Neighbors Higashi-Jujo members discuss TARROW TOKYO's collaborative project

This spring, Neighbors Higashi-Jujo began a new clothing project in collaboration with the apparel brand "TARROW TOKYO" to create new clothing in collaboration with residents. This time, a team made up of Neighbors Higashijujo residents created clothes with the theme of "clothes that will provide an opportunity to interact with each other. Now that the clothes are ready, we spoke with the project members at Neighbors Higashijujo.

Hello, and welcome to the Neighbors Higashi Jujo project. How did this team come together?

Ryo:
Originally, Miho attended the briefing session for this project. I was interested in making clothes myself, so I saw Miho-chan calling for help on her Instagram page and approached her. The conversation progressed from there, and I invited Yuka-chan and Uma-chan to join us.

Later, when I asked Tsubasa to shoot a video for the entry, he said, "I want to be involved in the whole process! So we ended up with the five of us.

Q : The collaboration with TARROW TOKYO was an open call for entries from Social Apartment residents, wasn't it? How did you communicate your team's enthusiasm so that they would be selected?

Yuka:
We heard that there were many applications for the previous project, so we spent a lot of time discussing how we could get a chance to produce from them. We finally decided to submit a PR video that conveyed our personalities, a flyer that summarized the strengths of the team members, and a PR text, and I was in charge of writing the PR text. I appealed to them.

I was very happy when I heard that we were chosen out of more than 20 groups!

Q : The Higashijujo team was given the chance to produce the apparel because of their enthusiasm.

Miho:
It's "Clothes that will be a catalyst for people to connect. When I first moved into Social Apartment, I was worried that I would not be able to get along with everyone. At that time, I thought that if we had the same clothes or did something together, it would not only give us a sense of togetherness, but it would also be a chance to connect with others. I thought. So I wanted to make clothes that could be used not only in outdoor situations but also in everyday life.

Q : What specific items did you produce?

Miho:
This is the fleece we are wearing now. We paid attention to details such as the fabric, length, and the shape of the collar. In terms of fabric, we initially made a sample in a different fabric, considering the price. However, I felt that this would not be very comfortable to wear and would not be in line with TARROW TOKYO's vision of "creating a world where quality clothes can be cherished and worn for a long time. So, although the price would be higher, we adopted fabrics made in the U.S.A. with enhanced thermal protection. It has a special finely woven knit structure, which is excellent for blocking out cold air while maintaining breathability.

We also modified the material and size of the collar so that it is neither too stiff nor too long. As for this pocket, we spent two hours discussing with advice on how to keep the fashionable design and how to keep the back of the pocket from showing on the outside of the clothes when things are put in.

We also wanted to "put what the Higashi Jujo team created somewhere!" We also wanted to include the catch copy of Neighbors Tojujo, "A small revolution in life that starts with COFFEE," translated into English on the zipper tag, and other details were carefully considered.

Q : These clothes are full of attention to detail, aren't they? Is there any point you were particularly worried about?

Uma:
I was worried about the color development until the very end. We had decided on two colors, a basic color and a unique color, but the fabric sample and the finished sample were different from what I had imagined. The lime color was an instant decision, but I couldn't decide whether to go with dark gray or light gray for the basic color until the very end. Then, I wanted to reflect the opinions of everyone in Higashi Jujo, so I had everyone vote on a general LINE group, and as a result, we decided on these two colors: dark gray and lime.

Q : So you also took into account the wishes of the residents?

Yuka:
Recently, I can't wait to get the collaboration clothes as a way of saying hello! (Laughs) I am happy to hear that many residents are looking forward to the collaboration because I am sending out information about the process on Instagram.

Ryo:
I took a commemorative photo of the meeting we had on October 31, and I asked all the residents to be in the photo. There was a Halloween party going on that day, so I hope to convey not only the process of making clothes, but also the state of the social apartment through Instagram.

Q : I heard that each member of this team has different strengths. What were your specific roles?

Miho:
I am in charge of all creative aspects, such as Instagram content and flyers. Tsubasa is in charge of writing, Yuka-chan is in charge of booking Instagram posts, and so on. Ryo-kun and Uma-chan are in charge of visuals, I think (smiles).

Actually, until about halfway through the project, we had not assigned anyone to be in charge of anything, and we had decided that whoever wanted to do something or could do it would do it. However, by the time I realized this, there were differences in temperature and task bias in the planning. I confided in Yuka-chan about my feelings about the project, and we discussed it. As a result, Yuka-chan suggested that we change the rule to change the leader of the project every week.

Q : Did you get any advice from the people at TARROW TOKYO in the production process?

Tsubasa:
In order to realize our wishes, they not only gave us precise advice on materials, color variations, etc., from the perspective of a professional in the field of clothing production, but also took us on a tour of their factory to understand the production process. We were very grateful for the opportunity to visit the factory to understand the production process, and to feel the desire to make this project even better together with us.

Q : Finally, do you have a message for those who are considering purchasing the collaborative clothing?

Ryo:
We held a pop-up at Urawa Parco on November 9 and 10, and we were very happy that many people, including residents and friends, came to see the collaboration clothes. We are planning to exhibit at more Social Apartment events in the future, so please look forward to seeing more of our work!

Uma:
A fleece with a special attention to detail was born. Even though they are the same color and shape, there is a lot of freedom in how you wear them, and I hope they will be an opportunity for residents and friends to connect, so please pick one up.

Yuka:
At first I wasn't sure if I would be able to make a good product, but the finished product is so cute and I love it! I think I made such a great product that I want to have both colors, so I hope many people will wear it.

Tsubasa:
I like going to festivals and camping, and I think it is really perfect for such timing. I was able to create clothes that would give people a chance to wear and play together when they go out somewhere.

Miho:
I got that one comment, "I bought a collaboration outfit!" I would be happy if that one word, "I bought your collaboration clothes!

Thank you very much for your wonderful story !

This fleece jacket is the result of a collaboration between TARROW TOKYO and Neighbors Higashijujo members.

It is available for purchase through TARROW TOKYO's online shopping site. If you are interested, please check out the site.

(Reporting and writing by Saori Hoshida; Photography by Tsugufumi Matsuma)