TENDER PERSON, started by Mr. Yashige inviting Ms. BIANCA to start a brand together while still attending Bunka Fashion College, has welcomed its 10th year while maintaining their strong passion and rich sensitivity towards fashion. Their positive and powerful pieces which is unanimously favored even by overseas artists, is exactly what Ms. BIANCA aims for when she says, “being someone’s treasure”. Now, while the memory of their runway presentation at Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO last March is still fresh, we spoke to them who we feel has great potential to advance even further, on the now of the brand and its future.

Please tell us your present business situation.

We presently have 20 or so domestic accounts, and although there are fluctuations in our overseas accounts, we have approximately 5 accounts. Rather than grasping the number of accounts we have, we place importance on things like how our items are handled at retail shops, how our items are portrayed on SNS, frequently checking in on how our retails are doing, and communicating well with buyers. There is not much we can do as soon as our products are lined up at stores, but we are constantly concerned with how our products are being handled at the stores.

Your brand seems to be growing steadily.

When we first started the brand, we were thinking only about domestic developments, aiming to be an inbound brand chosen by foreign visitors to Japan as a Japanese culture. Despite that, we were never conscious of making “clothing that Japanese wear” in our production. We have simply and honestly continued to face and produce the fashion we ourselves wished to create. As a result, we began to think of overseas as a place that will appreciate the creations of TENDER PERSON, and compounded with being encouraged by people around us, we started to contemplate developments in overseas markets, which led to tying a contract with an overseas showroom, receiving the TOKYO FASHION AWARD, and here we are.

What prompted you to apply to TFA?

We were at a time when we were contemplating overseas developments, and because expressing ourselves with words or giving a so-called presentation is a weak point for both of us, we have sort of been avoiding contests, but TFA judges through seeing and feeling creations, which we were happy about, so we decided to apply.

Having been awarded the TFA, how was this year?

We were struck with awe in proceeding according to the schedule explained to us after being awarded…but in any case, it was a year that passed in a blink of an eye. Many, many, people, such as our business customers, factories, teachers that supported us, rejoiced over our winning the award, which made us happy because it felt as if we were able to repay them for their kindness. At the same time, we felt a strong sense of pressure in meeting the expectations of the people around us, living up to their support, so honestly speaking, there were moments when it was painful, but we feel we completed a fine collection through overcoming such feelings, and have grown.

How was the showroom in Paris?

Gaining a first-hand experience in seeing the experience level or production of other brands, how buyers appraise, we were stimulated in a whole lot of ways, such as becoming aware of our margin to grow, possibilities of things only we can do, etc. Having received reactions at the overseas showroom, there have also been a change in our attitude towards facing production, such as making the most of reactions to our collection in its production, reexamining of our expressive methods, introduction of new skills, etc. We feel a need to continue exhibiting at Paris.

How do you feel your brand is being received overseas?

Presently, the market that appreciates us the most is South Korea, with a large-scale shop laying out a rack for us near the first floor entrance, and a variety of artists wearing our creations, it is a happy situation. H.Lorenzo of the US, also selects items with high impact or hand-knit items we create every season as a special almost one-of-a-kind piece. The aspect we enjoy the most about overseas sales is that we are not questioned about our genre as a brand. People look at our collection without being constrained by existing frameworks of categorization or taste, such as men’s, women’s, etc.

Please tell us about your future prospects for the brand.

We would like to increase overseas accounts, and hope for our own shop as a place to surely convey our worldview. Also, we feel, bringing in viewpoints of other people broadens creations, along with bringing about environmental improvements, so we intend to increase the number of our staff, and arrange operations to work as a team.

Is there anything you would like to say to designers or brands presently considering applying to TFA?

Ms. BIANCA) When we were awarded the TFA, it was at a time when we were feeling discouraged as a designer, so when we were notified of the award, we were surprised and strongly anxious at the same time, but this year has been nothing but good, and as a result, we feel it has been an opportunity for us to grow. So, let’s go for it, together!

Mr. Yashige) Moving around with people of other brands, enjoying delicious meals together, etc., was like a summer camp for grownups kind of experience, which enabled us to spend some fun time, too!