For starters, can you elaborate on Hender Scheme’s design philosophy? Your Instagram page, for example, has a running “Case Study” series that shows off new and worn-in shoes that hint at a strong appreciation for Patina and age.

“We create our products with the idea that even when they’re newly lined up in stores, they’re only completed and finished after being worn and used. Objects develop memories and bonds through the passage of time, and that creates a value that a brand new product doesn’t have. (In this T Factory collaboration, for example, Kashiwazaki and team have reinterpreted Tod’s retro-inflected Tab sneakers (pictured) with panels of untreated vegetable-tanned leather meant to darken over time and take on a patina.) ”

Both Hender Scheme and Tod’s are brands built on leather craftsmanship and know-how. What did you learn working with Tod’s?

“Leather shoes were originally introduced to Japan from Europe so there is a common root. Working with Tod’s, I discovered that we share similarities in our philosophy and attitudes toward making things. Both brands value the production processes and respect the craftsmanship of our artisans. (Hender Scheme’s atelier, for one, is located in the Asakusa district of Tokyo, which is a hub of leather and craft workers.) The design prototypes and samples that we created and shared became our common language. That helped us overcome the difficulties of language barriers, distance and the pandemic the situation even though we were working together for the first time.”

Previous T Factory collaborators were fashion designers while Hender Scheme is a leather goods brand. What difference do you think you’ve made?

“We were aware that our background was different from that of the previous T Factory designers (Alessandro Dell’Acqua, Alber Elbaz and Mame Kurogouchi). We thus wanted to reinterpret the iconic ideas of Tod’s with this concept of ‘New Craft’ that we at Hender Scheme have come up with: harnessing artisanal techniques and knowledge to create items with contemporary, unique designs. (Bags, for example, include a circular crossbody that’s meant to be an adaptation of Tod’s signature Oboe with multiple adjustable handles and straps, as well as a fabric backpack with leather handles. There are three key adaptations of Tod’s signature loafers – one with tassels, one with fur inserts and the last, a backless mule style – while clothes possess a similarly Japanese brand of minimalism with luxurious leather accents. Everything is designed to be unisex.)”

The Gommino Pebble Sole is a key inspiration for this capsule and you’ve designed the whole line around a concept dubbed “Tod’s Dot’s”. Can you tell us more about that?

“As a designer, I was attracted to Tod’s iconic driving shoes – in particular, the construction, functionality and structure of their unique Gommino pebble soles that became a key feature in the T Factory capsule. For example, the initial motivation to create the maxi pebble sole was a very technical desire (found on high-top sneaker-brogue hybrids and variations of the tasseled loafers, this sees the studs synonymous with the underside of Tod’s most famous shoe upsized). I was interested in developing a unique construction by sandwiching these huge pebbles between the midsole and outsole before joining them together without stitching. The look was thus achieved through this combination of fine details and balance.”

This article first appeared in the November 2021 Crazy Cool Asia edition of FEMALE