BEAUGAN is a label with an attitude and an energy that’s both so unclassifiable yet so familiar. Founded by Australian born, Tokyo based Chris D. Hancy and now co-run with partner (in business and in the personal realm) Miko Okamura, BEAUGAN has not only garnered a cult-interest here and internationally but has already in its short lifetime realigned the public’s perceptions of what’s possible in terms of creating timeless, ethically sustainable, and artistically authentic fashion.
Like the natural world, BEAUGAN’s garments are in a constant state of flux, both rooted in the past through their traditional techniques of production, but constantly evolving and morphing with each wear.
In terms of encapsulating what BEAUGAN’s clothes look like, Chris puts is best saying “the image I have in my head is like an archaeologist that digs up these garments and cannot date them, they look really old but also freshly modern.”
The pair are deeply thoughtful and philosophical about their craft, which in a world dominated by fast retail fashion is a much needed breath of fresh air. We caught up with their pair in their Tokyo home studio to chat fashion, nature, design, humanity and everything in between.
Your recent collection is called Gondwana’s Lament a reference to the supercontinent that once existed. Can you tell us more about why you chose that title?
Chris: Gondwana is the name given to the theoretical prehistoric, southern supercontinent, comprising the land-masses of modern-day South America, Africa, India, South East Asia, Australia and Antarctica. Movement of the tectonic plates broke up this ‘mega-continent’ and displaced countless arrays of ancient flora and fauna, dispersing them across the planet. This led to isolation and the development of geographically unique species and lifeforms.
I am much more interested in the idea of tribes, clans and kinship grouping than those of political nations. I think concerning identity it’s evidently becoming less and less important ‘where you come from,’ than what you actively choose to identify with. Identity is becoming more about freedom and choice, rather than something predetermined.
Chris, you’re from Australia, Miko you’re from Japan, as an aesthetic BEAUGAN has a very organic and almost traditional feel, but it’s not tied to one specific cultural origin, how do you describe ‘where’ the label is from?
Chris: Genetic studies have for a long time shown us that there is more genetic variation within so called ‘races’ than there are actually between them – For instance they have found that within Africa alone, there is more genetic variation present than in the entirety of Europe, America and Asia combined. Defining people by race is a ridiculous idea.
With BEAUGAN clothing it’s this same idea. I do not wish to restrict creation to one single origin, to something that linear and predictable. BEAUGAN garments come from selected sources from all over the planet. For me the ‘where’ or ‘when’ is less as important as the actual core: The characters and story, the person wearing the garment. Let’s just say that wherever BEAUGAN is coming from, the important part is that it comes from a place that’s HUMAN.
Miko: We can’t define so simply ‘where’ the label is coming from literally, because neither Chris nor myself have mono-cultural backgrounds, nor interest in defining the world by those parameters. I think BEAUGAN is coming from these interactions, between all humans from different experiences and different cultures.
You’ve been experimenting with DIY dyeing, what have you learnt so far?
Chris: We have worked with a master artisan of natural dyeing, who has followed his family tradition, it’s a 1,300 year old hand-dyeing technique called ‘dorozome’ (mud-dye). It’s through working with this artisan that we’ve become more and more involved with the world of natural dyes.
Miko: Natural-dyeing occurs through chemical reactions with ingredients sourced directly from nature and the immediate surroundings. The resultant colours which we create are dependent on, not only the type of plants, but also where the plant was taken from. For example, cherry blossom (sakura) trees are useful for obtaining a bright pink or ashy pink when a catalyst is applied. However, if you where to harvest their wood in June, you wouldn’t be able to obtain a pink dye, because the tree would’ve already used its ‘colour powers’ when it bloomed in April. So it all depends on the innate power of the plant when you use it.
Do you think you’ll continue with the method? What are the benefits of the DIY approach to dyeing?
Chris: It’s a limitless world of possibilities! We’ve started experimenting with imported roots, nuts, and flower stems to make our own home dyeing solutions, so it’s possible to do some small batches at home, that’s certainly a direction I’d like to take at some stage also.
The benefits of natural dyeing is simple; It’s organic, its non-toxic. The skin is the human body’s largest organ – but we feed it junk food. We really should start to consider the potential harm of wearing chemically produced fabrics. Materials like polyester, rayon, acrylic, nylon, or anti-stain or anti-wrinkle or no fade fabrics all are made from harmful materials; petroleum, plastics, heavy metals and other toxic, caustic or carcinogenic chemicals. Synthetic materials may be cheaper to produce but are these savings worth your health?
Natural fibre and natural dyeing methods are better for the environment. There is almost zero carbon footprint to these processes, mostly everything is done by hand and materials found in nature. Concerning natural-dyes there is a visual benefit also; that is variation. No two garments will EVER be the same colour or patina, each is unique and special in its own right; Just like people that wear it!
Can you tell us a little about your studio space?
Chris: Right now, our studio space is in our apartment, we eat and work at the same central table. Luckily that table is a large wedge of rough-cut timber, so it still can feel a bit more like a kind of ‘wild’ experience even though we are actually just in a small apartment in a Tokyo suburb.
Miko: We have some plants and pets (three turtles and some fish) and lots of objects that Chris has collected and archived from all over the world; masks and mingei antiques. Sometimes I am horrified by those masks at night (laughs). But I quite like the space actually, considering the fact that we are located in the centre of Tokyo.
In a world of fast fashion, how has the BEAUGAN concept of slower, more thoughtfully produced items been embraced?
Chris: I think we are faring well in our fight against mainstream. In Japan there is a story (which originated in China) about a koi fish that managed to swim up the waterfall became a dragon. It’s a story about the importance of resilience and determination when going against what everyone else is doing. I see an importance in carving an original path and battling against the odds. It’s not merely a necessity, but the only way I know how. I really work hard to make BEAUGAN garments to have real soul and to make sure beauty is woven in the fibres.
Miko: It’s still early days, but I guess more people are starting to support us and are becoming aware of how they dress. Even people around me who did not care about what they wear have started to take notice of the benefits of higher quality clothing and have started to change their mind.
Chris, in a previous discussion you mentioned your need to be by the sea. Can you explain for us why you think the ocean attracts you. Does it influence your work?
Chris: When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to live close to the ocean. Whenever things got bad, I’d be able to run away from home towards the ocean and just sit there on a sand hill and watch the endless horizon. I’d just be able to think to myself ‘you know; this situation, whatever these troubles, it’s just now… it won’t be forever.’ The future and possibilities are as expansive and unknown as that ocean out there before you.
An ocean’s edge is kind of philosophical power spot. Hopefully this natural and pure energy is reflected in the clothing we are designing. I want to recreate that same peaceful moment and simplicity of ‘letting things go’ with clothing. When I design clothing I really do try to satisfy all of the senses. It’s so important that the garments satisfy people on an instinctive and natural level.
If you were to move outside of Tokyo tomorrow, where would you go? Why?
Miko: I want to move somewhere with lots of greenery, an abundance of nature and ecology, trees, river, ocean. Perhaps Wakayama or Amami? Observing nature teaches me a lot. Even if I try to prevent change, nature keeps evolving and changing.
Chris: Our current dream is to move to Shirahama in Wakayama prefecture. Miko and I went there on our first official date outside of Tokyo. At the time, I really missed white sand beaches, Miko suggested we go to Shirahama as it’s is one of the only white sand beaches in Japan. When we first went there I felt a strong connection with the area and was drawn to it.
When I got home to Tokyo I started to do research on the area. I was looking at the area in Google maps when I noticed that the shape of the beach was odd, in my opinion, it didn’t seem organic; I thought it was maybe man-made.
Apparently Shirahama beach was so popular for its white sand in Japan that many luxury resort hotels started to be built along its coast line to service the high tourist demand. The construction disturbed the coast, and the resultant tides started to wash away the white sand which had made the place so popular!
The area started to import sand to save the beach and keep it pristine and white. They value this sand so much that after every summer workers come down with mini-trucks bundle up the sand into big black tarpaulin sacks and carry them up the mountain to store it to keep it safe during the winter.
Turns out that this sand has been imported to Shirahama beach from overseas since 1989. Some of it is from Perth, Western Australia; my home town. 1989 is also the year Miko was born, a strange set of coincidences.
What are your plans for the rest of 2018 and beyond?
Miko: We want to try some pop-up stores (although we need a different word for this ‘pop-up shop’ sounds like a cheap trick or gimmick) maybe something more like a ‘traveling, nomadic retailer’? That sounds better doesn’t it?
Also we would like to show overseas because Japanese buyers just don’t come to Tokyo to see Tokyo collections, instead they almost exclusively go to Paris even to buy Japanese designers. So in the end rather than judging it, it is more efficient to just show there.
Chris: There is an indescribable satisfaction that comes from seeing people when we’re able to see their character feeling free when wearing our clothing, like being infinitely comfortable in one’s own skin.
I feel like it’s similar to watching a flower blossom. I hope to keep being supported enough by wonderful customers to continue the creation of this beautiful (metaphoric) garden. So in the future I want to be in my garden, smelling the flowers, tasting the fruits, feeding the flytraps, and giving haircuts to the cacti. That’s the dream.
For more information of BEAUGAN’s upcoming collections, visit BEAUGAN.
Originally from Australia, in 2016 Lucy left her job as an editor of a culture and music magazine in Melbourne to live, work and travel in Japan. Between freelance writing and traveling, she’s been dabbling in film some very amateur film photography, which you can check out on her Instagram: @lucy.dayman. Check out her other writing work and photos at lucydayman.com
