Japanese cultural figures and FUJITAKA meet PROJECT are collaborating to create opportunities for people to learn about Japan that they may not have known before. The I-toto series is a collaborative line created by Mr. Toyo Ito, who is a multi-awarded and internationally active designer.
Creative thinking that is linked to architecture
Mr. Ito emphasizes the importance of on-site meetings in building design. To create a high-quality product, he is meticulous in his attention to details, materials, colors, etc., and he enhances quality by carefully considering and deciding on them while examining samples with the staff on-site. The product collaboration also displays this attention to detail.
The collaboration bag was developed after a year of development into the shape and material to achieve a shape that changes softly depending on the contents inside.
Promotional movie about Mr. Ito's architecture
Shooting location
① Tama Art University Library (Hachioji Campus)
(Completed in 2007, Hachioji, Tokyo)
The library has a set of intersecting arches, and its exterior is comprised of glass and concrete walls.
The exterior and interior are seamlessly connected since the first floor is on a slope with the same gradient as the surrounding area.
The reading room on the second floor creates a feeling of being among the trees.
② ZA-KOENJI Public Theatre
(Completed in 2008, Suginami, Tokyo)
This theater in Sugimami has three floors above ground and three below and includes three halls and a cafe.
The exterior is covered in black steel concrete and is intentionally designed to be "closed" like a tent hut from the perspective of the surrounding environment and soundproof. Inside, the sunlight pouring in through the round windows creates a synergistic effect with the lighting, creating an extraordinary space.
③MIKIMOTO Ginza 2
(Completed in 2005, Chuo, Tokyo)
Mikimoto's second store building.
The pearl-pink exterior walls are finished with seamless steel plates welded together, forming a powerful structure that is integrated with the concrete on the inside. Irregularly shaped openings (windows) are opened across two floors, which characterize the exterior.
"Select what you like and use it with care"
“You naturally take good care of things you like, and even if they get torn, you repair them and continue to use them, so you can use them for a long time”, says Mr. Ito.
Choose a high-quality one and make it good. In designing buildings, he places great importance on on-site meetings to ensure high-quality workmanship. “I think that we can improve the quality by deciding on details, materials, colors, and other things while looking at samples with the on-site staff”.
A quiet luxury that makes you
want to use it every day
The design and development of this I-toto bag took more than a year. The finished product had a quiet sense of luxury, which Mr. Ito was pleased with. This expression was created by paying attention to avoid overexpression, just like with architectural designs. The design was made simple and elegant by repeatedly and sincerely considering it. Manufacturing is based on the careful sewing of FUJITAKA's craftsmen and Mr. Ito's careful creativity. This collaboration has created a bag that you will want to use every day.
A 2-way style that wraps up things inside
Italian leather was chosen with the theme of “high-quality soft leather”. The Italian largest tannery, which is certified by LWG environmental certification gold rank and carefully selects European raw hides, is responsible for managing the elegant cowhide leather to ensure quality and safety standards. It has a shape that naturally folds inward, allowing you to enjoy the changes that occur over time. The design allows folding with the weight of the shoulder D-ring, and changes with the amount of storage, resulting in a compact form despite its capacity. The bag has a two-way style that changes shape to fit what is inside, not to conform to the bag's shape. It has the flexibility of a Japanese furoshiki (wrapping cloth).
