When we first wrote about the Beams collaboration with 7-11 convenience stores in Japan with the launch of their limited-edition designer stationary items, we knew then that this trend was about to take off. However Beams, a very cool T-shirt store in Harajuku that often displays the best street and graffiti artists’ work in stencil and screenprint designs, always tends to create leading-edge ideas so their original hi-lo concept via stationary and 7-11 wasn’t that much of a stretch.
However the 393-year-old Kyoto textile manufacturer, Eirakuya and their foray into designer stationary with convenience chain Lawson, requires another look. Taking key design fabrics (not to be confused with the Project Runway’s big hit Mood Fabrics), the collaboration includes unique patterns of various textiles made into stationary and other office products such as pencils, envelopes, notebooks, and memo pads. These items, which are available within the more modern sub-brand of Eirakuya called Enveraak, are already a big hit in Japan, especially since they cost around $2.50 to $4 and are available at the famous chain Lawson.
What’s interesting about the collaboration however is not only how old and new are hooking-up, but that it’s perpetuating a growing trend in Japan to bring traditional aspects to the forefront of youth culture. This is apparent via Japan’s experience and tradition ranging from denim production in fashion, to eco-friendly fabrics, traditional beauty ingredients “re-discovered” in modern Japanese products, and so on. “Textile” stationary designs recreated to bring a traditional brand into an affordable, usable, and accessible product has just propelled this 393-year-old Kyoto brand into the next generation.
