The samples are out
the prices and delivery times are set
did the look book shoot
done with the in house meeting
all the prep work needed is finished as of this past week.

It is a quiet weekend at the atelier,
but after this weekend things will get happening.
The exhibition is from Monday.

Naoyuki Inoue / Production

There is a makeshift hanger rack in the corner of the atelier.
When this appears, exhibition time is near.
On this hanger rack starting from now,
the samples that come up get hanged up one by one.
They wait their turn here before they get displayed in the pressroom.
While doing the final checks it is routine for us
to enjoy our own pre-exhibition before everyone else.
The most nervous and exciting time for us in production
is right around the corner.

Naoyuki Inoue / Production

Last week 3 of us (the designer, production manager, and myself)
went to Hiroshima and Okayama.

Being attended by a dealer that always take care of us
we went around sewn product manufacturing and modification
factories checking out the process of how WTAPS products are made
also we were able to actually touch and use the tools experiencing
the process; we were able to spend a very valuable time.

Unfortunately opportunities like this are not frequent;
being able to see what goes on in the field there were many things
that we noticed for the first time.
There were things that I thought I knew about,
but actually didn’t know about.
The most important was the obvious of how we are because
these people are here, and through the commonplace method of meeting
these people face to face and talking, we were able to realize this.

I would like to give my thanks to those people that take care of us in
making things together.
We look forward to keep this relationship going.

Naoyuki Inoue / Production

Usually I consider throwing whatever into a bag when I use it
but in reality depending on the shape
and size you are limited to what you can
put in and when it came down to bags that can fit anything
I really didn’t have many around.

This is the BARREL from this season
and may be something you can call a duffle bag that fits anything.
Thick duck canvas with fat stitching and down to the pockets
and hammer hooks the details are taken down from
the previous season’s UNION.
Material that can take a beating
a strap that you can arrange depending on use
wide opening with a drawstring and a body
that has a 40cm circumference
really allowing the bag to hold a lot.

When you don’t have any plans to take it out
it is also useful in the room
you can throw whatever laying around looking messy into it.

Naoyuki Inoue / Production

Researching stuff is so much easier now compared to the past.
Just do a search on the net
and things you didn’t know or couldn’t remember instantly shows up.
But what is there is an answer someone else has given.
Answers no one knows still have to be searched for on your own.
Even with knowledge, there are things you still cannot answer.
Your own experience shines through in situations like this.
Only when a little wisdom or skill is thrown in the mix with this,
it becomes an experience you can trust.

Continuing from last week, a work shop will take place at Blackflag this week.
The theme is Zine Making.
Please take part and experience it.

Photo by Taro Hirano

Naoyuki Inoue / Production