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“Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world”. In 1997, Daft Punk launches Around the world, a hypnotizing-refrain single that turns Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter in both media phenomena and stars in the electronic music. Only a few years earlier, Masaya Kuroki and Gildas Loaëc knew each in the Parisian records store run by the latter: one more duo, one more story. Gildas would have become the manager of the robot-band and a leading name in the international scene. In Japan, during the production of the cartoon Interstella 5555, which Masaya as well collaborates to, the friends develop the idea of a label able to combine their mutual passions: design, fashion and music of course. It’s 2002 and Maison Kitsuné was born.

Kitsuné, in English fox, is therefore both a production enterprise and a clothing brand. It melts architect Masaya’s obsession with style and quality together with entrepreneur Gildas’ experience and creativity.  The approval comes immediately and the collaborations follow one another both in music and in fashion: Two Door Cinema Club, Citizens!, Heartsrevolution and then Mackintosh, J.M. Weston, Olympia Le-Tan.

In 2005, the first ready-to-wear collection: refined clothing, fresh proportions, structured volumes and precious material. 2014 marks a turning point for the men and women’s collections, which are unified under the label Maison Kitsuné. Starting the Fall/Winter 2014-15, the lines are wider and fuller with a stronger and more identifiable style… Theirs is a constant climb that obviously goes hand in hand with music.

 

 

Fucking Young! – Welcome Gildas! It is a pleasure and an honor for me to interview you for our website. In 2002, you found Maison Kitsuné. You havestories and backgrounds different from each other. Gildas, you are French and come from the world of music: as the Duft Punk’s art director and manager your story is known to the most people. Masaya has Japanese origins and he is always been fascinated by the design and its different variations so in 1999 you graduate in architecture. How and when the encounter of your experiences?

Gildas Loaëc – We met 20 years ago at the record store I had at that time, Street Sounds, nearby Le Louvre. All the cool kids were hanging out there and Masaya was one them. We decided to start Kitsuné later, while we were in Japan with Daft Punk for a production movie called Interstella 5555. The early Japanese concept stores that we discovered there, inspired us to create the Maison Kitsuné clothing brand and a proper music label in Paris.

 

FY! – Why Kitsuné, in English “fox”?

GL – Kitsuné means fox in Japanese. We do love a lot this magic animal. In Japanese legend, it has the power to get different lives and to be seen with different faces. It’s a bit like Maison Kitsuné which is today a brand with different facets: the clothing line, the music label and the Café Kitsuné.

 

 

FY! – Maison Kitsuné is also a recording label with, of course, a target focused on electronic music. So far, many are the artists with whom you have collaborated: Phoenix, Hot Chip, Digitalism, Two Door Cinema Club, Citizens!, Heartsrevolution, etc.. What is the interaction between fashion and music, and how does your Brand merge the two different souls?

GL – We are truly passionate in both music and fashion. For us it was obvious to put those two activities under one roof, one company. Both came together at same time from the start of Kitsuné. But since my background was music business and we knew already how to operate a music label, we get on the wheel quicker with the music label. The music label isn’t a marketing excuse or the accessory of the clothing line. We are a proper music label: we are actually signing acts and actively promoting them. Credibility is the foundation of everything at Kitsuné. For the clothes, we had to search and find the good partners for sourcing fabrics, manufacturing, distributing and also to think about where we wanted to be in the market. Kitsuné music is living on its own world and it’s the same for Maison Kitsuné clothing line. However, music certainly has an aura, which for sure, benefits to the Maison Kitsuné’s clothing line in terms of affect and recognition.

 

FY! – As for the strictly fashion trade, the collaborations are even more prestigious. A.P.C. in 2003, Pierre Hardy in 2007, Petit Bateau in 2009, J.M. Weston in 2011, Oliver Peoples in 2014 and many others. How have these partnerships influenced and how do they influence on a twelve years now path?

GL – We learn a lot from the other brands we collaborate with. We love to collaborate with people even more if they’ve got savoir-faire. Collaborate with prestigious labels, has been helping us and still helps us to develop our fashion dimension. It allows Maison Kitsuné to have a bigger brand recognition.

 

FY! – In January 2013 you were guest designers at Pitti Immagine Uomo 83 where you gave life to a fresh, innovative, unconventionalshow. We were there and we enjoyed it. How do you remember about that experience?

GL – We wanted to do something that corresponds to who we are, something between fashion and music and like a TV show! It was an amazing experience during which we learnt a lot, before getting ready to do our own fashion show. With Maison Kitsuné, we’re now fully ready and we will present our Spring/Summer15Effortless French” Collection in New York during the Fashion Week in September!

 

FY! – You are all over the world with exclusive boutiques and Pop Up stores. Now, after the opening of the Café Kitsuné in Tokyo, you are to launch the Parisian one. How will this new space be? Who is it for?

GL – We opened the Café Kitsuné Paris, in the Palais Royal’s garden, on January 2014, 17th. The space is true to the image of Maison Kitsuné: refined, elegant and actual. It’s for all coffee-lovers who want to spend time in a quiet place nestled in the beautiful Palais Royal’s garden. We do love the idea of a lifestyle brand. Our main goal is to build a great brand with a great image… and it can be achieved through different medium like Kitsuné the music label and Maison Kitsuné the clothing brand and Café Kitsuné, our coffee spots!

 

FY! – The first ready to wear collection was launched in 2005. Redefining “classics” with refined clothing. You  combine the philosophy of tradition with a modern twist and a Parisian attitude. The fresh proportions, structured volumes, bold designs and refined material made for timeless, graphic and trendy collections. How has your man changed in these nine years? What has his evolution been?

GL – We worked a lot since then… so the collections are more accomplished. Maison Kitsuné’s man evolves with his time: the same Parisian’s essence with a little touch of our current inspirations… The Maison Kitsuné Spring/Summer15 “Effortless French” Collection is more fashionable, with a richer range of colors, with more elaborate and sophisticated clothes, using the noblest materials. The current Maison Kitsuné’s men is mixing streetwear pieces with smart pieces: this is the “Effortless French” style.

 

FY! – Let’s talk about FW 14-15!2014 marks a turning point for the men and women’s collections, which are unified under the label “Maison Kitsuné”.The lines are wider and fuller with a stronger and more identifiable style…Would you like to tell us about it?

GL – Indeed, we are determined to bring in a new dynamic in terms of offer and style starting with the Fall/Winter14 season. We draw our inspiration from the British rock culture and ride the wave of the street chic. For the women side, we decided to play on the masculine-feminine style with androgynous silhouettes, flowing transparent materials, elegant and pure lines. As for the men side, it instantly calls to mind the bold and classic styles of our favorite rock and roll legends.

 

FY! – Yours has been an almost immediate success. What you think the characteristic that a company must have to be successful today is? What do you think yours is?

GL – To be successful I think you have to be very curious and questioning yourself all the time. As for us, our credo is quality: Maison Kitsuné is a unique concept of trendy and modern luxury mixing fashion and music. We love to propose new concepts and we like to be as authentic as possible. Moreover, I think that the key to success is to be passionate and Masaya and I are truly found of what we do. It’s really a luxury to turn your passion into your day to day life.

 

FY! – Is there an artist,  a text or even a song which you feel more connected to or that best embodies the philosophy of the Brand?

GL – We love Sky Ferreira’s song Everything Is Embarrassing and we were lucky to have her as one of the face of our Spring/Summer 2014 campaign. It’s the same at the moment with Kilo Kish: we are putting her  Across EP out on Kitsuné music label and she also agreed to be the face of our Maison Kitsuné  Fall/Winter14 Campaign.

 

FY! – As usual, I can’t exempt to ask you too… What is really FUCKING YOUNG!?

GL – An essential attitude…it is very important to be open-minded, open to new idea… always refreshing its views on things… to keep it FUCKING YOUNG!

 
See below the Spring/Summer 2015 lookbook of Maison Kitsuné:

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Portrait by Max Farago.