There are many documents and files at the atelier.
One type is something necessary in the process of making clothes known as the “Spec Sheet”.
Basically, a form of instructions.
One book of files is made for each season and filed.
By going back and looking through them, you can see the change in clothes
or each season’s characteristics, so this becomes an important
document that ties into what is next.
A new book starts from this month.
I am truly looking forward to the outcome.

Yasunari Iwasaki / Pattern Maker

All things WTAPS.

Lately, working overtime has been continuing.
Sometimes I notice the date has changed, and times like this dinner becomes more important than you may think.
Of course what we eat and where we eat depends on the work of the day and how many people are still working.

At the atelier, we all have lunch together at the same time resting our hands from work and this may be something necessary for the night also.

Because it is truly unfortunate when you notice you have lost the timing because you were going at it too hard.
Even if you are alone, I feel that the workflow goes smoother if you take a proper time out.

Naoyuki Inoue / Production

All things WTAPS.

Many plans have been set into motion including the 2012 Spring Summer exhibition.

Each season the situation surrounding is different and changes at a bewildering pace so if the format is kept the same, or you just sit idly and wait for things to trickle down, it will of course affect the quality and even things that should have been on schedule, will not meet the deadlines.

That is why everyone involved including all of the staff at the atelier and
even dealers or the factories try to know and understand each one’s situation; everyday I try to make sure to take a step back and see the whole picture.

Also if you make a decision based on a misconception of your position or try to proceed along with preconceived notions, that is just calling for trouble.
Always be cautious when proceeding.

Yukiyoshi Shimada / Production

All things WTAPS.

I think they are probably so many
things that are called tools
even from my completely untrained eyes
and I bet there are many more and more types of tools
at the WTAPS atelier
than what should at most apparel workplaces.

The WTAPS atelier interior
was handmade by the designer.
At first I was really surprised that
interior work was done by someone not from that profession
but while watching how the large amount of tools at the atelier
appear when needed and what needed
I started to think that this was normal
and when something happened to break, or when something was needed
my initial reaction has become “fix/make it yourself”.

But
I cannot think up of things and far from being familiar with the
tasks having movement with no waste like the designer
so in my case the tool I use the most is a
flathead screwdriver.

Shiori Etsugu / PR

All things WTAPS.

Doek.
It is supposedly Dutch
and spelled that way.
Meaning a rubber soled shoe made with thick canvas.

The WTAPS Canvas Sneaker is truly this.
For the upper, a #7 canvas is used and the sole is vulcanized
finished with a rubber wrapping tape;
a really simple basic doek.
The role a doek should only play is to “not get in the way”.
To not get in the way of anyone.
Including the clothes matched with
or the person wearing it.
That is the way of the doek.

Tetsu Nishiyama / Director

All things WTAPS.