Hello.
Samuel Zelig has been with us since the beginning.
I came across this brand on my first buying trip when I started this store, and it is a brand that I have a strong personal attachment to, so I decided to ask the Samuel Zelig team a few questions in an interview format.
We hope that by learning about their background, you will become more interested in the brand.

First, the brand started with a male duo, Jonathan and Dylan.
At some point, Dylan left the group and Melissa, who was on the RRL design team, joined, making them a male-female duo.
With Melissa joining us, we've seen an increase in feminine and delicate art, and I think our creations have changed a bit.
The artwork by the two artists, who are capable of creating a wide range of art from simple to delicate, is arranged in a well-balanced manner on the clothing, which is made using high-quality fabric that has been dyed and processed in unique ways as a canvas for a wonderful finish.
I feel a great sense of power in itself.

Their items are like wearable art and may seem difficult at first glance, but their simple designs can be enjoyed in a wide range of styles, from clean pieces to casual pieces.
Another attractive feature is that it is not something you will often find other people wearing.

Also, once something is launched, it is no longer produced and is over once it is sold out.
It's fun to watch them create new collections one after another, and I look forward to each exhibition.

Below is the interview.

Please tell us a little about your backgrounds. What inspired you to work in the fashion industry?

Jonathan Levite:
I loved drawing from an early age and was always fascinated by painting and drawing. However, when I entered junior high school, I started to pay more attention to the clothes I wore and became interested in the small details of clothes. I started to be attracted to the details that I had never paid attention to before, and that's what got me hooked on fashion.

Melissa Marsella:
I've been interested in fashion since I was a child, and I loved choosing and coordinating my own clothes. I was also very interested in the types of clothes people wore, their personalities and styles. I've also always loved drawing, and I was drawn to both clothing and art, but I still can't explain why I was so drawn to them. As I grew up, I started watching fashion shows avidly, and I became convinced that I absolutely wanted to work in this world. I was also very attracted to the idea of ​​being able to work with "clothes," which are a part of everyday life.

Why did you start the brand?

JL:
After graduating from university, I started working for a small menswear brand. There were only two people in the company: the owner/designer and a sample sewist/pattern maker. In this environment, I learned all the basic knowledge to run a clothing business. It was because of this experience that I decided to start Samuel Zelig with my business partner. We started with a very small production and grew the brand according to the market reaction.

The Samuel Zelig collections have a strong sense of identity and craftsmanship. What do you pay the most attention to when designing and creating?

JL & MM:
First of all, it is important to create clothes that have a solid foundation. We get a lot of inspiration from vintage clothing in particular. This is because vintage clothing is still attractive today due to its solid fabrics, stitching, and finishing. And we like to create a "story" through our clothes.
For example, I think of artwork based on a theme and then proceed with the design while imagining how that will be reflected in the whole project.
The collection is inspired by the idea of ​​what would happen if vintage clothing was decorated with a specific artistic theme.

How did you two meet?

MM:
We met in college! We met in the second year of our fashion program, and in the third year we were assigned a project as a pair. We knew each other a little before, but working together we found that we were compatible. We each put in the same amount of effort, and we were able to build a relationship where we could complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. Through the project, we realized that we had similar ways of thinking and creativity, and naturally began to think, "I want to create something together."

What is the theme of your collection this season?

JL & MM:
While we incorporate different themes each season, we always research the same things: folk art, vintage yearbooks, varsity wear , and antiques . We use these elements as a base to design, adding a new perspective each season.

Who is your biggest influence?

JL:
John Craig, Jeff Jordan , Guillermo del Toro (film director), Mike Mignola (film director), Yuta Hosokawa (designer), Hiroki Nakamura (designer), Dave Mckean (artist)

MM:
Robert Smith of The Cure, Eve Babitz, Jenny Holzer, Ed Ruscha, Yoshitomo Nara (illustrator), and my family and professors who have guided my career over the years.

What are your future goals?

JL & MM:
We are currently working towards many goals, but the biggest one is to expand our team so that we can continue to make clothes that we truly love.

The combination of art, vintage clothing, and folk art was a perfect fit for our store, and we have expanded into this business.
You might think that it's quite expensive, but it's packed with attention to detail, not just in the simple design, but also in the fabric and stitching.

The brand has moved from Jonathan's home studio to a separate studio and continues to grow.
Come experience their creations, which are attracting worldwide attention.
I would be happy if as many people as possible would become interested in the book and pick it up.

See the Samuel Zelig Collection

We look forward to seeing many of you at our store.

Miyaji
Lakewood Clothing
〒154-0004
Norikura Building 101, 1-1-11 Taishido, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-5932-5668
Mail: info@lakewood-clothing.com
Open: 13:00 - 20:00 / Close: Thursday (Open by appointment)
Online Store: https://lakewood-clothing.com/
Instagram: @lakewood_clothing