Zepanese Club & J.PRESS EXCELLENT QUALITY COLLABORATION. EPISODE 00
IMA:ZINE, which opened in September 2017 in Nakatsu, Kita-ku, Osaka, can be said to be a rare shop in the Kansai region that conveys the "story" and "originality" of the clothes. Representative director Yuji Iwai, who has been the editor-in-chief of the Kansai men's fashion magazine ``Kajikaji'' for 12 years, buyer and director Atsuto Tani, and store manager Fuyuki Inaba, all of whom have been the editor-in-chief of the men's fashion magazine ``Kajikaji'' for 12 years. The store's worldview is formed by an archive of culture and knowledge. This Nakatsu area, one station away from Umeda, is a so-called quiet residential area. At the time of this project's coverage, we could see a line of happy elementary school students leaving school, giving a sense of calm atmosphere. A beautiful, independent store with a twist, located in such a pleasant area. Core people are drawn to the space where the story behind each item is concentrated. What was the process behind Atsuto Tani, one of the store's key personnel, from his initial impulse to participating in the project to create a Zepanese Club x J.PRESS blazer? Let's unravel one part of that thinking.
IMA:ZINE, set up in Nakatsu, Kita-ku, Osaka in September 2017, is a rare shop even for the Kansai region, which exudes originality, and the stories written in clothing. The shop's worldview is created from the archive of taste culture and knowledge output by three men: representative director Mr. Yuji Iwai (who had worked for 12 years as editor-in-chief of Kansai men's fashion magazine, CAZI CAZI), buyer and director Mr. Atsuhito Tani, and store manager Mr. Fuyuki Inaba. The Nakatsu area, one station away from Umeda, is what we'd call a quiet neighborhood. While we were conducting the interview for this project, we could see a cheerful line of elementary school students on their way home, and felt a calm atmosphere. Standing in such a comfortable area is this independent and ingeniously beautiful shop. People with passion are drawn into the space where stories, hidden away in each article of clothing, have been brought together. Leading up to the co-production of a blazer between their Zepanese
Club brand and J. Press, Mr. Atsuhito Tani, a key person at this shop, gives us some insight into how initial intentions led to participation in the project. 
Zepanese Club×J.PRESS Special Blazer “STREET SUIT”
INTERVIEW WITH Atsuhito Tani
``The core of Zepanese Club originates from the ``Amemura culture.'' A brand that uses graphics to express a sense of transcending boundaries and free thinking that breaks down assumptions.The world of Pablo Picasso comes to mind. During the cubist era, which challenged single-point perspective drawing, the "child-like paintings" that he achieved in his later years were, as the word suggests, not calculated, pure and innocent, and a freedom that was not bound by preconceived notions. I saw a free-spirited expression.Like him, we, as adults, understand the rules, various standards, common sense, etc. that we have learned so far, and then, like destruction for the sake of evolution, If we can eliminate the existing boundaries with ingenuity and originality...
And what if the new chemical reactions that result from this could bring us adults the same innocent pleasure as children? Zepanese Club is a "Mr. Kids" brand with such a feeling. J.PRESS, which is proud of its history and tradition, Verdy, an artist currently attracting the most attention who delivers messages through graphics to the Japanese street scene, and Mr. Yabashi, a punk tailor representing Kansai, will create new value through expressions with them. If you can create it. I participated in this project with such expectations and thoughts." 
Zepanese Club×J.PRESS Special Blazer “STREET SUIT”
INTERVIEW WITH Atsuhito Tani
“The core of Zepanese Club stems from Ame-mura culture. It's a brand that expresses the feeling of crossing boundary lines, and a free way of thinking that
breaks down assumptions. It reminds us of the world of Pablo Picasso. At the time that Cubism was making waves in what had only been perspective drawing up to that point, the “childlike painting” he had come to in his later years was just that – childlike, uncalculated, pure and innocent, and you could see a free and
uncontrolled expression that couldn't be confined to preconceived notions. Like him, once we as adults have understood all the rules, various standards and common sense we've learned up to now, then, like the destruction needed for evolution, if we could eliminate some of today's boundaries with ingenuity and identity....And if from that, some new unexpected “chemical reaction” could possibly bring us adults back to that childlike, innocent enjoyment....That's the thought that makes up our “Mr . Kids” brand, that's Zepanese Club. With J. Press, which boasts history and tradition, today's most sought-after artist, Verdy, who gets his message out through graphics to Japan's street scene, and Mr. Yabashi, Kansai's representative punk tailor. – we wondered if through all of our expression, we could create new value. We participated in this project with those expectations and thoughts in mind.” 
INTERVIEW WITH Atsuhito Tani
IMA:ZINE store manager Mr. Inaba, director Mr. Tani, and representative director Mr. Iwai, who are responsible for the creation of Zepanese Club, also participated in the collaboration blazer planning meeting. A conversation began with the J.PRESS design team, led by Mr. Yabashi, the owner of Cradle, who will be the brain behind realizing the details and design of this project. Details such as lapel width and collar, waist shape, patch and flap, armhole size, button position and type, shoulder line fit, and the attached Zepanese Club emblem patch can be made into a Velcro patch or can be fastened with three pins. The specific formations and patterns, such as the shape of the pieces, are carefully matched. As the designs were designed down to the millimeter, words typical of the IMA:ZINE crew were thrown around, such as John Lydon's 80's suit style being cited as a clue to the image, and giving a hint of "sound" and "culture." After the meeting, Mr. Tani once again reflected on the design that had been output with Mr. Yabashi. “I think it’s a beauty that we were able to embody a classical image that is a little different from the current urban sophistication of J.PRESS.The classic style of the East Coast once regained its neutral feel, Coincidentally, the pattern created with the image of those days overlaps with past archives of J.PRESS, and I think the result is a pattern that somehow feels fresh without losing its long-established character.American By expressing the traditional taste from a different angle than the current preconceptions, and adding Verdy's graphic design and the styling ideas of Zepanese Club, I feel that an unprecedented taste has been created. Their solid background knowledge and unrelenting creativity soften the perception of the boundaries between separate genres such as traditional, mode, and street, and also remove age barriers and create music that transcends generations. Create things that are loved. ``After learning the rules, I want people to enjoy this blazer with a mellow sense of values, keeping in mind that ``Rules are meant to be broken''.The age groups I would like people to wear are three generations, from early 20s to 60s. Ideally, it would be a jacket that would be passed down from parent to child.Personally, I would call it a "street suit," and I would like to express the message, materials, and colors of the three brands Zepanese Club, Cradle, and J.PRESS. We want each owner to express their own unique style by wearing a blazer." 
INTERVIEW WITH Atsuhito Tani
INFORMATIONIMA:ZINE
ADDRESS: 3-30-4 Nakatsu, Kita-ku, Osaka
OPEN：12:00-21:00
TEL&FAX: 06-7506-9378
http://imazine.osaka/