Shinsuke Takizawa: The Inspirations of a NEIGHBORHOOD

One of the heavyweights to emerge from the Ura-Hara era of Japanese streetwear in the mid-90s, NEIGHBORHOOD founder Shinsuke Takizawa has remained mostly in the background in regards to the Western world. Without a well-publicized background to both himself and the brand, NEIGHBORHOOD has seen itself move outwards over the last few years through both global retail points and more visible campaigns and projects.

Inspired by motorcycles and its rebellious lifestyle, throughout the last 16 years, NEIGHBORHOOD has maintained a certain bad boy image throughout streetwear. With powerful graphics and the usage of visuals sometimes construed as culturally insensitive, Takizawa’s recent launch with Hong Kong brand izzue enabled us to sit down with the figurehead while promoting the capsule’s launch. Some European counterparts have taken issue with NEIGHBORHOOD’s usage of icons in the past and that topic among the brand’s motives and inspirations all factor in to this feature.

在90年代，里原宿街头掘起了很多潮流势力，NEIGHBORHOOD创办人瀧泽伸介就是其中之一 。纵使没有太多人知道他的背景，但NEIGHBORHOOD在过去几年内已经静静地通过大小不同的跨平台合作向全世界发展 。

在过去的16年内，其灵感都是来自摩托车和反叛的生活方式，藉著强而有力的视觉效果和敏感性的图案，NEIGHBORHOOD保持著的坏男孩形象广遍街头。瀧泽最近与香港品牌izzue的合作使我们有机会能够与这位NEIGHBORHOOD的代表人物坐下来详谈。这篇专访会谈及NEIGHBORHOOD为何会用那些图案、品牌的动机和灵感 。

Interview: Eugene Kan
Direction: Edward Chiu
Photography: Louis Lau

Interview with Shinsuke Takizawa

It’s been said before that the movie Easy Rider was a big inspiration for you to get into motorcycle culture. But of all the potential creative outlets, was there a particular reason you chose fashion?

The movie’s storyline and the culture that it represented was something that I really related to. The image was something I was extremely interested in and I felt that the best way to represent this was through fashion.

While some people feel that NEIGHBORHOOD’s design is rooted in Americana, you’ve derived a great deal of inspiration from British fashion as well. Why do you feel that NEIGHBORHOOD is sometimes seen more on the American-side of style?

I was deeply influenced by British fashion in the beginnings. However I do have a great appreciation for American heritage and the previous styles. I didn’t have a specific influence or side I wanted to lean towards. I think that fans of the brand made this assumption more so on their own.

With the subcultures that have been so influential in the 20th century such as punk and skate, has there been anything in your eyes that will replace these cultures as major forms of inspiration down the road in the present day?

Once we hit the 1990s, there really hasn’t been any great or noteworthy subcultures. It’s unfortunate but this will undoubtedly ensure that the previous movements you’ve mentioned will continue to live on for years to come.

As I follow your blog on honeyee, there’s quite a few images you post from your Land Snail Racing outings. Could you explain what it’s all about?

We’re essentially a team of racers. We deliberately picked a snail for our mascot given that it’s a slow animal not associated with speed. We race over both drag and road races.

据闻Easy Rider这部电影令你迷上电单车文化。但是，在所有创意行业中，有甚么特别的原因令您选择了时装?

我十分喜爱这部电影的故事情节和文化，我想要通过时装，来表达对这部电影的喜爱。

虽然有些人认为NEIGHBORHOOD的设计是植根于美国，但事实上你很大的灵感是来自于英国时装的。你对于NEIGHBORHOOD的设计散发著浓厚的美国风有甚么看法?

大家都知道我是深受英国时装影响的。另一方面，我又十分钟爱美国的历史和风格。倒不如说我没有一个具体的模仿对象或取向。品牌呈现给支持者的风格，就是我们的风格。

一些潮流文化对20世纪充满著影响力，例如龐克或电单车，在你眼中, 甚么文化将成为未来的主流文化?

我个人认为流行文化到了90年代已经衰落了，那个年代之后真的没有什么大的或值得注意的流行文化。这是不幸的，但无疑你提及到的这些旧的文化在未来数年间将继续流行。

我常浏览你honeyee上的博客，有相当多你Land Snail Racing外游时的相片。能否说一下？

其实我们是一队电单车队。我们更选择了一个具有讽刺意味的蜗牛标志来做我们的吉祥物，(因为它是一种缓慢和迟钝的动物。) 然而，我们是会作直路赛和公路赛两种比赛的。

With the nature of racing required upgraded garments and leathers, would you ever enter into full-body leather designs?

It hasn’t crossed my mind right now but you never know.

With your racing and riding background, this seems to enhance the authenticity of the brand. How important is this to the brand itself?

While I never really created fashion explicitly for racing itself, I do want to reflect the culture through fashion and I think living in the world of motorcycles helps me convey this goal. 

In your late teens, early 20s, you purchased your first Harley-Davidson. Did you ever keep that bike?

I didn’t keep it but I did pass it along to WTAPS’ TET and I haven’t gotten it back [laugh].

NEIGHBORHOOD has often created classic aesthetics with new-age and contemporary materials. What’s your philosophy on this?

When it comes to vintage apparel, unfortunately it’s sometimes lacking in some details. However, with these new developments in fabrics, you’re able to update the piece and offer a new and well-rounded package.

随著比赛时赛车手需要特别的服装，你会不会设计全身的皮革服装？

我暂时没有这个打算，但你永远不知道未来的想法。

你赛车的兴趣好像对品牌的风格有著重要的影响 。这对你的品牌有多重要呢？

虽然我从来没有真正将单车这形象建立在品牌上，但就你所说，我的确想将这文化反映在时装上，电单车文化的接触令我对这方面很有帮助 。

在你19、20岁的时候，您购买的第一部哈利电单车 。你还保留著它吗?

我没有留著，但我将它给了WTAPS的TET，我还没有把它拿回来呢(笑)。

NEIGHBORHOOD经常用划时代或现今的物料去重塑一些经典的款式。请问你为何会有这个理念?

从前很多经典的服装款式，它们都不是用上很好的物料。现今湛新的物料正好可以将新和旧的东西融合，将一些新、良好的物料去重塑以前一些经典的款式 。

Looking back to NEIGHBORHOOD’s icons used throughout the brand, it elicits a lot of controversy. What’s the role of these icons in the brand’s identity?

I feel it’s all part of the story-telling of the brand with the slogans and visuals we use.

If I go further on this topic, some are referencing sensitive World War II details. What’s the purpose behind this?

I don’t want to avoid these events as they’ve happened. Despite the sensitive nature of it, the use of the symbols are more of a reflection of history.

What are your favorite parts of the collection to design?

I would say denim and jackets are probably my favorite to design.

Denim has been a popular aspect of the brand for some time. How does the design process work for NEIGHBORHOOD’s denim design?

We definitely look at old worn and vintage styles. However each year, we will research and update our finishing processes and techniques to hopefully create some different looks and washes.

回顾很多NEIGHBORHOOD的品牌图案，每次都会引起许多争议。在整个品牌的形象上，它们担当住一个怎样的角色?

我觉得我们的口号和图案背后都有著它们自己的故事。

我进一步了解这个问题，有些图案是引用二战的理念。在设计的过程上会否因它的敏感性而遇上困难呢?

原则上我不希望迥避这些事件，因为它们已经发生了，尽管这些事真的很敏感。而图案的构思多数是来自真实的历史，所以亦没有甚么值得回避。

在以往的设计当中，哪一些单品是你最喜爱的?

我最喜欢的设计是牛仔裤和外套。

牛仔裤一直都是NEIGHBORHOOD最受欢迎的单品之一。其实设计牛仔裤的意念是甚么？

我们从来都著重旧式和复古的风格。然而每年，我们都会研究和改善我们成品的制作过程和技术，希望能创造出一些不同的外观和洗水效果。

On a personal note, the incense holders have been some of my favorite releases. Any particular stories behind the holders?

A lot of the incense holders we make take on inspirations from traditional Japanese styles and I wanted to carry on this design and representation.

NEIGHBORHOOD has enjoyed a great deal of success both within China and in select markets without any discernible motorcycle culture, what do you equate this popularity to?

NEIGHBORHOOD is unique in its aesthetic and this is largely the strength of the brand. NEIGHBORHOOD possess qualities that other brands don’t have on the same level.

Over the 16 year history of the brand, I’m sure you’ve experienced big changes in the way you run the brand. Do you still maintain the same attitude and DIY-style that was perhaps more prominent in the brand’s infancy?

I’ve taken an approach where I don’t really divide it into both business and DIY. The company is at its heart a humble one and we can decide direction whenever it is necessary. If something requires a more business-minded approach or DIY-approach, both are achievable. I have no specific desires or a need to grow the company far beyond what I’ve achieved now.

This season’s izzue x NEIGHBORHOOD collection is different than the previous one, what was the direction this time around?

Last year’s collection was very small, more so for a pop-up store. This time around we made something a lot more comprehensive and we pushed a more visible military theme.

As you enter this collaboration as well as other collaborations, do you take into account your demographic and then add NEIGHBORHOOD’s own twist?

We don’t really worry so much about the demographics involved. We hope to maintain our own creative vision without really taking into account who the consumer may be, however that does mean that we are aware of what sort of parties we may partner up with.

就我个人而言，NEIGHBORHOOD的香薰座是我最喜爱的单品。在背后有甚么特别的故事?

二次世界大战之后，有很多由日本生产的骷髅造型的产物出产到美国，我认为十分有趣，我们做的香薰座也是从那里找到灵感的，我们只是想承继这样子的设计和传统。

NEIGHBORHOOD在香港和中国市场内一直享有很大的成功，你认为原因是甚么？

很大程度上，NEIGHBORHOOD独特的审美观就是我们的特点。我相信NEIGHBORHOOD独特的个性是其他品牌没有的。

我相信在品牌的16年历史中，你经营品牌的方式必定经历了很大的变化。你仍想保持著当初品牌的态度和DIY风格吗?

我已经办别不了我现在的做法是商业还是DIY。我们仍然是一个十分谦虚的品牌，风格亦始终如一。只要计划上有需要，我们仍然可以决定它的方向，所以商业或DIY的方式对我而言都是可行的。

相比起上一次的系列，本季izzue x NEIGHBORHOOD系列的风格有些不同， 这一次的设计概念是甚么?

首先去年设计的系列规模比较小，只是做了一间概念店。这一次我们做得更全面，我们明显地加强了系列的军事元素。

当你与其他品牌合作的时候，你会否考虑到其他合作品牌和NEIGHBORHOOD不同的市场需求？

我不担心市场需求 。我们只希望保持著NEIGHBORHOOD独特的风格，也没有真正考虑到哪些人会是我们的客户，所以我们可以很理智地选择我们的合作伙伴。