Q: First of all, please introduce yourself.

A: I am Tomoaki Okaniwa of The Viridi-anne. This brand has been started since 2001,, it will be the 20th anniversary next year.

Q: Where is your inspiration coming from for the design of this 2021 SS collection?

A: Triggered by picking up this book at the store that I happened to drop by, like puzzle pieces are fitting together perfectly, I set up the theme to an entomologist's lifestyle. I drew the design image with the entomologist's indoor’s and outdoor’s life.

Q: After that, you actually contacted the author of this art book, didn’t you?

A: Yes. I made an offer to use illustrations and it was accepted.

Q: How do you usually design collections?

A: I start by looking at various materials.

Q：Certainly, I feel that the materials used by The Viridi-anne are very original.

A: Usually, about half of the collection is made of original fabric, and even if it is not original, we add other finishes and extra work to express the Viridi-anne feeling.

Q: What kind of materials are you attracted to?

A: One of the criteria is whether the material is beautiful or not. At the same time, we try to make the fabric to be different than others as much as possible. For example, when we want a firm fabric, we try to increase the thread count, or if we want a fabric with good drape, we can use high-twist cotton instead of cupra or rayon.

Q: What is The Viridi-anne feeling, whether it's design or material?

A: No matter what we make, we always try to leave something odd somewhere.

Q: You created a capsule collection using Cordura Nyco Japan Quality this time, what was your impression of the fabric brand Cordura originally?

A: My original impression of Cordura equals nylon. However, the looks of Nyco that I used this time was cotton and because of nylon containing, fabric a three-dimensional feeling similar to wrinkles folding softly, which I liked very much.

Q: You really liked the twill material.

A: Yes. I used garment wash on the ones that I didn’t do layering. Puckering and the look were amazing. very nice.

Q: This 3 layer mountain hoodie and backpack was a big hit for me!

A: Thank you. I also like the twill fabric that I used in these 3 layers. Unlike the usual nylon 3 layers that have a so-called outdoor taste, it doesn’t have a glossy finish and I like the fact that they have a calm and classic look.

Q: Lastly, thank you for making this wonderful capsule collection! I was honestly surprised at the high degree of perfection. It was beyond my expectations.

A: Thank you very much. I am satisfied with this capsule collection as well, so I would love to do it again if I have a chance.