After 2021’s North America Roadshow GORE-TEX Studio has visited 13 like-minded individuals in different cities across Japan to talk about their personal backgrounds, local climates, favorite spots, and GORE-TEX. As a visual component, each host picked her/his favorite GORE-TEX outfit to be portrayed in. The result is a showcase of diverse styles and subcultures, captured for the GORE-TEX STUDIO JAPAN ROADSHOW.
GORE-TEX Studio: How would you describe yourself in one sentence? A logical thinker and a cautious person.
GORE-TEX Studio: Tell us a bit about your city’s climate. What are your three favorite outdoor spots in the summer and the winter? What is your favorite method of transportation and why? How do you prepare for bad weather if you spend time outside? One of my favorite places during all seasons is Setagaya Park. I like Lake Yamanaka in the winter, and the seaside in the summer. My favorite mode of transport is cycling. If rain is in the forecast, I wear a long waterproof coat or pack one in a bag.
GORE-TEX Studio: What are you wearing today? Why are you wearing it, and did you have a particular weather scenario in mind when choosing this piece? What do you love most about your GORE-TEX product? I’m wearing a classic outfit, the DAIWA PIER39 for SO NAKAMEGURO GORE-TEX INFINIUM TECH MIDDLER DOWN JACKET with jeans, a cashmere hat, and nice trainers. I chose the down jacket due to the cold weather today. I like the right amount of down for city use. I want a jacket that is warm enough to cycle in, but not a hassle when taking the train or a taxi.
GORE-TEX Studio: Where and when did you get this? Do you have any special memories connected to this item? If you could go anywhere, where would you like to take this piece? I run a shop called SO NAKAMEGURO SHOP&HOSTEL, and we stock DAIWA PIER39, so I made a special order for this piece. My best memory is when several customers bought this down jacket in all three different color options. Also, for the launch of the jacket, my managers, my colleagues and I had a photoshoot starting really early in the morning, and I have great memories from that day. To commemorate the occasion, we framed a photograph of the event and displayed it in the store. I'd like to take this jacket to Canada.
GORE-TEX Studio: Why do you think functional clothing has become more popular in recent years? Techwear used to be niche, but it has become more mainstream as it has been incorporated into casual clothing, and DAIWA PIER39 is a great example of that. We often see international artists wearing Arc'teryx or C.P. Company, which has also contributed to the popularity of functional clothing.
GORE-TEX Studio: How do you define comfort when it comes to technical apparel? I think it's about having just the right specs to suit your lifestyle.
GORE-TEX Studio: What are you looking forward to in the next six months, and are there any upcoming challenges that you're excited about? As I’ve taken over the SO NAKAMEGURO SHOP&HOSTEL, I want to continue to learn from my superiors, and I want to expand the store and put my own special stamp on it.
“Techwear used to be niche, but it has become more mainstream as it has been incorporated into casual clothing.“