Pamiętacie jeszcze naszą relację z Tokio  i sklep Skit ? Jeśli chcecie wiedzieć jak japońska sneaker scena wygląda z perspektywy ludzi ją tworzących, zapraszamy was na drugą stronę na przygotowany specjalnie dla tenisufki wywiad z ekipą z Kichijoji.

How it all get started and when? How did you get involved in the sneaker game?

We started in Kichijoji, Tokyo in 2001 with just 10 pairs of sneakers. 2007 saw the opening of our Osaka shop, and 2009 our Sendai store opened. Even though Japan is a small country, we’re thinking about opening two additional stores.
I started working in a sneaker shop around 1995. In Japan back then, between 1995 and 1996, the extremely popular Nike Air Max 95 was selling for about 300,000 Yen. Many shops were riding the wave of its popularity, but eventually due to the decrease in popularity many of those stores disappeared.
Since first getting into the sneaker business, I realized that many of the business people weren’t interested in the shoes, but started their shops only for the profits. Of course, there are many that do love sneakers, but around 1995 most of them were just in it for the money. After learning that, I thought I would create a sneaker shop for people who love sneakers, just as I do.
I don’t only love the new models, but also vintage models. If they’re used, the price has to be right. But in my experience, there weren’t any shops like that in the sneaker shop world. Because there weren’t any like that, I created my own. My dream finally came to reality in 2001, when I opened SKIT.


 How would you describe your place - status of your shop on Tokyo sneaker scene, (typical clientele etc).

SKIT is a shop not bound by restrictions. We don’t have any direct connection to any manufacturers. All of our merchandise is seen and ordered by us. Be it new or used, it doesn’t matter. We carry everything from the newest styles to vintage items. We also sell on consignment, collaborating with other sneaker collectors.
In the Tokyo scene, we believe SKIT is held in high regard. Even though our shop is located in an incredibly hard to find location, we’re visited everyday by customers from within Japan and abroad.  


What kind of sneakers we can find in your stock? As a retailer, do you focus on any particular brand / type of shoes?

We carry all sports brands: Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Converse, Reebok, and Vans form the majority of our stock. Our focus is on the Nike Air Jordan series, and we carry the entire line.

What's hot and what's not in Tokyo now?

I think at the moment in Tokyo, the New Balance M1300 holds the top spot. On the other hand, the previously popular Nike Dunk’s appeal has decreased as of late.
 
Can you compare Japanese market to other parts of the world? (USA, Europe) What makes the Japanese market so special? Have you got many customers outside of Japan? Any orders from Poland?

What’s the difference, between the Japanese, American, and European markets? The US and Europe don’t have SKIT, of course… ;)
I think the biggest difference in comparing the Japanese and overseas markets, is the fact that (and I mean this in a good way) the Japanese are not picky. For instance, they like the Air Max 1 and they also like the Weapon. They like the New Balance 1300, but at the same time they like the Air Jordan 6. These are examples of sneakers with completely different designs, manufacturers, and categories, yet the Japanese are not particular in this regard. They choose their sneakers based on “what’s good is good.” This ideal is what I think has made the Japanese market as large as it is.
The world sees Japan as Toyota, manga, anime, Takeshi Kitano, etc. but, I think the world should take notice of Japan’s sneaker market. There isn’t a rare sneaker you can’t buy here, and there are so many sneaker shops. So many customers come from overseas as well. SKIT has seen people from the US, England, China, Korea, Mongolia, Indonesia, Iran, Germany, and others. I believe you were the first from Poland, though. We’re sorry we don’t speak English, but we’ll try to study so we can communicate with our international customers.

What do you think about sneaker culture condition nowadays? In which direction it will evolve in the nearest future?

Independent sneaker cultures have started to develop in the US, Europe, and Asia, which I think is great. Each country has their own trends and prices. Sneaker models that are cheap in Japan might be expensive in the US, expensive models in Europe might be cheap in Japan. There has also been an increase in limited editions in Japan, USA, and Europe, where developments in the web have made it easier to obtain information and purchase them.

Further progress will probably be difficult, but sneaker culture is becoming commonplace all over the world so I think things will continue to improve going forward. At present, shops are still the deliverers of sneaker culture, but in the near future it’s possible that sneaker culture will probably be controlled by information delivering websites. There aren’t any sites like that in Japan yet. Maybe SKIT will look into creating one in English and Japanese.


By many, Japan is considered as the birthplace of many pop-culture trends, also the sneaker collecting phenomenon - would you agree?

Yes, I agree completely. We collect many sneakers, and for us a Dunk Low Pro SB Diamond Supply Co. Tiffany Color, is valued more than a one-carat diamond. Of course, it’s sad that the sneakers go unworn, but through collecting we get a high that can’t be had in other ways. It’s a world of self-satisfaction, and I think that’s just fine. Pop-culture trends are made by those who support that particular trend, so if Japan can propel those trends, I’m all for it.

Your word of advice - the key to success in sneaker business?

We’re nowhere near being successful yet, so I really don’t have any helpful words or secrets to share. SKIT hasn’t even accomplished half of what we’ve set out to do from the start. However, we’re planning a lot of great things to come, so please continue to follow us.


English translation by David Matsuda – www.twitter.com/s0nkun

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Data: 2010-10-08 02:38:08

Kategoria: Akcesoria / Komentarze: 6

Tagi: skit, tokio, wywiad, sneakers, sklep