In the last few weeks during a trip to Osaka, we had a pleasant opportunity to have an in-person visit with the team behind headwear brand câbleami. Situated in Kobe, which is just a 45 minute train ride from Osaka, we met with founders Shuji and Tomoka, associate Yumiko and their friendly sidekick, Lime, at the train station. A brief ten minute walk through a quaint neighbourhood brought us to their studio space where we chatted about their backgrounds and the câbleami brand in general.

For those who are just learning about câbleami, their name comes from the traditional ‘Aran’ cable knitting pattern and is combined with the word "ami" which has two meanings here - "knit” in Japanese, and ‘friend’ in French. They are a team of 6 (including Lime) and purposefully create modest, yet unique hats season after season.

It’s a pleasure to meet together. Could you share a small introduction about yourselves, and how you entered the fashion/headwear industry?

Shuji: At câbleami, Tomoka and I share a variety of responsibilities such as design and sales, however Tomoka focuses also in production management, and I am more involved as a brand representative. 

We were both mutually interested in entering the fashion industry, and felt specifically drawn to the idea of creating hats. We met while working as designers at Kongo Shokai, a now defunct hat importer and manufacturer. Tomoka studied for a year at a hat-making school in Paris before working there, and was in charge of merchandising as well as design. When Kongo Shokai closed in 2015, we decided to continue our passion and start our own company.

With that being said, what led you to create the brand câbleami?

Shuji: While working at our previous company Kongo Shokai, we were already trying to build our own brand, and an opportunity came up for us to exhibit our products overseas. This exhibition sparked the beginning of câbleami, and when Kongo Shokai eventually shuttered, we were able to transfer the rights of the business and continue to operate câbleami as a hat manufacturer to this day. Our new company allowed us to express our personal experiences while exploring and uniting our preferences in vintage, military, and outdoor styles.

câbleami is based in Kobe, unlike most fashion brands which are based in Tokyo. Do you feel inspired by your physical surroundings? How does it affect the brand?

Shuji: I was born in Osaka and moved to Kobe when I was in junior high school. Tomoka was born in Okayama but has lived in Kobe since she was 18 years old, apart from the year she studied in Paris.

From then until now, we have both lived in Kobe without consideration for moving to Tokyo, especially since the company we worked for was already situated here. I also believe that by being based in a place where I’ve spent many years residing, it allows me to have stable mental health and a positive sense of my environment, which allows me to create better hat products for our customers.

"Sometimes, we choose the material based on various considerations and information, while in other instances, we lean into our instincts and inspiration at that very moment." 

One of the qualities that we like about câbleami is that it has a very distinct style and characteristic - where did this aesthetic come from?

Shuji: We simply make hats, but we gain a lot of inspiration from a variety of musical styles, books, and elements of vintage fashion. It’s important to think about hats objectively, but I am also always considering how hats match with various dress styles, which will spark new ideas and approaches to the designs.

Tomoka: We also value our travel experiences. From domestic to international travels, we feel that experiencing different cultures has always been a great influence toward our style, which continues to this day.

What are your favourite headwear styles you currently offer, and why?

Tomoka: There are many, but I would have to say the Boa Aviator. Liam Gallagher from Oasis loves this particular style. For his 2020 live album ‘Down by the River Thames’ which was broadcast from London, Liam wore the hat. This was a very exciting experience for us as we received inquiries from people around the world about it.

How do you approach choosing your materials from season to season?

Shuji: We choose the materials together. Sometimes the fabrications are based on various, informed considerations, while in other cases, we lean into our instincts and inspirations at that very moment.

Tomoka: I apply my past experiences, and try to visualize the finished product as clearly as possible. We try to consider the combination of style and material a lot—if the style is unique, we keep the fabric simple, and if the fabric is unique, we try to make the style simple. We also value our sense of adding a bit of individuality to a basic or familiar design. It’s a challenging, yet enjoyable process to come up with these combinations.

We noticed câbleami does not release collaborations often, other than with BEAMS. How is your relationship with BEAMS, and how do you approach collaborations?

We have a great relationship with BEAMS. From our time at our previous company to the moment we launched Hycle works Co., Ltd., BEAMS has been handling our hats and helping to suggest collaboration ideas from perspectives we weren’t aware of. Through working with them, we can also see opportunities to propose new initiatives, so in this way we are often inspiring and encouraging each other.

câbleami began operating in 2008 and is mainly found through a handful of select retailers globally. Do you have plans to open your own retail space? What else is in store for the brand?

We currently do not have plans to open a store, but as times change, there may be a chance in the future to consider this. For now, we don’t imagine too far ahead, and will strive to continue building Made in Japan hats.

To end, beyond fashion and headwear, what other industries interest you?

Shuji: I haven’t considered it much, but Tomoka and I both share an interest in Mingei (Japanese Folk Art & Crafts).

Editor: Jason Liang  |  Translator: Airi Nishioka

View more of câbleami products here.