The Nature of the Shoe Care Brand that Draws the Attention of MARQUEE PLAYER

In 2015, the lifestyle brand "MARQUEE PLAYER" was launched in Tokyo with the aim of providing a comfortable sneaker life to everyone wearing sneakers worldwide. Recently, they have been making headlines, partnering with mita sneakers to release a collaboration model with New Balance's "MT580."

This time, I interviewed Kensuke Kobayashi, the representative overseeing the direction of "MARQUEE PLAYER," about their commitment as a shoe care brand.

A Lifestyle Brand Specializing in Shoe Care that Meets Various Needs

Shoe care-focused lifestyle brand "MARQUEE PLAYER" has been gaining popularity through sneaker boutiques like mita sneakers and Herringbone Footwear. Kensuke Kobayashi, the representative of the brand celebrating its 10th anniversary, shares the story behind its establishment.

"Actually, I had been conceptualizing products in the 'shoe care' category for about 15 years. This was before the brand was launched, but while working on importing overseas brands and operating domestic agencies, I started a project to launch a detergent brand from New York in Japan.
 
"I had always been interested in amenity goods from overseas hotels that offer extraordinary experiences, but during my visit to New York to sign a contract with the detergent brand, I realized that the amenity goods linked to my contract, and that was the trigger for launching the brand.
 
"Since that time, I’ve had a strong interest in care products, and regarding shoe care products specifically, I didn't see any domestic brands that addressed the needs well, so I decided to take the initiative and create something myself."
 
Kobayashi explains that the brand name “MARQUEE PLAYER” means “leading actor.”

"In the world of sports, particularly in football, players who become the face of the team are called 'MARQUEE PLAYER.' This inspired our name. The products themselves play various roles based on their functions, while the user assumes a head coach-like role."
 
Indeed, each product is numbered like a jersey, such as the foam sneaker cleaner "PREMIUM DETERGENT FOAM #10," which is like the ace position that cleans important sneakers with its ace number "#10," and the water-repellent spray "SNEAKER WATER+STAIN REPELLENT," which protects shoes like a goalkeeper, is assigned "#01." There's also a fascinating backstory that those in the know would appreciate behind these numbers.

A Unique Approach to Care

While lifestyle brands abound worldwide, including shoe care brands, what makes "MARQUEE PLAYER" special? Kobayashi shares their dedication.
 
"First and foremost, MARQUEE PLAYER approaches sneaker care from a different perspective. Many shoe care brands focus on 'what to do when sneakers get dirty,' but we consider 'how to keep sneakers clean' and cover everything from care that can be done immediately after opening the sneaker box to long-term storage.