Style Resume. Saito Hisao #11

I started the brand, but at first, sales were zero. I thought it was a bad situation, but the power of magazines helped me. Takeshi Matsuyama (editor, lyricist) introduced me, and I was featured in "POPEYE" and "BRUTUS". Also, Hidaka-san (Asako Hidaka, director of Shueisha), who later became the editor-in-chief of "MEN'S NON-NO". Also, Shigematsu-san (Osamu Shigematsu, founder of United Arrows), who was at BEAMS at the time, asked me to do it when he was creating "International Gallery BEAMS", so I ended up having him there, and little by little, things started to get on track.

I was an advisor to Beams at Shigematsu's request since I started my own brand. I think I did it for about three and a half years. The president at the time, Etsuzo (Shitara Etsuzo. Beams' founding president and father of current president Shitara Hiroshi. Deceased), vice president Kyoko (Shitara Kyoko. Etsuzo's wife. Deceased), Shigematsu and I met twice a month. When I launched "International Gallery Beams" in 1981, I gave Shigematsu a list of about 30 European brands and asked him to go on a business trip. At one point, I suggested to Shigematsu, "Let's ask Yohji (Yamamoto Yohji) and Kawakubo (Kawakubo Rei) to make a custom-made pair of jeans." Only Beams could do it. However, Beams didn't have the money at the time, so it didn't come to fruition.