Project Foil, the first textile development project by the ZOZO Group. In the joint research on "the development of new textiles that combine functionality and beauty," undertaken with HOSOO Co., Ltd. and the Information Science and Technology Laboratory led by Associate Professor Yasuaki Kakehi of the University of Tokyo, works combining traditional crafts, advanced materials, and interaction technologies were created. Currently, the ongoing exhibition of the results, "Ambient Weaving─Environment and Textile," showcases five works including color changes due to environmental temperature, fabric embedded with computer-controlled organic EL lighting, and hardening through UV irradiation.
How was such a project, combining tradition with pioneering technology, realized? What does this attempt signify, and what does the future hold beyond it? This time, we delve into the ideas that led to this project through a discussion between Masataka Hosoo, President and Representative Director of HOSOO Co., Ltd.; Yasuaki Kakehi, Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Information Science and Technology; and Yuki Kanayama, President and CINO (Chief Innovation Officer) of ZOZO Technologies, Inc.
PROFILE
Masataka Hosoo
President and Representative Director of HOSOO Co., Ltd.
MIT Media Lab Director's Fellow. Born in 1978 into the Hosoo family, which has been engaged in Nishijin weaving in Kyoto since 1688 (Genroku 1). Under the philosophy that "craft connects to the future," he promotes the preservation of traditional kimono culture and develops luxury textiles based on Nishijin weaving techniques and materials, pursuing beauty through fabrics.
PROFILE
Yasuaki Kakehi
Researcher, media artist. Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Information Science and Technology. Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Information Studies). His research focuses on interactive media that utilize physical material properties, and he has exhibited works at Ars Electronica, YCAM, among others. He has received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Young Scientist Award in the field of science and technology, and the Excellence Award in the Art Division at the 23rd Japan Media Arts Festival.
PROFILE
Yuki Kanayama
President and CINO (Chief Innovation Officer) of ZOZO Technologies, Inc. After founding VASILY, Inc., which operates the fashion app "IQON" (ICON), he sold it to ZOZO, Inc., which operates "ZOZOTOWN" in October 2017. Currently, as the Innovation Director at ZOZO Technologies, Inc., he is responsible for R&D and new business creation, including the establishment of ZOZO Research Institute.
The Value of the Project's Challenge
Why ZOZO Technologies is Taking on Textile Development
KanayamaThere was a time when we were making clothes under the ZOZO (private) brand, and this project started back then. When ZOZO decided to make clothes, we wanted to create something that no one had ever seen before, something that would surprise everyone, something that would go "beyond imagination." At that time, I felt that design alone wouldn't achieve this.
Although seasoned fashion designers have crafted countless sophisticated designs, as a software company, we aimed to control materials through software to create valuable products and clothing.
During this period, members of ZOZO Labs introduced us to Hosoo and Kakehi. We originally wanted to create clothes that would astonish people, and as a means to achieve that, we thought of leveraging our strength in software to control the materials used in making clothes. It's something no one has done yet. Recently, there have been functional clothes with fans or heating capabilities, but we wanted to make something different—cool and stylish. It was a serendipitous encounter that aligned perfectly with this foundational desire.
That's why we are working with these two. The common trait between them is that the moment I met them, I thought, "We can do this." Both of them have incredibly flexible thinking. Hosoo, how many generations has it been now?
HosooI'm the 12th generation.
KanayamaThe 12th generation, and the academia's Kakehi. My image of them was that they were stubborn and had this unique self-importance, but it turns out they are open-minded and eager for discussion, which is incredibly cool. Looking at their previous works and products, I found them very stylish, which is something they both share.
