INTERSECTION vol.01
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The first episode of "INTERSECTION," a project in which Sanchez from VIRGOwearworks' PRESS talks about behind-the-scenes stories that haven't been released to the public, has been released.
We welcome two guests who have been with ORANGE RANGE since before the brand was launched and since its early days: long-time stylist Tokunaga Takashi and YOH (ORANGE RANGE), bassist of a five-piece rock band from Okinawa. They will also be joined by Director/Designer Yu Kitajo, and enjoy a conversation that feels just like everyday conversation.
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Sanchez: "We created a collaborative jacket with Tokunaga-san as part of our brand's 20th anniversary project. Continuing that tradition, we've joined forces with YOH of ORANGE RANGE, who has been with VIRGOwearworks since its inception, to delve deeper into areas that haven't been explored until now. We look forward to working with you both."
Tokunaga: "Sancho can be a host."
Sanchez: "No, it's my first time (laughs)."
YU: "He will be working as the editor-in-chief from now on."
YOH: Hahaha (laughs)
Tokunaga: "They do this kind of thing every time."
Sanchez: "We did some Instagram Live talks and streamed them during the coronavirus pandemic."
YU: “You can’t cut it on Instagram. It’s just like what you say, it’s crazy.”
Sanchez: "It's a live broadcast. I can't edit it."
YU: "It's interesting how the participants are divided into two extremes: those who talk in a completely inoffensive way, and those who talk without regard for the issue. I'll never get that coffee I asked the staff for earlier. Let's get started."
Sancho: "It's okay. I'm preparing now (laughs). So, first I'd like to ask you a little about how the three of you met 20 years ago. I think it was Tokunaga-san who took the initiative to get this started."
YOH: “I think it all started when Toku-san took me to a shop called WESTSIDE (※1) on Tonchan Street in Harajuku. He introduced me to the shop, and YU-san was working in front of it.”
Tokunaga: "Hmm, but actually, why did I go there in the first place?"
YU: “I guess it was when he was put in charge of styling for ORANGE RANGE that he set his sights on WESTSIDE?”
Tokunaga: "I think STUSSY was originally there."
YU: "That's right."
Tokunaga: "Then STUSSY left. I thought, 'Oh, another streetwear shop has opened,' so I went to check it out. And then we were talking about, 'Can I borrow some clothes?' And that's when Kitajo-kun (YU) was there."
YU: "That's right. Oh, the coffee's here. I'll have a hot cappuccino. Thank you."
Tokunaga: "YOH and I like ice cream."
YU: "This is coffee roasted by our staff."
Yamaguchi: "Daiki prepared it for me at VIZ-BAR on the second floor."
YOH: "Oh. It's delicious, as expected."
Sanchez: "It takes time because we start from beans."
Tokunaga: Really?
Sancho: "Yes. It's delicious."
YU: "Now, let's get back to the topic of WESTSIDE."
Tokunaga: "But, you know, if there wasn't a store on that corner, I probably wouldn't have gone there."
YOH "It's so fateful"
YU: Actually, the store's logo was WS, so it had a Warner vibe, but it also had a bit of a Stussy vibe, like skate and street fashion.
YOH: "That may have been it. It brings back a lot of memories."
YU: “There were a certain percentage of people who bought it thinking it was STUSSY, but eventually, around the time they got to the cash register, they started to realize it wasn’t STUSSY (laughs).”
Tokunaga: "What was it, not The Fast and the Furious?"
Sanchez: "WILD STYLE. The brand's direction and atmosphere are a bit similar to STUSSY."
Tokunaga: "Well, it's America, right?"
YU: Yes, Los Angeles.
Tokunaga: When I first started going, I brought YOH and a few other members with me.
YU: “ORANGE RANGE was young at the time, and it was like a sudden boom. I think the timing was around the same time as Shanghai Honey and Loco Lotion.”
Tokunaga: I think it was around 2003 or 2004. Yoh, you had a shaved head then, right?
YOH: There was a time like that (laughs).
Tokunaga: Around that time, I was asked to do promotional shoots and styling for ORANGE RANGE. The shoots were done right in the studio where they were recording. And YOH, you see, wasn't sick at all. I mean, I was really shocked. I was like, "Are they going to do the shoot without all the members present?" (laughs)
YOH: "It was really tough back then. It was like a time when it was considered righteous to stick to a minute-by-minute schedule even if it meant ruining your body. I don't think I could do that anymore."
YU: “What are you filming? Like a music video?”
Tokunaga: "It was a photoshoot for a music magazine or something."
YU: YOH-san, what's that? Did you appear like this in the graduation photo? (The way someone who was absent appears in a class photo.)
YOH: I didn't actually watch it, but I think it was probably (laughs). I really couldn't move a single step from my bed. The doctor told me to stay in bed completely still.
YU: How old was YOH at that time?
YOH: I think it was when I was 19 or 20 years old. I hadn't yet mastered the art of managing each and every one of my schedules. I think that was one of the reasons why my condition deteriorated.
YU: Well, I'm still young.
Tokunaga: "Someone was feeling unwell at the time."
YOH: Seriously. Including mentally, I don't think there was even a single day when I was in the best condition (laughs)
Tokunaga: That was right before I went to WESTSIDE. I was doing a lot of interviews and filming at the time.
YU: Then, halfway through the time I was coming to borrow the ORANGE RANGE costumes, they started letting me stock the newly launched VIRGO in the store... I think that's when we started working together.
Tokunaga: "VIRGO was originally placed at WESTSIDE. For a little while."
YU: Yes, my very first hats and T-shirts were at the very end of WEST.
Tokunaga: "It was done in a small space."
YU: “I made a sort of VIRGO corner in the store, and all the staff were on my side so they wouldn’t sell it to me (laughs). Then, I got Toku-chan and others to borrow it, and they did all sorts of things with it, and then…”
Tokunaga: "YOH came to the store."
YOH: "I remember going. RYO was with me at first..."
YU: When we met, I felt like if we were to compare him to other members, it would be RYO.
YOH: "Compatibility?"
YU: “That’s right.”
YOH: "It just fits (laughs)"
YU: "I guess you could say it suits him, but he seems like a fast talker. He's a bit hardcore, and mischievous. YOH is like an older brother, or something."
Tokunaga: RYO is a bit mischievous, but YOH is very reliable. That's right, he's always been reliable.
YU: “At first, I had the impression that YOH was a really quiet guy, and that we would form a relationship without any problems.”
Sanchez: "That was the entrance."
YOH: That's how I approach everyone. I always wait and see how things go.
YU: So VIRGO started renting an office space on the roof of a private home.
Tokunaga: "Oh, that place? That place was great, wasn't it?"
YOH: "It was an office with a courtyard, right? I remember it clearly."
YU: No, it was more like we had an office in the courtyard (laughs). YOH came to visit us there.
YOH: "I think Toku-san took me there too."
Tokunaga: "After that, YOH started meeting the VIRGO team on his own. I think he basically brought all the members with him... Oh, YOH was the one who connected them. It felt strange to me. But I guess Kitajo's background as a band member was what resonated with us."
YU: "It might be a bit of a stretch to say that it was easy for both of us, but we had the same vibe, and we were probably on the same wavelength. I think there were times when we were able to just hang out normally without having to be so tense."
YOH: "From my perspective, Tokyo was a city I didn't know much about. It felt like a grassroots movement, so to speak (laughs)."
Tokunaga: "Like this, to various people."
YOH: That's right, I really looked at people's personalities. I think that was a period when I repeatedly did this in all sorts of areas. That's where I really developed my interpersonal skills, or rather, how to see through people.
YU: “I made a lot of friends around Harajuku. I was watching a lot of people.”
Sancho: There was a cafe bar called Reissue (※2) near WESTSIDE. It was a bit of a hangout spot for people from the Harajuku area. YOH would often hang out there too.
Tokunaga: "Yes, yes, it's on the second floor of Tonchan Street."
YOH: Ah, yes, that was it. It brings back memories.
Sancho: "Even when the bar closes at the top, we'll still be there drinking together until the morning."
YU: Well, it still exists today.
Tokunaga: "Huh? Are there still any left?"
Sanchez: "The owner has changed"
YU: "Yes, as a tenant."
Sanchez: "It's like a three-dimensional cappuccino, and it's fluffy. That kind of thing is creating a buzz."
Tokunaga: "Oh, I see."
Sanchez: "It's become a place where illustrators and all sorts of people who are into 2.5 dimensions gather."
YOH: "The atmosphere is different now."
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From my perspective, YU looked tough at first glance, but I had a gut feeling that he must be kind at heart.
Sanchez: "YU had been making music in the underground scene for a long time, and after his band went on hiatus, he joined the apparel industry in Harajuku. YOH is also a musician based in Okinawa, but at a young age expanded his band's main stage into the Tokyo major scene. Tokunaga was the stylist who brought the two of them together. I think we've got a pretty strong trio. So I wonder what each of them thought of each other's first impressions."
YOH: Well, that was 20 years ago.
Tokunaga: "So, in my mind, YOH had already collapsed."
(Everyone burst out laughing)
Tokunaga: "That's what a first impression is."
Sancho: That's true. That's how you see YOH, Tokunaga-san.
YOH: "From my perspective, YU looked a bit tough at first glance, but I had a feeling that he must be a kind person deep down. He's not a bad person at all. I have the image of Toku-san always having a bright face, and bringing a huge amount of clothes to the shoot in Okinawa (laughs)."
Tokunaga: "I often do it alone..."
YU: That must be really difficult...
YOH: Yes. There are a lot of members...
YU: “I’ve coordinated the outfits for the OAU members, and I realized how hard it is to be a stylist. Seriously. And it’s not just one outfit, is it?”
Tokunaga: "At first it was just a day trip."
YOH: That's clearly my fault. Sorry (laughs)
YU: "Toku-chan is just the same. Nothing has changed. He's not acting all high and mighty. He's just the same."
Tokunaga: "Well, it happened to me too. There were times when it was a little sharp. It's probably something you can't see here, but there were times like that."
YU: "Well, I guess I'm young."
Tokunaga: "Yeah, I was styling Range Rover in my mid-20s, and I was doing other stuff too, so when I got into it, it was a bit..."
YOH: Oh, really? After you met us?
Tokunaga: Yes, after we met. I think I was in a really good mood.
(Everyone burst out laughing)
YOH: “No, no, no. Toku-san, you haven’t changed at all (laughs).”
Tokunaga: "Nothing has changed. Yes. But, you know, it's still the same."
YU: “When your position changes, people start looking at you.”
Sanchez: "Maybe it's the place where we met. It doesn't change the impression you have of someone who's known you for a long time, but then five years later, if you meet someone for the first time, your impression will change."
Tokunaga: "That's right."
Sanchez: "Different starts"
YU: "That's what they mean when they say to live like rice ears. As you grow older, you should bow your head."
YOH: If you really think about it, it seems like there might be a bit of jealousy involved (laughs).
YU: "The stylist industry has its ups and downs, and is quite intense. We hear all sorts of rumors, even us. We hear a lot about whether someone is getting cocky or not, what kind of car they drive or not, whether they're being sidelined or not."
YOH: "Details?"
YU: "Exactly. But in the end, it's all down to the people behind the scenes. It's like borrowing the power of the tiger. So, it would be best to find a good balance and keep it flat, but even if I stay flat, people still say that."
YOH: Ah... Even if you're being level-headed, the other person will look at you with prejudice and act all bossy.
Tokunaga: But back then, when I said I was in charge of ORANGE RANGE, people would say things like, "That guy's getting too cocky, even though he's young."
YOH: "That person probably doesn't know anything about Toku-san."
Tokunaga: "That's right."
YU: So, because of this character, I'm not the type to say "Thank you very much, you did a great job!" to everyone. I'm more like "Weeee" (laughs).
YOH: "I have no objections to that."
YU: "That might be possible, if it's someone you don't know."
Tokunaga: "Also, people said it was scary."
YOH: Oh, I can't imagine that at all.
Tokunaga: "The basic range hasn't changed either. Everyone's fundamentals haven't really changed."
YU: That's how it feels. Yes. I think it's like what YOH said earlier.
Tokunaga: "There was a time when YOH was the sharpest member of ORANGE RANGE. He has a side to him that never gives in. But I think that's why he's where he is today. That's why he's always remained consistent. YOH never changes, he really doesn't waver. Well, none of us waver."
YU: "It's definitely persuasive. Orange Range has really come a long way in the last 10 years or so. Both as a band and as people."
YOH: Well, it's been 23 years since we formed. We've always been very hands-on when it comes to live performances, so I think that's been a good thing. We also experienced festivals in the early 2000s, and it was tough because it felt like the Warring States period for bands, but we were able to get through it even though there were no people our age. That experience was a big one for us.
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The key is this line between YOH and Virgo.
Sanchez: I think it's quite rare to maintain a relationship for 20 years. In that encounter, was there a moment when you both felt like, "I can trust this person," or something like that, that really deepened your relationship?
YU: "You two connected as soon as VIRGO was founded. It's pretty rare. Of course, there are a lot of people who were in bands before that, or who were in the middle of that, but I think you could count on one hand the number of people who have been together since the founding of VIRGO."
Tokunaga: "Because YOH is there, I've always had a strong connection with VIRGO. After all, YOH wears them, and there are a lot of things that YOH likes. Now, all the members are connected with each other, aren't they? It's not that I want to choose a brand that we're close with, but... after all, everyone has been so kind to us, so I wanted to make sure we did our best to liven things up. So the key, or the start of that, is this line between YOH and VIRGO."
YOH: But there's this feeling that maybe someone else is wearing it, so I'll stop wearing VIRGO. I want to get rid of that. I think it's out of a certain amount of respect, but I don't think we'll need to be so considerate in the future.
YU: "Yeah, yeah."
YOH: "If there's clothes you like, then everyone can wear them. How should I put it, I've always thought it's good to have different styles and fashions. VIRGO belongs to everyone."
YU: “Yeah. Our brand concept is a uniform for teammates, so it’s not like we’re all the same. I tend to forget that. So, even though we’re having such a great conversation, it seems like you’re getting sleepy right now, Hori-san?”
Tokunaga: "Are you getting sleepy?"
Hori: "No. It's as the boss said."
Sancho: "You've been with VIRGO for 15 years now, haven't you?"
YU: Yes, it helps me not get bored every day.
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When I first started making my own original sweatshirts, I decided to make them all purple. I didn't have any money. So it wouldn't sell.
Sanchez: "Toku has been coming to Lease many times since the early days, but now that 20 years have passed, how do you view the VIRGO brand? Please give us your honest opinions, including your most recent impressions."
YU: "That's true. They've been watching us for a long time. On the other hand, they're also interested in how our products sell, how they're made, how they're designed, and how they relate to us."
Sanchez: "From our perspective, the truth hasn't changed, but the times have changed and so on."
Tokunaga: "No, they don't seem to be out of step with the times or trends. They may be a little in line with them, but there are still some things that don't waver. I think that's why they're able to create items that attract a loyal fan base. It's a process of building up."
YU: "In the beginning, we started with about three types of T-shirts and three types of mesh caps."
YOH: "I might not know about that era."
Tokunaga: "I remember the purple mesh cap."
YU: “Yes. I only made purple or black.”
Sanchez: "The first hoodie I released was also purple."
YU: When I first started making original sweatshirts, I decided to go with purple. I didn't have any money. So it wasn't going to sell.
Sancho: "That's right."
YU: "No, I'm afraid of ignorance. I was really deceived by the factory. I mean, I was told that purple sweatshirt fabric doesn't exist in the world. (laughs)"
Tokunaga: So that's why you were pushed?
YU: “So I was told I had no choice but to make the dough from scratch. And actually, there was a lot of it.”
Tokunaga: "Yes, there is."
YU: "Yes, that's true. I made the fabric from scratch, but it wasn't just one bolt. I think I was made to make about two bolts, and I made them because I didn't know what to make. So I didn't have the money to make anything else, so I just made the purple one."
Tokunaga: "That was a real scam."
YU: "I guess I got tricked. Maybe I said something wrong."
Tokunaga: "But you know, purple was the initial axis."
YOH: Yeah. That image definitely comes to mind.
Tokunaga: "Not at all now though (laughs)"
YU: Umm, can I ask you something? VIRGO (purple) is probably quite old-fashioned (lol)
YOH: Hahaha (laughs). That's so 2000s.
YU: “That’s right, that’s right. Really.”
Tokunaga: "I think you've become a bit more mature, but even looking at it like this, you still make the same items, right?"
YU: "We're still making the same items. It just sounds like a catchphrase now."
(Everyone burst out laughing)
Tokunaga: "It's just big letters (laughs)."
Sancho: "What about YOH? It's been 20 years and things have changed."
YOH: Ah... a change... (looking around at the clothes on display)
YU: "Thank you both for watching."
Sanchez: "They're watching it and wearing it."
Tokunaga: "YOH wears it the most. He knows it best."
YU: "Because I've been in a band for the longest time."
YOH: "That's right. Saying they've become more mature is a very superficial way of putting it, but that's a strong feeling I have. But it's not just that. I think they've also set their sights on making clothes that are easy to wear on a daily basis and that look cool. I think that's very VIRGO-like, and a point that hasn't changed. Looking at it like this, you can really feel that VIRGO is constantly evolving."
Tokunaga: Recently, I brought this as a costume for YOH, but HIROKI and RYO ended up wearing it too (laughs)
YOH: "That makes me really happy. It proves that you've really taken a good look at the VIRGO clothes that Toku-san brought."
Sanchez: "Toku-san also picks out a lot of clothes for me. Every time."
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I thought the single character "raku" on the back of the neck was very Toku-chan-like. It was an afterthought, but it means fun and easy, and it's also the "raku" in music. I thought it was kind of nice.
Sanchez: I'd like to ask you about the collaboration items with Tokunaga-san that were decided in conjunction with VIRGO's 20th anniversary. What was the trigger that made you decide to make them?
Tokunaga: "I kept saying, 'Let's make something,' and then Kitajo-kun would always say, 'Then come over.' I was always busy and couldn't find the time, but this time he happened to be like, 'I'm making something right now.' So I said, 'Okay, I'll come,' and made it this time."
YU: "Toku-chan, there's always something in that style. We even collaborated on a denim jacket together 10 years ago. It was a really unique design."
Tokunaga: "It was so slutty (laughs)"
YU: "No stretch, tight, skinny jeans."
Sanchez: "It was a non-washed slim fit."
YU: “There are some crazy lines, red, yellow, blue, etc.”
YOH: Ah, I think I've seen that before.
YU: “Well, it does appeal to a certain demographic. They think it’s really stylish.”
Tokunaga: "I just did what I wanted to do. But it was digested properly. Even the washing up."
YU: "That's right, we did it!"
Tokunaga: "Once I edited it, it looked cool again. Those jeans were great. But this time too, it was all about my mood."
Sanchez: "It all started with what Tokunaga wanted to make."
YU: We had been talking about the keyword "clown" here and there for a while now. I had the feeling that we wanted to do something.
Like, "Let's do it like a Viet Jean."
Tokunaga: "It's been a while since I've worn a sukajan? No, I think a shirt is better after all. Let's go for a suka shirt. That's how it felt. We were talking about it and then we got into the mood of thinking that something more souvenir-like would be good. Yeah, that's where it started. It's well made."
YOH: Yes. The embroidery is also well done.
Sancho: "Did you create the illustration with Tokunaga-san in mind?"
YU: "That's right, things like clowns and circuses. I thought maybe I should make it a little more evil. So I drew a rough draft and it ended up like this. I thought that the single character "raku" on the back of the neck in particular was very Toku-chan-like. It was an afterthought, but it means fun and easy, and it's also the "raku" in music. So I thought it was pretty good. In the end it turned out to be a really good story (laughs)."
Sanchez: "The image is perfect."
YU: "It's reversible, so it looks like this when you turn it over."
YOH: "Oh. So it looks a little chic when done the other way around. I didn't realize that."
YU: "Because I'm a fan of Raku. The atmosphere changes a lot."
Sanchez: "It was really popular at the previews and exhibitions in the fall and winter. The response was really great wherever we went."
YU: "The other color was also really good."
Tokunaga: "Olive. The colors really come together. Yeah."
YU: “I really liked this military feel.”
Sanchez: "It really does change the atmosphere. Black and olive really give it a vintage feel."
YOH: "I ordered the black one, but looking at it like this, the olive one looks really nice too."
Sanchez: YOH launched the brand LINOFORTY (※3) in 2022. He took a new step forward.
YU: Actually, YOH and I designed the original VIRGO crest pants (※3) together. I guess it's okay to say it now, right?
Tokunaga: "Right. That first one, right?"
YU: "That's right. I had a face-to-face meeting with the pattern maker at our office, and we made it by telling him how we wanted each part to be done. YOH himself had asked that his name not be revealed as a designer, so I've kept it a secret until now, but I'm glad I got to see him do that from behind the scenes."
YOH: "It seems like Crest Pants are worn by a lot of band members. After seeing that, I decided to start a brand from scratch."
YU: By the way, YOH also secretly designed VIRGO's dad:g (※4) line.
YOH: "The name dad:g comes from the drop D tuning. Come to think of it, a few years ago when I went to a radio station in Nagoya for some promotion or something, I was looking at the instax photos of musicians who had made guest appearances that were all hung up on the wall of the venue. I happened to see TOSHI-LOW in the photo wearing a black dad:g tank top. I wasn't able to tell him directly, but it made me really happy."
Sanchez: "I'm looking forward to seeing what LINOFORTY does next."
YOH: "It's still like a private brand, but I'll work hard, step by step, to become as big as VIRGO. I often say 'Thank you for your help' to my business partners, but I've never used those words in my life before, so it's really refreshing (laughs)."
Tokunaga: I see. When you're a member of a band, you don't often get to use it (laughs)
YOH: "It feels like I've been climbing the stairs in my life up until now, skipping two or three steps at a time. There were moments during the COVID-19 pandemic when I looked back on my life and asked myself, 'Is this really the way I want to live?' It feels like I'm returning to ground zero, taking the stairs one step at a time, not just making music, but also making the clothes I love."
Tokunaga: I see, that's the perspective YOH has.
Sanchez: "There may or may not be some exciting news coming from LINOFORTY soon."
YOH: Yes. It's currently in the works, so please wait a little longer.
YU: That's right. Please look forward to it (laughs)
Center) YOH (ORANGE RANGE)
Right) Takashi Tokunaga (stylist)
TOKUNAGA TAKASHI×VIRGOwearworks
■Profile
YOH (ORANGE RANGE)
A five-member rock band from Okinawa. They fuse a variety of genres, including rock and hip-hop, and have produced numerous hits, including "Hana." They are currently on tour for ORANGE RANGE LIVE TOUR 024 ~Tacos de Pythagoras~. The tour finale will be held at NHK Hall on Saturday, January 11th next year!
Takashi Tokunaga (stylist)
He studied under stylist Ryoji Homma.
Established in 2002 as a freelance stylist, he has worked in a wide range of fields, from cutting-edge style magazines to street style magazines, artists, actors, idols, music videos, and television.
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*1) RYAN TAKAHASHI's brand "WEST SIDE", the brand of the shop where Yu Kitajo and Sanchez worked together.
*2) Reissue, a cafe bar and hangout spot located on the second floor of Tonchan Street
*3) LINOFORTY is an apparel brand started by YOH (ORANGE RANGE).
