Kyoto, Tokyo, & Paris: Designer Keiji Okamoto—20 Years of Resolve & Detours

34 Rue Croix des Petits Champs, located near Palais Royal in Paris’s 1st arrondissement, is home to the boutique "Vorterano" run by Keiji Okamoto, whose shop has eye-catching blue-gray curved window frames.

In stark contrast to the busy north side of the Louvre packed with tourists, this street exudes a calm and tranquil atmosphere. Adjacent to institutions like the Bank of France and the Ministry of Culture, the area has the distinctive tranquility of an administrative quarter.

In this quiet area, "Vorterano" glows softly like a warm light. Even though it’s in Paris, the dried flowers decorating the boutique evoke a hint of Southern European spirit. We sat down with Okamoto, whose friendly smile left a lasting impression.

Admiring Italy: Aspirations During a Stay in Milan

The path for creators moving from Japan to Paris is typically divided into two approaches.

Some dive in while still inexperienced, using their youth as a weapon to break through abroad. Others gain ample experience in Japan before confidently taking their honed skills to the global stage. Having come to France at age 48, Okamoto followed the latter route.

However, he said he too once followed the former path.

Born to a family of tailors in Kyoto, Okamoto graduated from a menswear technical school in Tokyo. He then spent nearly two years living in Milan, Italy. After returning to Japan, he began working for a fashion-related company, training for about three years before assisting at his family’s shop in Kyoto.

"Living in Italy was, honestly, just a step up from being a student. I did internships and tried to land work by taking my pieces to big maisons, hoping to get hired. But lacking experience and relying on my parents, I eventually realized my limits and went back to Japan."

While working as a tailor in Kyoto, Okamoto launched a boutique under the same name, "Vorterano," where he sold pieces he designed himself. Yet he couldn’t let go of his longing for Italy. After returning to Japan, he even had a chance to present his creations at Milan Fashion Week (Mens).

"During fashion week, I showcased my pieces independently. Someone from the Italian Fashion Association noticed and invited me to register officially. I was overjoyed, hugging an Italian press officer as I registered, but in the end, because of financial challenges, I presented only five collections."

Seeking a Stage for Creation: A New Start in Tokyo

He kept the Kyoto boutique open for 10 years. Still, it wasn’t much of a place for his own creative work—the majority of his sales came from bespoke suits he made for individual customers, not from his original designs. The dilemma between his passion for fashion and the reality of the business world left the fire in his heart for fashion flickering and almost extinguished.

Should he shift completely to a more profitable business as a custom suit specialist? As this idea crossed his mind, Okamoto reaffirmed his passion, deciding, "I don’t want to give it up," and closed the Kyoto shop to head to Tokyo.

Tokyo brought him success crafting costumes for commercials and films, and financial stability soon followed. Still, his internal conflict as a creator only deepened. "I wanted to express myself through a cool boutique like the ones I admired in my youth." Torn between that dream and his prospering career, he made another life-altering decision.

That decisive choice was to move to Paris, France.

However, it wasn’t a relocation filled only with hope, like the move from Kyoto to Tokyo had been. The ten years spent in Tokyo actually served as a long and meticulous period of preparation—for both honing technical skills and developing a "resilient mindset" to face the challenges ahead.

Forging an Unbreakable Spirit Over 10 Years

Why was it France and not Italy? Although there was an Italy boom when Okamoto was in his twenties, living in Tokyo changed his ultimate destination to Paris—the pinnacle for anyone wishing to debut in the world of fashion.

Those ten years in Tokyo were all about getting ready for the journey that lay ahead. While carefully saving a substantial amount of capital, he also refined his craft to the extent that, anticipating situations where he couldn’t rely on machines—or especially people—overseas, he could handle every step of clothing production by himself.

However, this experience meant more than just acquiring technical skills. It was also a period of building the resolve needed to “never break” while in Paris.

Over ten years in Kyoto, Okamoto learned the basics of business and the importance of connections, and during ten years in Tokyo, he gained the technical expertise needed to meet even demanding clients’ expectations. It was only with these dual foundations that he was able to create the mental fortitude needed to take on the international stage.

In 2018, he finally moved to France. Despite continuous hardships—such as navigating a foreign country during the pandemic and the tough search for a shop location as a foreigner—his confidence from "ten years of preparation in Tokyo" kept him going. In 2023, he finally opened his own shop in Paris.

With his long-held dream now realized—opening his own store in Paris—Okamoto’s daily life became one of new discoveries, as well as a strong awareness of the "differences" in work culture compared to what he had experienced in Japan.

Experiencing the "Differences" Between France & Japan

Although he runs his own shop in Paris, Okamoto initially felt a significant language barrier in his original trade as a "tailor." When creating made-to-order suits, it’s essential to pick up nuanced preferences from conversations with clients. He found that offering the same quality in French as he did in Japanese was difficult.

However, when it came to his original ready-to-wear pieces, the story was different. He could communicate and tailor the fit through pinwork to customers who liked his style, even in French. Recently, trust has grown with clients who already understand and appreciate Okamoto’s style, and orders often go smoothly even if there are still language barriers.

There are remarkable differences in how clothes sell, too. In Japan, winter attire generally brings in the most sales. But in Paris, the winter climate puts functionality before style, and sales slow. On the other hand, summers are long and cool with plenty of opportunities to go out, so jackets actually sell better. It’s the opposite of the trend in Japan.

There are major regional differences within France as well. While Parisian customers prefer chic colors, Okamoto says many of his customers from southern France come to his shop looking for vibrantly colored clothing. Having spent two years in Nice previously, he jokes, “If that’s the case, maybe I should have opened my shop in Nice!”

Okamoto’s Style: Pouring Everything into Clothing

As I listened to Okamoto in the back of the shop, the sound of the front door opening interrupted us. With a nod to me, he stepped away to attend to two older white women who had just entered. Ever since opening in Paris, Okamoto says it’s become common for French customers to pick up his designs and say, "You’re Japanese, aren’t you?"

“I owe that to Kenzo Takada, Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo, Issey Miyake, and others. Thanks to these pioneers, the social status of Japanese designers and craftsmanship has been firmly established in Paris. Customers who are well-versed in fashion recognize this, and so they’ll say, ‘This creation must be Japanese,’ when they see my works.”

It’s a coincidence that 34 Rue Croix des Petits Champs, the address of Vorterano, is just a short walk from Place des Victoires—where KENZO once set up his flagship store.

"In the end, this location turned out to be absolutely perfect. I searched all over Paris—Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Marais, Passy, and many more—but couldn't find a place I could actually sign a lease for. In the end, it was a matter of fate that led me here, but what makes this spot so great is not only the people who live nearby, but also the travelers staying at the many top-rated hotels in the area.

"On top of that, for Japanese customers visiting Paris, this neighborhood has a great image. Even though it's such a tiny shop, people feel proud to know that Okamoto opened a store here just five minutes on foot from the Louvre."

Okamoto has always changed his experience and stage by relocating. Even past events that seemed like failures were necessary steps to becoming who he is today.

"We're in business, so we have to create clothing under the constraints of deadlines and budgets. That means sacrificing ourselves—working late into the night, pushing through exhaustion. Still, the joy customers feel when they see the finished piece makes it all worth it. For me, creating clothes isn't just a pretty ideal—it's my very source of life.

"Every time I finish a project, I’m accompanied by the regret of wishing I had done better. That's exactly why I pour everything—my skills, creativity, and feelings for the customer—into each garment. That's the only type of 'sales' I know how to do right now."

Finally, we asked Okamoto about his current job title.

"Designer, creator, craftsman, or maybe even salesperson. I’m happy to let people interpret what I am however they wish. Here in France, though, most people call me a 'creator.' They’ll say, 'If you created both these clothes and the mood of the store, then you’re a creator.'"

At the back of the shop, behind a counter topped with a red espresso machine, Okamoto continues diligently working at his craft bench today.