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The Design Philosophy of F/CE.®: Born From a Global Cultural Backdrop
F/CE.® is a brand capturing attention both at home and abroad with its high-performance materials and refined designs. It seamlessly bridges the gap between everyday urban life and the extraordinary moments of travel and outdoor adventures, elevating the way we live.
We sat down with F/CE.®'s creative director, Satoshi Yamane, to dive into the brand's unique world and his design process.
The Three Keywords Behind the F/CE.® Name
First, we asked Yamane about the brand's origin story and how the name came to be."We launched the brand in 2010, so this marks our 16th year. Initially, we had a completely different name. It was a made-up word that no one could pronounce, and it was a pain to explain it every time. So, I decided to switch to a name anyone could read, which led to F/CE.®.
The name comes from three words: Functionality, Culture, and Exploration. The idea is to draw inspiration from culture, explore it, and then translate that into functional design.
Our core concept of creating functional and convenient products has remained the same since the very beginning."
The Roots of Yamane and F/CE.®
We also delved into the cultural influences that have shaped Yamane throughout his life."I was deeply involved in subcultures like hardcore and punk. I was into the Dogtown movement of the 1980s, as well as old-school and new-school hip-hop.
The culture of the ‘80s and ‘90s was deeply intertwined with politics and social issues, and music was at the heart of it. For instance, the punk scene in the West had a lot of vegetarians, and I was influenced by these cultural aspects as a teenager.
While it doesn't directly translate into the brand's designs, I remember going on tour with my band and thinking, 'I really need a good bag.' There just wasn't much out there that was both convenient and met my standards.
If I wanted a large backpack, my only option was to buy one from an outdoor brand. But mountain packs are obviously designed for climbing, so they had a lot of features I didn't need for city-to-city travel, and often lacked the specific capacity I was looking for.
I realized I could channel those experiences into creating products, and that's how the brand came to be. This philosophy applies to everything we make, not just bags, but also our apparel and footwear."
From Global Travels to Design Inspiration
Every season for F/CE.®, Yamane and his wife, Asami, travel to a different country, drawing inspiration from their experiences to shape the collection's theme."We used to spend about a month traveling around a single country, translating our experiences into the designs. Lately, though, our schedules have meant shifting to a more intensive, two-week trip.
For the Spring/Summer 2026 collection, we visited Belgium. It's a small country, so we were able to study Art Nouveau design while traveling around. I became particularly interested in a design technique called the 'whiplash curve.' Digging deeper, I discovered that the origins of this design style are found in plants.
Drawing inspiration from that, we built this season's designs by incorporating decorative, Art Nouveau-style lines into the clothing, all while blending them with F/CE.®'s signature functionality."
The F/CE.® Spring/Summer 2026 Collection
Now, let's take a look at some items from the Spring/Summer 2026 collection."First up is a key item for the season: a printed T-shirt created in collaboration with artist Mariko Enomoto.
We selected a piece from Enomoto's archive that resonates with the collection's worldview. By adding F/CE.® graphics and text, we've created a piece that has a fascinating, almost toxic surrealism[1]. I was drawn to her work and reached out with an offer, and this is the result.
We also applied a special treatment over the print, layering an aged effect onto the functional fabric. This creates a texture that ties back to the season's theme.
The T-shirt is made from recycled cotton. The mix of different fiber lengths gives it a unique, vintage-like feel."
"Next up is a hybrid mule, created as an exclusive F/CE.® collaboration with SUICOKE. This design merges their flagship 'MOTO' and 'ZAVO' models. It's a shoe that delivers both the functionality and comfort needed to bridge urban and outdoor environments.
A removable heel strap provides a secure fit while making them easy to slip on and off. The shoe features a footbed co-developed by SUICOKE and Vibram, along with a Vibram MORFLEX outsole."
"Additionally, we have a pullover-style zip jacket with a distinctive diagonal zipper. This piece combines a relaxed, military-inspired silhouette with wide sleeves, all crafted from a lightweight 20-denier nylon taffeta.
You can also create a shorter, cropped look by tightening the drawcord at the hem. It has a garment-dyed-like texture and a dry feel to the touch. As an ultra-lightweight and versatile light jacket with excellent stretch and breathability, it's perfect for transitioning from city streets to outdoor adventures."
Retail Stores and Global Expansion
We also spoke with them about their global expansion and directly-operated stores."We've been focused on global expansion from the very beginning. Since our first year, we've been showing at major trade shows like 'Capsule' and 'MAN/WOMAN.'
Our first directly-operated store opened in Daikanyama in 2014. We were looking for a space that captured the feel of a New York shop with an office in the back. It originally launched as a multi-brand boutique, but after a major renovation in 2021, our flagship store, 'F/CE. Flagship Store Tokyo,' was born.
And now, in 2024, we've opened another flagship store in Osaka."
With an unwavering vision since its launch, F/CE.® has consistently delivered products that fuse culture and functionality. Drawing inspiration from cultures across the globe and translating it into their designs, each collection offers a fresh perspective.
Grounded in a lifestyle that seamlessly transitions between urban life and travel, F/CE.® will continue to push the boundaries of its unique creative vision.
[1] Surrealism: A major 20th-century artistic movement defined in 1924 by French poet and writer André Breton, exploring the realms of dreams, the unconscious, and the irrational.
PROFILE
Satoshi Yamane
Fashion Designer / Creative Director
Satoshi Yamane is the founder of OPEN YOUR EYES Inc. and serves as the creative director and designer for the brand F/CE.®.
After founding the company in 2010, he launched F/CE.® under the concept of "Functionality, Culture, Exploration." The brand has earned acclaim both in Japan and abroad for its products, which marry high-performance materials with designs inspired by the cultures and lifestyles of various countries.
For the Fall/Winter 2018 season, he and his wife, designer Asami Yamane, won the Tokyo Fashion Award. He has since served as a creative director for several global brands, expanding his creative work across multiple fields.
In 2023, he and his wife, designer Asami Yamane, established F/CE. LONDON LAB LTD in London, UK. They are expanding their activities from a European base, aiming to boost the international profile of Japanese creativity. He currently splits his time between Japan and the UK.
In 2024, he established his own design studio, "山根敏史デザイン事務所." His work extends far beyond fashion, covering a wide range of creative services including product design, branding, and creative direction.
He is also known as the bassist for the instrumental band "toe," continuing his unique creative pursuits in both music and fashion.
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