Music as a constant partner
2020 was an eventful year for Hiroshi Fujiwara. In keeping with his Beats collaboration, the designer and mentor has returned to the studio to release “Slumbers 2”, a melodic follow-up to his 2017 album of the same name. If we include singles, Fujiwara has been active on the music scene since 1988. It’s no surprise then, that the Japanese mastermind’s friends include top-class musicians such as Jon Mayer and Eric Clapton. “I got to know Eric in the 90s in Harajuku – he’s an incredible musician,” Fujiwara reminisces. “I’m sure that his way of working creatively is no less incredible. But I’d say that he has a different way of approaching his work.”
Photo by @fujiwarahiroshi
When asked about his favourite songs from last year, Fujiwara points us towards a playlist he put together himself. According to Fujiwara, playlists and curations help us to appreciate music despite the shift to digital listening. “Even if every song is available on-demand and fewer recordings are being purchased, the appreciation of music itself has not been lost. Quite the opposite. I have a good friend who always posts new songs from unknown and better-known artists in a kind of Discord group. This helps me to keep up to date and discover more music than ever.”
Collabs and his own store
Unfortunately, 2020, alongside all the other negative things that happened, was also the year in which Fujiwara’s own store, “The Conveni”, closed its doors. The shop was set up to look like a supermarket and stocked brands such as Fragment Design, Neighborhood, Undercover and WTAPS, alongside food and drinks items. With this store, Fujiwara had brought to life his third retail concept, following on from “Pool” and “Parking Ginza”. Whether a new, replacement space is in the works, however, is something he does not want to reveal at this point.
Photo by @dieser_rami
What is clear, however, is that Fragment Design is not just a brand. It is more of a design powerhouse, providing partners from all industries to enjoy the spotlight of the Blitz logo and integrate a new design approach into the brand’s DNA. According to Fujiwara, anyone who works with him is completely dependent on “timing”. No brand and no market is unwanted. Fujiwara explains the transition from normal brand to the Fragment Design Legacy, as we know it today. “In the 90s, “Goodenough” and other brands that I was involved with at the time were very different to Fragment Design. Back then, I was involved in the complete production process and even took part in aspects such as distribution or marketing. With Fragment Design, I help with other brands’ designs or create concepts that take the brand essence and give it a new twist”.
Collaboration retrospective
For the second half of our conversation, we spoke about some of Fujiwara’s past collaborations and his personal experiences when working with global names such as Nike and Beats.
Photo by @fujiwarahiroshi
Nike
The first collaborator that springs to mind when you think of Fujiwara is, of course, Nike. The designer has worked with the Oregon brand on multiple occasions. He was responsible for the first major collaborations with Jordan brand, formed the creative collective HTM, which also includes Tinker Hatfield and Mark Parker, and managed to boost the appeal of progressive silhouettes such as the Sock Dart or Inneva Woven Racer. “It’s always a pleasure to work with the Swoosh. The projects that Nike approaches me with are always very interesting and challenge me as a designer. I also love the brand’s archive, and over the next few years we’re sure to see a few highlights from it.”
Photo by @another_man
Louis Vuitton
Some people may not be familiar, but Fragment Design enjoys an stellar reputation within the high fashion scene. In 2017, Fujiwara worked with Kim Jones to release a range of extremely handsome pieces. This collection included sporty bags, as well as the Nano Bag, which, at the time represented a daring adventure into the world of sportswear for Louis Vuitton – long before Virgil Abloh entered into the picture. For his designer colleagues, Hiroshi Fujiwara has nothing but praise. “It’s been a few years since I worked with Louis Vuitton. But I really like their current collections. Virgil is doing a great job!”
Photo by @walkerdong
Starbucks
Making brands like Nike or Louis Vuitton cool isn’t a huge challenge, but giving a completely mainstream product a touch of cool? Only a few people can manage that. Hiroshi Fujiwara’s work with Starbucks is unparalleled in this regard. “With Starbucks, there’s much more to discover than just coffee. I created my own items, architecturally designed and accompanied by two stores in Japan, and I am also engaging with the brand for more upcoming concepts,” explains Fujiwara. “Although I’ve already done a few things with Starbucks, I think that there are still so many ideas that could be brought to life.”
Photo by @fujiwarahiroshi
Beats
For a musician, selecting the right set of headphones is a much more challenging task than it is for the average Spotify user. The collaboration with Beats, which has begun back in 2014, is significant in this respect. The brand had already worked with other brands, such as Ambush or Undefeated, and this year found its way to Fragment Design, too. Powerbeats Pro represents a purist development of Fujiwara’s work for Beats to date. “I played with a few colourways initially, but then I fell in love with the monochrome, black version,” he explains. “My collaboration with Beats is very rewarding for me, and I’m already looking forward to getting started on the next project with them.”
Rimowa
Despite his futuristic appeal, Fujiwara keeps things very old-school when it comes to exchanges with potential partners. One of these partners lured the designer to the cathedral city of Cologne, Germany, where, in addition to a visit to McDonald’s, he also found his way to the luxury suitcase brand, Rimowa. The German brand has worked with a variety of brands in recent times, including Fendi, Off-White, Supreme, and Ambush. Unfortunately, the meeting did not lead to any new Fragment products for the time being: “I completed a few designs but for some reason, it wasn’t meant to be. But I still love Rimowa suitcases and use my own regularly,” explains Fujiwara.
Short and sweet
To bring our interview to a relaxed conclusion, we finished by asking him three quick-fire questions:
What are your favourite trainers?
The standard classics from Nike that have been on the market for decades and will never lose their relevance.
Which Japanese brand deserves more attention?
Definitely Sequel! I have already created a joint tote bag with them for Ramidus, and this year I want to make sure that more people take notice of the brand.
Your 2020 in three words?
Sleep, reset, start.
