The thump-thumping of the electronic house music gets louder as the night gets later. And Jakarta’s beautiful people continue to flock to Escalier, the multi-brand boutique at Potato Head Garage in South Jakarta, which carries dozens of hip fashion labels from around the world.

One of the best-selling brands here is Kitsune, which is both a fashion and record label established by French DJ Gildas Loaëc and Japanese architect Masaya Kuroki.

Loaëc is in town on this particular night for the launch of Kitsune’s new collection, “Parisien Tour,” as well as to meet fans of the brand and spin some tunes on the turntable.

In between sets, the French DJ spared some time for The Peak to talk about his fashion label, his latest collection, and his future projects.

Q: Congratulations on the launch of your new collection in Jakarta. Is this your first time to the city?

A: Thanks. I’ve come a few times already to DJ in Jakarta, and Bali too.

What do you think of Jakarta’s fashion scene?

It’s very interesting. It’s like you’re looking outside [to the international world], but you also keep some things local and original. Sparkle is very important here. There’s always a bling [in the clothing].

How did you start Kitsune?

My partner and I started simply when we visited Japan together [in 2002]. And we were thinking, it would be great to make something with the things we love, you know, like clothing and music, something that can be fun for us to do every day. It’s very egoistic. We wanted to do things we love. Our brand is really like our lifestyle. We love music. We love clothing. We love cafes. We now have our own Cafe Kitsune [in Paris and Tokyo].

Why did you pick a fox as your logo?

We wanted to have a little animal emblem that’s cute and easy to recognize in the markets. And from the Japanese perspective, the fox is like an animal that is strong, has many different faces and lives a long time, which I hope is us.

How do you and your partner divide the work?

Both my partner and I are creative directors of the brand. We get to see where we go together and make nice things together. I’m more into seeing the bigger picture. And he’s into more details. But there’s a good balance between the two of us.

What’s the brand’s signature style?

We’re making a clothing line that’s very basic and simple that we’d like to wear ourselves. I like to say it’s a bit chic and, at the same time, classic and sporty with a Parisian feel to it.

How would you describe that ‘Parisien feel’ in your clothing line?

Something elegant with smart little details, which make [the clothes] nice.

How does your style fit in the Indonesian market?

It’s very universal. Our items are basic and very easy to wear, so definitely, I do believe that it fits in the Indonesian market.

How are your collections doing so far in Indonesia?

We’ve been distributed through Escalier in Jakarta for three years now. We’re also present at the Escalier in Bali. And so far, we’re doing good.

Why did you choose Escalier to carry your collections in Indonesia?

We have a great relationship with the team of Escalier and Potato Head. Working with them feels very natural.

What are your best-selling items?

Oxford shirts and T-shirts, because of the weather [in Indonesia]. And also, the dresses.

What sells better here: the men’s or the women’s collections?

So far, we have a bigger recognition of the brand on the men’s side. But it’s also developing on the women’s too.

If you had to describe your clothing line as a musical genre, what would it be?

Certainly pop. It’s really something for everybody to wear every day. We don’t make clothes that are complicated.

Tell us about your latest collection, the ‘Parisien Tour.’

It’s a capsule collection, inspired by the Parisian lifestyle. We have a lot of sweatshirts, T-shirts, tote bags, iPhone cases, caps, keyrings and brooches that reflect the lifestyle.

Who is your main target market?

Happy people around the globe. It may suit younger people and also grown-ups.

Where do you get your inspiration?

A lot of times we get our inspirations from the movies. But also we get a chance to travel a lot, so we do see what’s happening on the streets in New York, Tokyo, Paris and Jakarta. We like picking up little things in every different city that we get a chance to visit.

Have you picked any inspirations from Jakarta yet?

Well, we do take some pictures [of the city]. Jakarta is, like, very green. Jakarta has so much vegetation, so many [more] trees when compared to Paris. Paris is beautiful, but [when] compared to Jakarta, it feels very old.

What are your plans for Kitsune?

I think we’re trying to keep making things we love, make them better and maybe opening more stores.

Do you plan to open your own store in Jakarta some day?

Oh la la, we’d love to. But I think it’s a bit early now. But why not? [Laughs.]

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Source: The Jakarta Globe