TAKESHI HAMADA for ADAM ET ROPÉ
Intent on taking full advantage of an increasing number of freelance projects, Takeshi Hamada established his own office in Tokyo in 2003. Predominantly a print-based designer, his refined and intimate creativity concentrates on the subtleties of visual communication. Hamada tries to infuse his work with an artistic sensitivity to balance the commercial requirements of his clients. He admits, “There are always financial obligations but we have to forget this to create something new.”
Hamada operates with an introspective confidence in his process. “If I can enjoy it, somebody else can enjoy it too.” This produces a very personal body of work that supports the brand message with a unique authenticity. His ability to increase aesthetic value through graphic design is particularly important for the fashion industry. “They want us to create ‘beauty’ first.” More than directly translating a collection, Hamada is able to extend its core narrative through his choice of materials and typographic detailing. In addition to considerable hard work, this requires enormous flexibility given the limited timelines, budgets and variable creative processes of his clients.
Only six months after opening his studio, Hamada was introduced to Adam et Ropé through mutual friends. This casual meeting developed into an ongoing relationship centred on producing the company’s seasonal lookbooks. Also based in Japan, Adam et Ropé is a menswear and womenswear label under the Jun Company umbrella. In addition to its mainline collections, it offers a small range of garments and accessories from individually selected labels to enhance the brand experience. While Hamada fulfils the corporate requirements of such a high-volume brand, he has been able to infuse the work with his personal touch.
Although the relationship with Adam et Ropé stretches back many years, Hamada insists that every season presents a fresh set of challenges. While the creative process always starts with the collection, his inspiration comes from the consumer: “Who wears the clothes and what do they feel like?” Rather than seeing fashion as isolated garments on the printed page, he sees it as the covering for the body. This illustrates his broader awareness and the importance he places on functionality in his creative thinking. His subconscious plays an important role, as he absorbs a project’s requirements before setting them aside to allow the ideas to flow. “Understand, understand, understand and forget. I cannot get started if I don’t forget the analyzed information.” While investing heavily in the process, Hamada feels this investment must be balanced by the end result.
For the Spring/Summer 2007 collection, Hamada produced an eight-page mini lookbook in addition to the main catalogue. Without the need for binding, the fragile booklet was covered with a pale green-tinted, wax paper jacket. Always looking to build additional value, Hamada cleverly exploited the translucence of the paper with a hand-drawn, serif title. The well-balanced use of images and materials conveyed a subtle message about the upcoming collection. Hamada believes that in today’s world, where information is increasingly available digitally, the materiality of print will grow in value because it directly parallels the physical nature of the human body.
For Hamada, a successful professional relationship must be based on respect in order to build the confidence needed to produce innovative solutions. In time, this develops into mutual trust as both designer and client contribute to the project. “Even if the client has a creative background, it would be difficult to understand each other if they didn’t have in trust us.” Hamada approaches every project with equal dedication, searching for the creative balance that will satisfy his clients and himself.
Each lookbook takes advantage of a unique textured cover stock. This attention to the materiality increases the aesthetic value of the experience.
The mini lookbook for the Spring/ Summer 2007 ‘Atmosphére’ collection presented an edited selection of images by Katsuhide Morimoto.