Text & Photography

Kosuke KawamuraArtist

Born in 1979 in Hiroshima Prefecture. As a collage artist, he has collaborated with a variety of artists and held solo and group exhibitions throughout Japan and internationally. His varied work includes graphics for clothing brands, book covers, advertisement designs, and artistic direction for CD and DVD packaging.

I put this belt on every single day, without fail, to the point where it was pretty hard for me to recall when or where I bought it in the first place. It’s that much a part of my body. Spending a few days sifting through vague memories, I finally put the puzzle together and remembered where the belt came from.

Four or five years ago, I picked this belt up at the BICQLO store in Shinjuku. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t there for anything specific, just browsing to see what they had. When I stumbled on this belt, I bought it based on how it looked and felt, especially the thickness and the feel of the materials.

This belt is stretchy, like having an elastic waist, so no matter what pants I’m wearing they feel free and unrestricted, like sweatpants, while still maintaining a good fit. Unlike any other belt I’ve ever had, it has a stress-free feel, which is why I’m still wearing it daily almost five years later.

At this point, I can’t imagine using any other belt. When I’m in the store, it’s like I don’t even see the belts on display. I’m not even sure if they still carry a belt like this, but with no exaggeration, this belt will be with me for life.

I feel the same about these pants, which I picked up at the Kichijoji store, shopping for something else entirely. I was hooked the second I felt the fabric and saw the pattern.

Looking back on all these memories, I realize I’ve been having experiences like this at UNIQLO since my first time visiting in elementary school. The feeling’s not so different from the “intuitive decisions” I make all the time in my creative work.