Japan has always been a little obsession of ours. We’ve admired it from afar for years – the aesthetics, the attention to detail, the way even the simplest things feel poetic. It’s one of those places that constantly inspires us and sneaks into our work in one way or another.
So finally being there – with our own pop-ups – felt a bit surreal. This time we had the chance to present our FW25 collection in Tokyo and Kobe.
The Tokyo pop-up was organized by Shimizu-san, the owner of Compass, while the Kobe one was hosted by our dear friend Mika.
The story with Shimizu is honestly too good not to share.
It all started when I wanted to buy a bag from Sunny Side Up on his website (yes, sometimes I’m the customer too!). I wrote to ask if he could ship to Europe and with the help of Hiro, our trusted bridge in Japan, we managed to communicate.
Long story short: Shimizu turned out to already know PeppinoPeppino – and was actually a fan of the brand! So I got my bag, and he got our jeans for his store.
Sometimes the universe just writes the best stories.
As for Mika – we go way back. Like, before PeppinoPeppino-the-brand back.
It was still the time of PeppinoPeppino Magazine, when we were just playing around with ideas and aesthetics. Mika and I always shared a similar taste and we even did a few collaborations together.
Seeing her again in person, after all these years, was such a joy – like meeting an old friend you somehow always pick up where you left off.
The pop-ups themselves were such a mix of emotions: excitement, gratitude, jet lag and a good dose of “is this really happening?”.
Selling denim in Japan – the denim land – honestly felt like a dream.
And seeing people coming by, some to shop, others just to say hello, was the best part of all.
We came home full of memories, new friendships and that kind of inspiration that stays with you for a long time.
Japan, we’ll definitely be back.
