I had the chance to meet Hiroki from Visvim while being in Tokyo and chat with him for a sec. We attended a discussion round organized by Geisai at Murakami’s Kaikai Kiki gallery, which was all about Visvim’s philosophy, the search of using new materials, improving treatment methods and also the ecological aspects of creating high-quality products.
In the end everybody was allowed to ask questions and as we heard this crazy rumor that Visvim at the end of the year collects all their unsold items (they don’t go on sale) and BURNS them! (including animal skin!). I just had to know if it’s true or not. In my opinion this would go totally against Hiroki’s whole philosophy: Why travelling around the whole world, make all this effort to find new materials, new treatment procedures and spend time with Indigo people to learn more about their production processes of animal skins if in the end you destroy those products you didn’t sell??!!
It didn’t make any sense to me, so I really had to ask this question. In fact, our good friend Miho did for me as my Japanese isn’t that fluent. To be honest, we were a little scared to ask the question since all the other questions were all about different materials and Hiroki’s philosophy and of course we didn’t want to offend anybody.
However, in the end we asked the question and got a straight answer: Visvim keeps their Denim on stock for at least 3 seasons, the rest they collect and indeed burn! BUT, Hiroki also said that at last they always have very few stock left over etc.
I still think: This is not ok. Instead he could give the dead stock to those Indigo people he visited in Norway or some other people in need. Maybe after they’re 2-3 years old, so nobody gets pissed off that they paid the full price. Burning animal skin and all the other fabrics can’t be the solution and helping people in need can never harm your image.
Again, only my personal opinion. I still have mad respect for what he does and with which love and great detail he creates his Visvim products!
Waiting to get in:
Hiroshi in da house:
Hiroki talking:
They showed us the shoe in pieces:
Very happy to meet this guy!
YAY!
