for this magazine.
People from the press also appeared heavily in the magazine, and they became the spark for the further boom.
And once again, they become friends beyond the boundaries of work, and as a result, they go out on the town at night, which is the usual pattern.
Why? Now that I'm writing my resume, I find myself thinking, ``Here's this pattern again...'' But anyway, those days were fun, and it was a natural progression.
(At that time, Begin. From left: UA Yoshiwara, SHIPS Nakazawa, and BEAMS Kaneda. They literally had the power to knock down a flying bird.)
By the way, a popular serial project on Begin at the time was ``10 Year Player Stories.''
It was a page where Ms. Tsai, who created a fashion conglomerate including Huynh Nam (bitter smile), introduced her own personal items that she had loved for 10 years in a magazine.
Ms. Tsai's basic and evergreen fashion sense was expressed in a very personal way, and I think that was the trigger for the boom in reprints and custom-made items.
There's no end to the list of things like "New Balance 1300" and "Champion's Reverse Weave," but the fact that it was Ms. Tsai's own everyday wear was convincing.
Occasionally, there were some lame jokes like ``Florsheim's Cobra Pumps'' lol.
Even so, looking back, I don't get the impression that we were as close as we are now, even though I met Mr. Cai in the late 80's and we both worked together in magazines in the 90's.
Little did I know at the time that at this age we would become good friends to the point where we went on a trip to eat crab together.
At that time, the person I was really close with was Mr. Nakazawa, a member of the press of SHIPS, which is one of the three select families, but I will write about the nostalgic days I learned from him next time.