KEIMEN's Shogo Okada: Crafting Functional Apparel From the Realities of Farm Work

KEIMEN, a Japanese brand that masterfully blends the functionality essential for farming with a design that looks great in the city, has just dropped a new item to combat the sweltering heat, equipped with air-conditioned clothing technology.

So, why did the head of a modeling agency start tilling his own fields and dive into developing apparel specifically designed to tackle the challenges of farm life?

In this article, we chat with Shogo Okada, Director of KEIMEN, to hear about everything from the brand's origin story to the development process behind products that seamlessly transition between serious farm work and everyday life.

Captivated by the Science of Agriculture

Okada, who heads the modeling agency VELBED., first got his hands dirty in 2019 after renting a small plot at a community farm in Kanagawa Prefecture. Initially, he casually thought that crops would grow just by planting seeds. However, he quickly learned that without the right soil and environmental conditions, they wouldn't thrive as expected. Struck by the profound nature of agriculture, he decided to attend an agricultural school for a year to seriously study the fundamentals of cultivation.

"I went to an agricultural school for a year and was exposed to the deep science behind it, which I found fascinating. I got completely hooked on the cultivation process itself. The COVID-19 pandemic hit around the same time, so I had plenty of free time. It turned into a period where I'd go to the fields every day and truly discovered the joy of it all."

This passion eventually led Okada down the path of full-scale production. By around 2021, he was renting a vast 1.5-tan (approximately 1,500 sq meters) field in Doshi, Yamanashi Prefecture, and had started selling his produce through the local 'Hyakusho-kai' cooperative. He adopted a meticulous approach, starting with building the soil itself. This involved collecting fallen leaves from local campsites to create leaf mold and sourcing compost made from vegetable scraps from waste disposal facilities.

He discovered a cultivation cycle that fit his own lifestyle, for instance, by traveling to Doshi Village once a week and planning his yearly schedule to focus on manageable crops.

The Farm Doubles as a Design Test Field

As he dove deeper into farming, Okada found himself working in a simple tracksuit, frustrated by the lack of gear that made him feel good. Conventional farm attire was often just cheap workwear, leaving very few stylish options.

He also began to envision practical features born from firsthand experience, like pants that could be easily tucked into boots and sun protection to shield the back of his neck while bending over.

Then, an acquaintance from an apparel company reached out, and in the spring of 2021, he launched his brand, "KEIMEN." The name means "germination" in German, a nod to his agricultural roots.

"First, we create an initial sample and field-test it on the farm before moving on to the second version. For instance, if the pockets on the cargo pants are too low and my phone falls out, we'll raise them. We fine-tune the design by testing these details right there in the fields."

Unlike the standard sample checks in the fashion industry, Okada personally wears the prototypes to test them during actual farm work. This has led to a unique development process where he identifies and fixes small but crucial issues—like items falling out of pockets when crouching—that can only be discovered on-site, incorporating the feedback into the next sample.

The Air Fan T-shirt: Powered by Air-Conditioning Technology

Farming during the intense heat of recent summers presents the unavoidable challenge of preventing heatstroke. To tackle this, KEIMEN teamed up with "RICO airfan," a brand by stylist Yui Mochizuki, to launch the "Air fan T-shirt." This shirt incorporates technology from Kuchofuku Co., Ltd., whose air-conditioned clothing is widely used on construction sites to beat the heat.

While standard air-conditioned workwear typically comes in long-sleeve or vest form for safety reasons, KEIMEN deliberately opted for a short-sleeved T-shirt design.

"What's great about a short-sleeve T-shirt is that it allows air to flow out from the arms. A key feature of air-conditioned clothing is the cooling sensation you get where the air hits your skin as it exits. So, keeping your arms and neck cool might just be this item's greatest strength."

The shirt is made from a water-repellent and quick-drying polyester from Toray, ensuring a light, smooth feel. It also features a clever strap at the collar that creates a gap, allowing air to flow out toward the back of the head to help lower body temperature.

All battery controls are conveniently located inside the left pocket. It can run for approximately 20 hours on the lowest fan setting, ensuring you stay comfortable through a full day's work. The design uses a compact battery, so you'll barely notice its weight while you move.

The back features a stylish graphic inspired by the contour lines of the farm Okada rents in Doshi Village, adding a fashionable touch. This is a product that’s not just for farming—it's functional enough for urban life and outdoor activities like summer bike commutes or camping trips.

Ever-Evolving Products Born from On-the-Ground Challenges

Even the brand's core items, available since the beginning, are updated each season based on real-world farming experience. The "Hat," for example, is shaped to provide wider-than-usual coverage, preventing severe sunburn on the back of the neck when bending over to work.

It's made of water-repellent nylon, and a wire in the brim helps maintain visibility on rainy days. The inner sweatband uses a water-absorbent, quick-drying, and odor-resistant fabric from Toray, complemented by a ventilation feature for comfort even when you sweat. What's more, the size is adjustable via a chin strap and a rear loop, demonstrating a meticulous attention to practical detail.

In addition, the brand offers "Vegetable T-shirts," made from a Fruit of the Loom cotton body that has been specially treated to be water-absorbent and quick-drying. This expands a lineup designed to seamlessly bridge the gap between urban and rural life.

"The phrase 'GREEN THUMB GEEKS' on the back of the T-shirt refers to someone who's so into plants their thumbs have turned green—basically, a plant or farm geek. As for 'To and Fro' on the front, that came from a conversation with doctor and anatomist Takeshi Yoro. He told me to 'commute between the city and the countryside like the sankin-kotai,' so I added the phrase to mean going back and forth."

The message embedded in the graphics perfectly captures Okada's personal philosophy of living a life that moves between the city and the countryside.

KEIMEN: More Than Just an Apparel Brand, It's a Project

Today, Okada's creative pursuits extend far beyond just making clothes. He independently produces "GREEN THUMB BY KEIMEN," a zine that explores agriculture from multiple angles, with past issues delving into themes like "Thunder" and "POTATO." He delves into the depths of agriculture from historical and scientific viewpoints, even interviewing a Kyushu University professor who researches the scientific link between lightning and bountiful harvests.

The latest seventh issue is themed around "Baths" and features an interview with Tsurutaro Kataoka, an actor who also enjoys farming as a hobby. He also consistently shares farm-centric content, like his weekly Wednesday podcast, "都会の農民ラジオ 別冊KEIMEN『緑の親指』," co-hosted with editor Masaya Yamawaka.

For Okada, KEIMEN isn't just another clothing brand; it's a project that branches out from the farm itself. He believes that taking time once a week to escape the city, connect with nature, and recharge is what allows him to maintain a healthy mindset for his urban life and business ventures.

Staying connected to the authentic, hands-on experience of the farm is what sparks his unique ideas. His work at the intersection of farming and fashion will undoubtedly continue to cultivate unique products and communities, all rooted in the farm as a starting point.