Based on the concept of everyday wear to cherish for years to come, Loeff is now entering its fifth season. With its sophisticated, slightly masculine collections, the brand has won a dedicated following among stylish women.
For director and designer Rika Suzuki, nothing is more important to her process than choosing the right materials. We spoke with her about the sustainable fabrics in her latest fall/winter collection and her sincere approach to her craft.
Photographer: Taro Hirayama
Interviewer: Kumiko Nozaki
Making Clothes Is Like Cooking: It All Starts with the Ingredients
―I heard that when you design for Loeff, you always start by choosing the materials.
I was taught that making anything begins with the materials, so it’s a natural routine for me now. Times have changed, and there are many ways to create things, but for me, making clothes is like cooking. With cooking, you start by choosing your ingredients.
From there, you think about who you're serving and make other small choices, like what tools to use and what plates to serve on. Making clothes is the same. I start with the fabric, then decide how to draw the pattern, what sewing techniques to use, and so on. There are endless options for each step, but I believe that making the best choice over and over is the only way to create something I can truly be proud of.
―How do you translate a material you've chosen into a final design?
It’s less about letting the material inspire a design and more about choosing the fabric and designing at the same time. I get samples from about 50 to 60 fabric makers, both domestic and international, so it’s a huge amount of material to go through.
A lot of people don't realize how much time and effort goes into making fabric. The mills are already working on what’s next a year or two in advance. I often exchange ideas with companies I have a good relationship with while the fabric is still being developed. In that sense, it feels like we're creating something together. At the same time, I'm thinking about the design and the best way to deliver it to our customers.
―It sounds challenging to manage both of those things at once.
It is. I want to communicate the appeal of the garment’s design, but because I know the story and the hard work behind the fabric, I also want to express the unique character of the material itself. It often feels like there are two of me working at the same time! (laughs)
―What do you prioritize when selecting materials?
The balance of cost and quality is important, of course. But I'm the type of person who wears the same pieces over and over, so it’s crucial that it’s something you’ll want to wear again and again. A lot of fabrics change as you wash and wear them, but the key is whether it still feels like a good material after that happens. A good material isn't always an expensive one, so you have to be able to tell the difference.
How a Pair of Her Mother’s Hand-Me-Down Jeans Inspired Her Career
―What is your approach to sustainability?
This might sound a little contrary, but even when we use environmentally friendly materials, I don't want the brand to be loud about being sustainable. Having spent many years in mass production, I'm now painfully aware of how some of the things we did without thinking were harmful to the environment.
Because of that, I only want to create things that people will cherish for a long time, not treat as disposable. I also feel we have to be conscious of minimizing our environmental impact during the production process.
―It would be great if we saw more clothes that could be passed down through generations.
Actually, what inspired me to get into this business was a pair of my mother’s hand-me-downs. I have poor eyesight, and in elementary school, I wore thick, black-framed glasses that made me an easy target for teasing. I was extremely self-conscious.
But one day, I wore a pair of my mom’s old slim-fit jeans to school. I overheard a friend behind me say, Wow, Rika, your legs are so long and thin. No one had ever complimented my appearance before, so I was surprised as much as I was happy. In that moment, a simple piece of clothing gave me confidence by highlighting a feature I never knew I had.
―It seems significant that it was a hand-me-down, not something new, that inspired you. It connects to your philosophy as a designer today.
That experience made me realize that an object’s true value can be hidden, and that new possibilities emerge the more you care for it. Today, there are so many choices and different ideas about what clothes should be.
Knowing how much work goes into a single garment, I want to make pieces that people will want to treasure forever. And those are the kinds of clothes I want to wear myself.
―Consumer attitudes have certainly changed since the pandemic. People seem to be more selective about quality.
In these difficult times, I do worry about how much people are willing to spend on clothes. But all I can do is my best—for our staff, our fabric suppliers, our factories, and our artisans. That’s it. There are so many ways to make clothes now, and it’s become much faster and easier than when I started.
While every brand can choose its own approach, I feel that precisely because it’s easier now, it’s more important than ever to take the time to make things with care. My greatest wish is to create things of real value that you can only find at our brand, born from a deep commitment that starts with the fabric.
In Times Like These, It’s Time for New Challenges Beyond Clothing
―As Loeff enters its fifth season, do you have any new challenges or plans for the future?
I started Loeff with the simple desire to bring joy to people. Of course, we'll continue to make clothes, but I know it’s a difficult time for people to spend money on fashion. That’s why I want to find other ways to make our customers happy, beyond just clothing.
―Are any of those projects already in the works?
we're currently creating new pottery for our customers to enjoy as they decorate for the New Year. Also, since I love video games, I’d love to do some kind of collaboration with a game. It might be difficult, though! (laughs). I think that in times like these, it would be fascinating to take on new challenges with people from completely different industries.
Profile
Rika Suzuki
After designing for traditional and designer brands both in Japan and internationally, Rika Suzuki joined United Arrows Ltd. in 2007. There, she designed for Beauty & Youth United Arrows, Steven Alan, and H Beauty & Youth. She launched Loeff for the fall/winter 2019 season, which is now celebrating its fifth season. Making Clothes Is Like Cooking: It All Starts with the Ingredients I heard that when you design for Loeff, you always start by choosing the materials.
