2024.10.02

An Interview with the Mastermind Behind "VCM": Event Highlights & the Future of the Vintage Scene

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Japan's largest vintage festival "VCM (Vintage Collection Mall)," which gathers over 150 shops from across Japan, will be held on October 19 and 20 at Pacifico Yokohama.

This popular event, which has seen an increasing number of visitors with each iteration, marks its fifth edition.

This time, we spoke with Naoaki Tobe, the representative and organizer of VCM, about the origin story of VCM, key highlights of the event, and his views on the flourishing global vintage scene.

PROFILE

Naoaki Tobe

CEO of VCM, Representative of VCM (Vintage Collection Mall)

Establishing a Vintage Platform for the World

What inspired you to start VCM?

Having been involved in the vintage industry since my twenties and running a company for about 15 years, the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for us to conduct buying trips.

During that time, industry peers often shared their struggles, and I heard concerns that continuing as we were would become difficult business-wise. Thus, we sought ways to collaborate and create something together.

Japan's vintage culture is among the top levels globally, including our editing capabilities. Moreover, numerous quality items are collected domestically, which led me to consider creating a vintage platform for the world.