It is indeed clear that a bag is an object, not a person.
However, I still felt a sense of frustration, as I realized that the "charm of the object" alone could not fully convey the essence of BARE. True to its name, it is a popular series from REN made of goat skin.
Soft, lightweight, and durable. While the quality of the product itself is important, I also want you to know "who makes it, where, and how."
Looking back, it feels fateful. Ms. Hamada, a valuable partner involved in the development of BARE since its early days, resides in Bali, Indonesia. She met REN's designer Yanagimoto when they were both 20 years old, as students at a certain design school.
"I was in the same dress design program as President Yanagimoto, and he was one year ahead of me. Even back then, he had a clear goal of 'someday starting his own bag brand.' I remember visiting his home with friends and seeing various materials he had collected and the bags he had made with them."
After that, Ms. Hamada moved on to the couture department. She received instruction under a distinguished professor who had been creating dresses for Her Majesty the Empress Emerita, allowing her to thoroughly learn the fundamentals.
The path to haute couture and the challenges of not quite reaching it.
"So, I was determined to enter the world of haute couture. After graduating, I went for interviews at various ateliers and even helped create costumes for artists. However, I began to realize that pursuing this in Japan was quite challenging."
At that point, Ms. Hamada began exploring opportunities abroad. Her first destination was Paris, the undeniable mecca of haute couture, where prestigious maison brands are plentiful.
"There was a path for me to enter as an intern through an introduction from a family friend. However, to become independent and establish my own brand from there would take at least ten years and require a significant amount of money."
While grappling with the overwhelming challenges, I received an unexpected offer from a Japanese acquaintance who had opened a shop in Bali, a place I had visited multiple times during my travels. They suggested, "How about starting a clothing brand at that shop?"
"I was confident that through that experience in Bali, I could create the kind of products I wanted to make. With that conviction, I returned to Bali with the savings I had accumulated to establish my own brand."
However, trials awaited me here as well. "Initially, I set up a shop, but in Indonesia, there are no good materials available locally, so everything has to be imported. Even after sourcing materials, I couldn't create anything that met my satisfaction. While the business began to pick up, I found myself feeling disheartened, thinking, 'This is not what I wanted to create!'"
From clothing to bags, and then to my encounter with REN.
One day, while walking through the city, I stumbled upon a shop displaying bags outside. "It was just an ordinary store, but the products were exceptional."
When I inquired, I learned that it was directly operated by a factory handling a bag brand based in London. "While talking to the owner, I heard that when it comes to bags, there are excellent materials for both leather and hardware available domestically. That's when I decided to start my own bag brand."
While searching for business partners, I reconnected with Yanagimoto. "A friend mentioned, 'He runs his own bag brand, so he might be able to give you some advice.' I decided to meet him, and when I showed him my bags, he was incredibly surprised."
The reason for his surprise was the exceptionally high quality of the bags.
He said, "You can create something this good? Even in Japanese factories, it's hard to achieve such meticulous work."
Indeed, it was a moment when the sewing techniques that Ms. Hamada had honed since her time studying haute couture, along with her innate sense of design, were finally recognized fairly.
"I originally established the company to run my own brand. However, that year I started a sewing factory, and since then, I have been making REN bags every day for 15 years."
A quality that surpasses even haute couture.
What exactly does such high-level sewing technique entail?
"Our team has been operating the factory for about 15 years, and I teach the staff the techniques I learned in haute couture from the ground up. So, while they are already highly skilled artisans, it typically takes about a year and a half for them to be able to sew bags here."
Typically, the seam width ranges from 4.5mm to 5.2mm. "We're talking about measurements within 'one millimeter.' So, if there's a difference of 0.3mm, it may not be classified as a reject, but everyone still finds themselves in a difficult situation."
The same goes for durability. "We focus on being truly strong and meticulous. We pull the bobbin thread, tie it three times, and then tuck the knot and the remaining thread inside, leaving about five centimeters. This significantly enhances strength and makes repairs easier. I believe it's quite rare for even haute couture to go to such lengths."
Why go to such lengths? This is a question that inevitably arises.
"My goal since my student days has been to create products that can be passed down to the next generation. For instance, I want people to think, 'I might not use this for two or three years, but I’ll use it again someday,' even if it ends up in their closet. The reason I ultimately didn't go to France was that I wanted to create things that would be remembered by people rather than becoming famous in that world. It brings me happiness to know that many people can use my creations for a long time, rather than treating them as mere art pieces."
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