“I wanted the clothes I make to carry a message,but I also wanted the designs to tell a story.
In this case, it’s telling the wearer a story about Kyoto”

Masakazu Kuroda, the founder of Kyoto’s newest activewear collection, also happens to be one half of SMerge, Kyoto’s new creative platform. So, when it came to introducing fashion news from this fascinating city, we had to ask Masakazu what inspired him to work in this industry and what we could expect to see in the future. “I wanted an outlet to express myself,” he said while enjoying his post-run coffee. “Having worked in fashion for twenty years, finally designing my own collection just made sense to me. And of course, being a runner, what I wanted to design was activewear.” 

“I knew that when the time came to design, I wanted a strong message to go with it,” Masakazu added. Just like how SMerge is influenced by Kyoto, the style and feel of Masukazu’s activewear draws inspiration from Kyoto’s beauty, spirituality, and lifestyle. “Looking good is important, but I also want people to learn something from the clothes I make.”

Read on for a sneak preview of the AG(R)GS activewear collection, which will launch in winter of 2022.

SA: Why did you choose to create activewear?

MK: I’d thought about designing clothes before, but I never found a really good reason to. I didn’t want to design clothes just for the sake of it. There’s enough clothes and designers out there, many of whom are doing a brilliant job. It was when I was out running that the activewear idea came to me. Running isn’t just about exercise for me. Through running, I started to really notice my surroundings, I started to notice what was going on in Kyoto... and that developed my interest in Kyoto culture as a whole. That’s when I realized that I wanted people to learn about that culture through the clothing I designed. 

SA: You talk about how you want the design to convey a message. What are those messages exactly?

MK: I wanted the clothes I make to carry a message, but I also wanted the designs to tell a story. In this case, it’s telling the wearer a story about Kyoto Japan. Recently, I myself became more interested in Japan Kyoto culture, in old historical figures like Sen no Rikyu ,Tatsuaki Kuroda,...lots of people or traditional arts and crafts, the art of living... So, I wanted the collection to reflect that. Another idea I wanted to convey is that you don’t need to stick to the rules. There is freedom in your creative direction and expression. Just because I was designing activewear doesn’t mean I have to use what other people consider activewear materials or make the typical fluorescent-colored designs. 

For me, the word “active” has a double meaning. “Active” as in “working out”, but also “active” like “activism” and being pro-active with social issues and standing up for self-expression. Eventually, I want to be able to use fashion to tackle social issues plaguing the world right now and spread the message about important issues. I think fashion is a great and effective platform to really fight for social justice. 

SA: How would you define Kyoto’s beauty, and how is that represented in your designs? 

MK: I think the beauty of Kyoto is very unique and subtle. There is some sort of darkness or spookiness in the beauty. Think of water at the bottom of a well– I have this obsession with the dark beauty of Kyoto well water. You know, the first design I created for this line was a tsuno kakushi-inspired headwear. tsuno kakushi is a type of headdress worn by the bride in traditional Japanese weddings. I find them beautiful, but there is this mysterious and haunting element to it. I think this is type of beauty is very Kyoto. I didn’t make the tsuno kakushi headwear in the end, because I felt that it was a bit too obvious, but that’s where my head was at. I like minimal design, so I started to subtract from the main ideas I had and stripped it down to the base... down to what it is now, perfected.

The concept of this line is “wa (Japanese) tech”. It is an obvious one, but one of the jackets is in a kimono style. Kimono, but made with tech gear. It sounds like something that would have been invented before, but I haven’t really seen anything like it around. I also designed a jacket with a pocket that doubles as a flower vase. I liked the idea of being able to decorate your clothes with the wild flowers you pick from nature, since the designs are also heavily influenced by the scenery that I observed on my runs.

SA: What about the colors you chose to use? 

MK: I chose colors which are very subtle, ones that don’t attract a lot of attention or look out of place. For example, you would be able to wear the activewear to a tearoom or temple. 

SA: Lastly, since your activewear was directly inspired by your runs, how would you describe the experience of running through Kyoto? 

MK: Running in Kyoto... First off, what I see when I run is nature, the river, the stone paths in Gion, temples, and shrines. We are running through an environment that formed years and years ago, whether it’s the more natural or man-made surroundings. Nothing is forced and everything feels at one with the earth. When I’m running in Kyoto, it feels more like a meditation practice. It allows my thoughts to just be, and to be at peace. Once AG(R)GS launches... I hope that everyone who wears it can experience that same feeling alongside me.