D.O UNITED ARROWS by Daisuke Obana | Designing for Daily Life

For seven years, Daisuke Obana, the designer behind N. Hollywood, has been collaborating with United Arrows to craft a new wardrobe for the modern urban dweller. This season, the brand is evolving with a rebrand as D.O. United Arrows by Daisuke Obana takes a closer look at a refined and modern authenticity.H BEAUTY&YOUTH
A key part of this evolution is Maiko Akimoto, the designer behind Pheeny, who joined the brand three years ago to develop the women's wear collection. In this article, we explore why Obana brought Akimoto on board and the new creative possibilities that have emerged. From their design backgrounds to their shared commitment to the quality fabrics of Komatsu Matere, we uncover the vision behind this collection and the core of their creative process.

Photography: Kenta Sawada
Interviewer: Rui Konno

Discovering the Ideal Form with Akimoto's Contribution

It’s been seven years since your collaboration with United Arrows (UA) began. Why did you decide to change the brand name now?

Daisuke Obana (Obana): We originally started under the name United Arrows & Sons by Daisuke Obana with just two or three pieces. Before I knew it, the project grew into a full brand with a dedicated customer following. UA felt it should extend beyond the framework of United Arrows & Sons (Sons), which led us to this new format.

So it started as a more compact lineup.

Obana: Yes. We are grateful for the support it received within Sons, but its character began to diverge from the more avant-garde selection there. We started talking about taking it beyond that one label so that we could offer it to a wider audience across all of United Arrows. Starting this season, the name has changed to D.O. United Arrows by Daisuke Obana. We've also updated the tags and price cards to match.

I see. As we discuss the current state of D.O.’s creative process, it seems we should also explain why Ms. Akimoto is joining us today. Many people may not be aware of your connection.

Maiko Akimoto (Akimoto): That’s true.

Obana: She originally worked as a pattern-maker for me at N. Hollywood.

Akimoto: It was about 15 years ago now.

Obana: Has it been that long? We've had many pattern-makers over the years, but she was the first woman who could truly draft a pattern from start to finish. How many years did we work together?

Akimoto: Five years.

Obana: Five years. I remember that around the time she became proficient in drafting patterns, she made me more aware of different approaches—chasing a more intuitive look and form, focusing on the silhouette rather than just the lines.

So she brought a new perspective to N. Hollywood.

Obana: The most unforgettable example is with our knits. Knitwear is difficult to define because of its stretch, but when I asked her to try an unconventional approach to the patterning, I was able to realize many of my ideal forms. It made me realize that I needed to embrace new ways of thinking instead of being confined by convention. A few years after that, she told me she wanted to start her own brand.

Akimoto: That’s right.

Obana: She told me very clearly, "I want to create things I love, in my own way." From there, her brand took off, and just like that, 13 years have passed. About three years ago, right around Pheeny's 10th anniversary, I think we met for tea to catch up and talk about recent events and the state of women's wear.

Translating Obana’s Vision into a Feminine Form

Was that meeting about the D.O. line?

Obana: Yes. By that point, D.O. had been around for a while. The United Arrows women's wear planning and PR teams had been incredibly helpful, but as the scale of D.O. grew, I began to feel I had reached my limit in proposing the kind of women's wear style I envisioned. There are just so many things about women's wear that a man doesn't understand.

You needed the perspective and experience of someone who wears these clothes every day.

Obana: Exactly. If it were just about selling a design, I might have been able to do it myself. But to create functional clothing for women, I needed a deeper knowledge of their ecosystem, so to speak—their movements, their real body shapes. I could never get there on my own. That’s when I reached out to Ms. Akimoto, given our history, and asked for her help.

Akimoto: I was simply happy to hear from Mr. Obana. I thought I could apply the experience I’d gained from running my own brand.

D.O. is a label where practicality is just as important as design. Did you have any hesitation in joining?

Akimoto: Not at all. With my own brand, I've always wanted to make everyday clothes, apparel for living comfortably. That philosophy is shared with D.O., so I said yes without a second thought.

But wasn’t it challenging to join a brand that had been running for years, especially one with a distinct identity built around a limited selection of materials?

Akimoto: No. I'm not the type of designer who creates from a blank slate. My approach is more about thinking, What if this vintage piece were more like this? or This is a men's garment, but how can we make it easy for women to wear? I'm better at making things more wearable by adjusting color or sizing. I saw my role here as translating what Mr. Obana was creating into women's wear, and since that’s something I excel at, I didn't find it difficult.

The Character and Potential of Komatsu Matere’s Fabric

What are your thoughts on the processed fabric from Komatsu Matere used in the D.O. line?

Akimoto: The fabric we use for D.O. is characterized by the texture, wrinkle, and volume created by Komatsu Matere’s special processing. It's a material that could be considered quite elegant. My goal is to take that and make it casual and easy to wear in daily life. It’s a fascinating challenge to figure out how to dress it down while preserving the material’s quality, or how to create a clean look in an everyday garment.

I heard that the two of you visited the Komatsu Matere factory together.

Obana: Yes, last November. My main goal was for her to see the process firsthand so we could have conversations like, What if we tried this? I've handled this fabric for years, but I was sure there were things I was overlooking. Plus, Komatsu Matere isn't a typical fabric mill; they're a processing company, so you get to see chemistry in action.

Obana: I wanted her to know that this seemingly simple fabric is the result of extensive research and experimentation. They are always experimenting. Their archive room has an incredible amount of fabric, and they have a dedicated development team. These are the people who will say, We thinned this fabric out a bit, or We treated it with a chemical to give it a firmer hand. It had been about five years since my last visit, and I made new discoveries this time as well. we're already seeing the shape of new fabrics for future collections, all fitting our concept of apparel you can wear three or four days a week.

Akimoto: I realized that by changing the processing, we can alter the firmness, drape, and body of the same material, which is something that will be very useful in the womenswear designs. I want to explore more processing variations and search for new designs that suit D.O. The fabric is so good that I feel it's important not to over-design.

What is it about Komatsu Matere's fabric that makes you so committed to it?

Obana: It’s their constant, cutting-edge approach to this type of material. For us, the goal is a fabric with body and resilience that resists wrinkling, is easy to care for, and looks elegant yet casual. There are other materials that meet some of those criteria, but they're usually too elegant or too casual. That means you can't wear them for various occasions day after day.

Obana: But with Komatsu's fabric, you can go to the convenience store in it, or even sleep in it. The fabric we use for D.O. covers all the bases. And Komatsu keeps outdoing itself with even better fabrics (laughs). So for D.O., in a good way, we have no choice but to design for this fabric.

That’s such a contrast to N. Hollywood, where you use a wide variety of fabrics.

Obana: It is. The approach is completely different from how I create for N. Hollywood. Designing specifically for a single fabric is something I've only ever done with D.O., and I genuinely enjoy it.

Aiming for Apparel That Complements Daily Life

You mentioned clothes that can be worn every day. Ms. Akimoto, how do you shift your mindset for this? The collections for Pheeny seem to have a different wardrobe philosophy from the more conservative ideas of mix-and-match or time-saving outfits.

Akimoto: Not really. For me, it's fine to wear the same thing every day. When I wake up, I don't want to have to think about it. I design for Pheeny with that same feeling of this outfit is all I need. I want people to wear my clothes because they feel good. The most important thing about an everyday garment is that it feels good to wear and boosts your performance for the day.

Akimoto: I value that feeling, and I've always wanted to create clothes that complement daily life rather than just being fashion. I often use the same fabric for several years, wearing it myself for a year and applying what I learn to the next season. So I realized that D.O. and Pheeny are the same in that respect: thinking about how to maximize a material's strengths to create a piece that looks great while being comfortable.

Conversely, when you joined, were there any areas where you felt there was still room for improvement?

Akimoto: Since the team was almost entirely male, it was definitely the nuances of the female perspective. Things like subtle sizing preferences are points of concern for many women. With pants, for example, the waist position, the roominess in the hips, and the overall feel when you wear them are things only someone who wears women's clothes regularly would know. I feel my job is to interpret those nuances.

It sounds like it’s an environment where you can voice those opinions freely.

Akimoto: It is. They really trust me. When I say, I think this is the right way, they respond with, Ah, I see.

Obana: I don't want to hold her back from the ideas she comes up with. She understands the D.O. brand, of course, and there have been times when I thought something might be a little off, but when we made a sample, it turned out to be a perfect fit.

What Clothing Can Do for Ease in Modern Life

Mr. Obana, from your perspective, are there any items that you feel were only made possible because of Ms. Akimoto’s involvement?

Obana: Yes. The T-shirt, for example. It has a fitted size, but when you actually wear it, it looks minimal and makes your silhouette appear smaller and sleeker.

Akimoto: I think it feels fresh compared to the recent trend of smaller tops with wide bottoms. I incorporated what I personally want to wear right now. If this were made of cotton, it would cling to the body’s lines too much and you’d have to worry about your undergarments. But this fabric makes the compact silhouette stand out.

Obana: I think that for women, feeling at ease isn't just about physical comfort. Looking good in a way that flatters your figure is a form of ease, and having a touch of elegance is another.

So there are many kinds of ease, both physical and mental.

Obana: Exactly. That’s why I want to experiment more, and I believe those experiments will feed back into the menswear. The sweatshirt Ms. Akimoto is wearing now was originally a women's piece, but we thought, Wouldn't this be great for men if it were bigger? and released a men's version. Our pattern-making team is excellent, so we can do things like that.

And there are also items exclusive to certain stores and the online store, correct?

Obana: Yes. The exclusives are a jacket and pants that were originally women's designs adapted for men. We thought, This fabric has a crisp look to it, so it should work. If we find something good, whether it's for men or women, we just try it. We try not to overthink it. If the majority of people say they like it, we know we're on the right track.

Akimoto: The women's wear items include a vest that looks even better when worn as a set with other D.O. pieces. Not just for this item, but I believe that if I can continue to create pieces that can be mixed and matched under the brand's theme of apparel that you can wear three or four days a week, our customers will be happy.

D.O. really seems like a brand with a wonderfully open atmosphere.

Akimoto: While I was focused on creating designs that would bring out the best in this fabric, Mr. Obana was looking at things like function and philosophy, and he would pare things down, which keeps the brand from straying. I learned so much from seeing his perspective as a director. I still have so many things I want to try.

Obana: We are still challenging ourselves in that way. I can't say too much yet, but we're in a process of trial and error.

Akimoto: I never thought I would be making clothes with Mr. Obana again, but it brings new perspectives, and it’s a lot of fun.

Obana: I agree. So I very much hope everyone will look forward to what’s next for D.O.

Profiles

Daisuke Obana
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1974. After working as a buyer for the vintage store Go-Getter, he opened his own shop, Mister Hollywood, in 2000 and launched his brand, N. Hollywood, in 2001. He has been showcasing his collections in New York since September 2010.

Maiko Akimoto Born in 1985. After graduating from Bunka Fashion College with a focus on technical apparel, she started her career as a pattern-maker for N. Hollywood. She launched her own brand, Pheeny, in Spring/Summer 2012. In 2023, she joined the D.O. United Arrows by Daisuke Obana women's wear project as a designer.