ART OF Reflections
Takaharu Osako. Japan.
Culture That Traverses Continents
What makes someone on a nine hour time difference take Arsenal into his heart that could rival anyone with an Islington postcode? What drove Taka to pack up everything and move here 28 years ago, and what’s transpired since is a rooting in British culture, and finding the crossroads where it meets his own.
By his own account, the culture of the UK has always been something that’s fascinated him. Cool Britannia with its shaggy haired Mancs and Union Jack mini dresses. It captivated us at home and seemingly brought a fair bit of fascination abroad too. Growing up, life was a little different to the bright lights we’re so acquainted with in Tokyo. Being one step removed from it all, that feeling of being from a ‘small town’ but knowing there’s a big bright world out there is a story that resonates across every culture and continent. That fascination grew and grew, until the point that age turned into free choice and it was a plane ticket straight to Blighty. A storied career in fashion followed, parties with Kate Moss, Taka felt Cool Britannia more than many Briton’s got too.
In 2019 he turned his attention to himself, and reflected on the 20 years spent knocking around the streets of London. As such his brand (ki:ts) was born. A beautiful mash up of carefully curated Japanese crafted items, mixed with the pop culture that drew Taka to London in the first place. Each shelf poured over, a story and reason behind everything that adorns its shelves.
The overwhelming sense you get when speaking to him is that there was never any alternative to making London his home. He was going to bleed these streets through hell or high water, and by god has he. Football never far in tow. Weekends spent at Arsenal on a Saturday. Sunday league on, well a Sunday. Community it seems can be found wherever your heart desires it.
There's no doubt that the place where you rest your head can never quite stand up to the place where you first laid your feet. But if you take on Taka's teachings, you too could run it a pretty close second.
Thank you for welcoming us into (ki:ts), thank you for sharing the journey up to this point. It truly was our pleasure.
