VIDEO CREATED BY Jack Webb & Peter Miles
Ryuuhei Daimaru from Fukuoka is behind the NY brand OVERCOAT. Having conducted countless interviews through various media, including a roundtable discussion last season, I pondered, "What should I ask this time...?" as I headed to the atelier in Chinatown, but it turned out to be unnecessary worry. Not only did we discuss the 2021 Autumn/Winter collection, but also the story of the notebook that Daimaru has been keeping since his teenage years, and his recent biggest concern, which is about 'holes'. Gradually, the conversation delved deeper...
Akiko Ichikawa (hereafter A): Is there anything you feel I missed asking?
Ryuuhei Daimaru (hereafter O): Is there? (laughs)
A: I think OVERCOAT is a brand characterized by patterns and unique specifications that I've never seen before, so I wanted to ask you about the process of how you create new designs today.
I believe it varies among designers, some sketch, while others think while touching various fabrics, but how do you come up with ideas?
O: I have a notebook. I've been jotting down various things in a small notebook since my teenage years. Not limited to clothing design, but also ideas like, "Wouldn't it be interesting to do this?" Recently, I've been using the notes feature on my iPhone. But in the end, even if I take notes, I hardly review them later.
A: I wonder if writing it down helps with memory.
O: Perhaps when I look back at my notes, it might be when I'm not in a creative mode. I'm a bit of a worrywart (laughs), so I always stock ideas in case I really need them. But I feel like only the things that remain in my head ultimately take shape. What I forget probably isn't that important.
A: The theme for the 2021 Autumn/Winter collection was 'Soft', but how did you go about assembling the collection?
O: This season, I proceeded with the image of creating with soft tailoring. Given the current pandemic era, I thought there might be a demand for clothes that are soft and fluffy to the touch.
A: What about the shapes?
O: When I see good fabric, a rough design comes to mind immediately. Fabrics that don't inspire a design might not need to be used. I might have too much information now that I'm getting older (laughs).
Sometimes I create an interesting shape first and then think about what fabric would fit it. But even then, I usually have a fabric in mind while creating. For this shape, gabardine would definitely be good, or this one is for serge, etc.
New Designs Beyond Forgetting and Misunderstanding
A: Are you always looking for new fabrics?O: Yes. But recently, I've been thinking of making in a way that doesn't go against the flow of fabrics.
A: Oh, does that mean you've become more rounded? (laughs) Were you sharper before? (laughs)
O: No, no, no (laughs). Well, there are times I start from a logical standpoint. For example, when I fold fabric on the bias and hang it somewhere, the drape that naturally comes out is shaped as it is. I think methods that extract the beautiful flow of fabric are interesting lately.
In flat pattern drafting, for example, with a jacket, the ratio of chest width to back width is already determined, and I create the shape according to those numbers. I've gotten older and have a lot of that knowledge (laughs). But conversely, that knowledge can also be a hindrance. If I'm too bound by knowledge, it can lead to boring designs that are rigidly formulaic. So, I think once you reach your late 30s, it's better to start fresh. It's better to forget.
When something is handed to me, and I'm asked to create something with it, I think about how to make it interesting. Even if I'm trying to start fresh, my mind isn't at zero, and only what truly remains in me comes out. So, I have to make an effort to forget.
A: You're entering a different stage of creation.
O: Yes, I think it's better to forget what I've noted down. Recently, there's just too much information.
A: Indeed. Nowadays, whether in design or in life, what various people are doing is constantly shared and made public through the internet and social media. In the past, many things could only be seen by physically visiting stores, and the sources of information were more limited. Now, unless you actively shut down, information just keeps coming in.
O: For example, if I see someone wearing a beautiful dress on a street corner in Paris, that memory is filtered through my perspective. So, when I base a design on that memory, there's a possibility of misunderstanding. But I believe fashion design is fundamentally a series of misunderstandings. Inspiration has no way to be recorded, so you can only remember it. I think that arbitrary misunderstanding is what comes out as my color or design.
Even if I remember the color of a dress as red, it might have actually been pink. But if I take a photo of that dress with my smartphone and later review the details, I find that I gradually lose track of where I was inspired from.
A: The impression received at that moment and the impression seen later in a photo might differ, depending on the environment or situation you're in. Nowadays, everyone keeps taking photos in museums and restaurants. Ideally, one should take the time to look, feel, and savor, and retain it as a memory, but it seems like people can't settle down unless they take a photo.
O: In the past, such misunderstandings occurred naturally, but now it might be the opposite and more difficult. Whether in art or food, I always continue the training of thinking in front of something.
We Can't Live Without 'Holes'
O: Recently, I've been interested in holes. The theory of holes.A: Holes!?
O: Yes. You can't just show a hole by itself, can you? A hole is something that doesn't exist without an external object; it has no substance. Yet, holes play a significant role in the world; we can't live without them.
In OVERCOAT, I value ease in design, but the space between the body (nude size) and the fabric is like a hole, isn't it? According to the textbook, for a tight jacket, the ease should be 8 cm for a nude size, 6 cm if you want it tighter, and 12 cm for a normal fit, but our jackets often have 25 to 26 cm of ease. That's why you can layer a lot underneath, or the ease appears as beautiful drapes; you could say we design something like 'holes'.
Designs with beautiful ease make the flow of the fabric look beautiful. Lately, I've been thinking about wanting to design 'holes' or ease. It's like negative space. While everyone tends to design the object itself, I think it's also important to design the space between objects.
A: You could say it's play. They say that handles don't function well without play.
O: Including the space and relationships between objects.
A: The conversation is getting philosophical; it's deep (laughs).
O: It is deep (laughs). I think holes, ease, and space are things that Japanese people have traditionally valued. For example, if there's a cup, it seems that in the West, many design approaches focus on the cup itself, while in Japan, they consider whether the space where the cup exists is comfortable for the user. This might be because Japanese people are an agricultural people who have always valued nature.
Rather than being a hunting people who acquire finished products, Japanese people have cultivated something while coexisting with nature. Therefore, they had to value their relationship with nature, right? Japan is a country prone to natural disasters. I think Japanese people might be better at dealing with things like COVID or plagues...
Recently, when I was driving in Shizuoka, no matter how many turns I took, I could see Mount Fuji beautifully from the car window. I thought they must have designed the roads to showcase Mount Fuji beautifully. A design that considers the relationship between the road and Mount Fuji is great, isn't it? It might take extra time to reach the destination, but that would surely make the journey more enjoyable.
A: It's not just about going efficiently from point A to point B.
O: A design that allows you to enjoy the process. I'm very interested in holes and spaces right now.
Interview Part 2: “The Genius Runner in a Panda T-Shirt, Ryuuhei Daimaru Will Continue to Run.”
Interview Part 1: “Meeting Dice&Dice and OVERCOAT.”
View the full list of “OVERCOAT” products here.
Ryuuhei Daimaru
Born in Fukuoka Prefecture. After graduating from Bunka Fashion College, he worked as a pattern maker for Japan's leading maison brands. In 2006, he was scouted by a certain New York brand and moved to the U.S. In 2008, he established the design planning company “oomaru seisakusho 2” in Manhattan, New York. The name is derived from his family's furniture factory, and it was founded with the philosophy of creating a new status in fashion based on craftsmanship. All staff are Japanese, and they continue to convey the creativity and quality of MADE IN JAPAN to the world. He currently provides planning design, pattern making, and sample sewing services to numerous creators. He started the brand “OVERCOAT” in the Autumn/Winter season of 2015. In 2016, he established “Daimaru Seisakusho 3” in Jingumae, Tokyo.
(Awards, etc.)
2014: 2nd CFDA FASHION MANUFACTURING INITIATIVE
2015: Winner of the 33rd Mainichi Fashion Award, Amiko Kujiraoka Award, consecutively.
OVERCOAT
OVERCOAT is founded on the principle of “Wearing New York,” initiated by designer Ryuuhei Daimaru. Initially, it was a unisex brand focusing solely on coats under the name THE GREATEST OVERCOATS PROJECT by oomaru seisakusho 2. After several seasons, it has now expanded to produce total looks including jackets, pants, shirts, and scarves. In New York, “oomaru seisakusho 2” also accommodates custom orders by appointment. The pattern features innovative shoulder lines. While being ready-to-wear, it creates beautiful silhouettes that fit the wearer like haute couture. It proposes borderless designs that do not discriminate based on size, gender, or age. The materials are developed in collaboration with manufacturers boasting the highest quality in the world, depending on the season. They continuously propose updated items by reproducing materials that were once used as old uniforms or military clothing, or by applying unique post-processing.
Akiko Ichikawa
Based in NY, she engages in branding and consulting in the fields of fashion, design, and art. She has been reviewing New York Collections for over 20 years and is also involved in editing and writing for newspapers and magazines.