Shogo Okada, a current model and the head of the modeling agency VELBED., is deeply engaged in farming activities rather than just agriculture.
He cultivates crops in a field in Doshi Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, and actively works as the Director of the workwear brand KEIMEN for farming activities.
This time, we will delve into the persona of Okada and introduce his activities as the Director of KEIMEN.
"I started modeling at the age of 21, and now at 38, I launched a modeling agency six years ago and KEIMEN the following year.
"Regarding farming, it all started when I rented a community garden in Yokohama as a hobby, but my interest went too far, leading me to attend an agricultural school for a year. By chance, I now rent about 1.5 hectares of land in Doshi Village, Yamanashi Prefecture, where I engage in my activities."
Designing to Cover the Inconvenient Parts While Farming
Now that we understand how Okada became a “farm otaku,” let's continue discussing how the workwear KEIMEN for farming came to be."When commuting from Tokyo to Doshi Village, I would wear clothes that were okay to get dirty or change on-site, but I wanted to travel to and from without changing. Also, I noticed various discomforts like knee pain when kneeling or restricted leg movements during work. Around this time, an acquaintance in the apparel industry reached out, which led to the start of KEIMEN.
"The brand name KEIMEN means 'germination' in German. There are many realizations and ideas when farming, which I felt linked with the imagery of germination, leading to this naming."
Ten Items for the First Season
From here, let's introduce the first items and the foundational collection of KEIMEN that Okada created, inspired by farming."We first made overalls. We reinforced the knee area with triple-layered fabric to prevent knee pain and designed the silhouette for a large range of motion.
"There's also a feature where the pants can be buttoned to fit inside boots."
"Additionally, we made long-sleeve T-shirts with extended sleeves that stay rolled up, raglan sleeves for unrestricted arm movement, thermal T-shirts, and other items that formed the roots of KEIMEN's collection.
"Accessories are also popular and have become standard items. Items like logo and non-slip gloves, two-tone socks using black for frequently dirty areas, and hats designed to protect the neck from sunburn are important in KEIMEN."
Share Article
TOP ARTICLES
RELATED ARTICLES
