DAYDREAM: DETZ Matsuda & Hiroshi Fujiwara Interview

With the recent announcement of his latest Doubt Everything Publication with partner Hiroshi Fujiwara, DETZ Matsuda sits down to discuss the forthcoming project in detail. After releasing OUTSTANDING late last year, the creative duo comes together for a second publication titled DAYDREAM, which explores the recent surge in popularity surrounding contemporary redesigns of classical Americana styles. In the succeeding interview Matsuda touches on the formation of Doubt Everything, their platforms’s direction or lack thereof, the decline in Japanese magazines, and more. DAYDREAM is currently available for purchase through select stockists including ZOZOTOWN with a price tag of ¥970 JPY (approximately $12 USD).

How did you get involved in this project?
DETZ Matsuda: I started off with some other magazines in the past. Come 2005, I was a bit burnt out so I decided to take a break. However I had the opportunity arise with OUTSTANDING and now the second issue which has become DAYDREAM. Both of these have fallen under Doubt Everything Publications. I worked in tandem with Hiroshi (Fujiwara) at honeyee.com and I really wanted him involved in this magazine as I knew he had a lot he could bring to the table.

So are DAYDREAM and OUTSTANDING two separate concepts?
DETZ Matsuda: Both magazines are an extension of our company’s name “Doubt Everything” and the philosophy is something we adhere to quite closely. We will continue to change as we see fit and the titles of OUTSTANDING to DAYDREAM are a good example of that. Everything is up for discussion and change including the size of the issue, the feel, and even the paper used.

Does that mean your editorial direction also changes?
DETZ Matsuda: We never really follow a format. For us, it’s more like what we’re interested in at the time. Magazines always follows this traditional format such as, spring season must have these things related to spring and winter must follow what pertains to winter, etc. I don’t like these barriers and want to avoid this altogether. For me it is back to the basics. I want to examine what fashion to me really is. If this was to be just another magazine, I wouldn’t have done it.

A lot more print magazines are coming out. Why do you think that is? Is this a trend?
DETZ Matsuda: Simply put, there are some things that can only be presented in paper format. As we had previously discussed, when done properly you can truly create a collectible feeling to a magazine or greatly enhance the consumption of content due to the physical nature of a magazine.

Your magazine is more for a niche audience, how do you keep up with products or find new brands?
DETZ Matsuda: I try to expose myself to more and more new things. I will go to exhibitions and travel around looking at new brands. I don’t want people to take this magazine home with the belief that what we say is the rule. I would rather them take it home, read it over, and come to a conclusion themselves and really scrutinize this magazine from cover to cover. I hope after that, they can have a new idea and understanding of fashion.

The new issue has a strong Americana theme throughout. Do you think the new generation will have the same connection as the pioneers of this style?
DETZ Matsuda: I think to the new generation, this is a new style to them, but it will still have a strong impression on them because if you look at the past, America has had a tremendous impact on the Japanese culture. This issue is to look at a new wave of Americana fashion and to explore the general reception towards it.

The market for Japanese magazines has been on a decline these past years, does this impact the release of this magazine?
DETZ Matsuda: It won’t be like the past where you could sell them out faster than you could print them. This will be for the reader who sort of already knows what we are about and is interested in this content. We hope that after reading it, they’ll solidify their opinion about our platform and they can continue their interest into future issues.

There’s a multi-page spread in this issue that highlights your favorite items. If you had to choose some of your favorite items, what would they be?
Hiroshi Fujiwara: This issue has a lot of American style fashion throughout, but it doesn’t necessarily influence me. Some people give me items that I don’t touch for several years and when I think the time is right I will wear them. Some of my favorite items include the Dr. Martens by HYPEBEAST with the debossed wingtip as well as pieces from Vivienne Westwood.

Your ability to pull something out half a decade later, is this the definition of timeless design.
Hiroshi Fujiwara: A lot people will say that the style has passed, but I love to just bring old stuff out to wear.

What is your favorite brand?
Hiroshi Fujiwara: We don’t look at at it like that. We don’t have a specific brand we only like. We treat it like music. We like numerous artists, who release many songs – some we like some we don’t like and our tastes can change over the years.