Daisuke Gemma
Creative Director
Daisuke Gemma worked as a buyer for the famous specialty store BROWNS in London at a young age, and has established a unique position within the Japanese fashion industry upon his return to Japan, such as working as a creative director for various brands and shops. His rich overseas experiences have brought him several job offers from Japanese companies as well as foreign companies such as LANE CRAWFORD and JOYCE. Mr. Gemma, with his global mindset, gives us his sharp perspective on the current conditions of the Japanese fashion business and future issues regarding the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week TOKYO from the standpoint of the JFWO (Japan Fashion Week Organization) committee.
What led you to do the work that you do now?
When I was 21, I studied abroad in London. I made many friends over there, and from a certain time, I started to frequent the company BROWNS. As BROWNS had quite a lot of Japanese customers, I was offered the job of a salesperson, and I decided to take it although I couldn't speak much English. The following year, I was taken along on a buying trip abroad on the recommendation of a buyer named Bernie Thomas, who I am still in contact with today, and from there I started to work as a buyer. After returning to Japan at age 26, I joined a company called WR and established a specialty store called Family as well as a PR company called Pred.P.R.. Right now, I work with sacai and the Hong Kong department store LANE CRAWFORD, etc.
After you returned to Japan to work, did you notice any differences between Japan and abroad?
As BROWNS was a high-end store, I had the sense that high-quality things would sell even if they were expensive. However, unlike London, the high-end market in Japan was tough, and most customers were middle-class. In addition, the cycle was very fast and there was a unique scheme in which clothes were first sold by being featured in magazines, and so it was quite a shock to me when I first returned to Japan. I didn't have the confidence to work in such an environment, but I didn't want to be someone who badmouthed Japan after coming back from abroad. I wanted to learn more about the Japanese culture and do something that was truly me. After returning to Japan, I first launched a specialty store called Family with hopes that customers that understood me like family would come to the store.
From what standpoint did you consider being involved in fashion when working in Japan?
There were many people with amazing talent around me, and watching them, I knew that I wouldn't be able to become a designer. But I wanted to work with these great people, so I figured that I would be like lymphatic fluid and channel the things that they made. I wanted to become someone that could think creatively about everything apart from design, including the business aspects, in order to better communicate the designers' creations.
You direct a broad range of things from show music to the shop interior and even marketing; how did you acquire this know-how?
First of all, an affinity for the brand and the clothes forms the basis. The same applies to my work for sacai; I really like it, so even though I have no know-how, I try my best and fumble my way through. Meanwhile, for my work for the Hong Kong specialty store JOYCE and LANE CRAWFORD , etc, I can directly transmit the Japanese brands and designers that I like to the world, so it's satisfying in a different way. I owe a large part of the work I do now to having been able to learn many things including business aspects during my time at BROWNS.
