Natural Born Nomads

Unbound and independent,
I run through life by my own free will—
A collection for the modern runner

This is Kubo.

I have decided on the concept for yoshiokubo Spring/Summer 2027 as mentioned above: "Natural Born Nomads." Since most of the garments are still in production, I will leave the details of the clothes for next time. Today, I want to talk about the source of the ideas behind this collection: why I chose to focus on runners, what it means to be a modern runner, and my own personal approach to enjoying running.

The moment I decided on the theme of “Running”

The theme for last season was "BEYOND RUNNING: A collection proposing clothing suitable for the 'long trail that is nobody else’s but your own'—daily life." I proposed sporty clothing that blends into the city, but that also lets you enjoy a run the very moment you feel the urge to move.

We maintained that image for the show as well, presenting it in a way that looked as if we were running down the runway, and I believe it caught the interest of many people.

And now, Spring/Summer 2027.

I have never held the same theme for two consecutive seasons before, but I decided to once again develop a collection for runners (specifically, those running in the city!).

The catalyst was a scene I witnessed along the coast of Los Angeles.

A beat-up car passed by as I was walking, then screeched to a halt, and a young man who looked something like a hippie hopped out. And then, as naturally as could be, he just started jogging right then and there!

That relaxed, “I feel like doing this right now, so I’m going to do it,” “I’m running because I want to run” attitude—that way of living day-to-day with complete free will, unbound by anyone—was so incredibly cool. That was the beginning of my desire to make clothes for that kind of runner.

What is modern running culture and the clothing that suits it?

Inspired by that young man’s free-spirited, somewhat nomadic way of life in LA, I feel that lately, there is a community of people who enjoy running more flexibly, rather than just those who have a habit of preparing rigorously and starting a serious run.

Even when I speak with people who organize running events, they are all so laid back and welcoming, with an open-mindedness that says "any way of enjoying a run is welcome!"

That non-conformist vibe is really comfortable, and for this collection, I plan to finish the pieces with a sense of "not looking like runner’s gear, but built on the image of a runner"—the kind of clothes where you don’t understand what I’m getting at until you actually put them on.

For instance, the shorts that have become a summer staple lately: they have the functionality required for running, yet are stylish enough to be worn in everyday life. That’s the image.

Another idea piece

Beyond the episode of the nomadic man in Los Angeles, there was one other source of ideas.

It was the 1994 American film "Natural Born Killers." I won’t get into the content here, but the production design is stylish, to say the least. It’s a work that caused a stir in many ways due to its highly experimental visuals.

I remembered this and watched it again after a long time, and I found myself strangely drawn to the word "born." When I wondered why, I connected the dots: while listening to people’s stories and reading books and materials about running since the last collection, I had been told time and again that "bones are essential when running." It all clicked!

Because of that, I’ve made "born" (bones) a key element in this collection, hiding it in various places. The collection is scheduled to be unveiled in late August, and I hope you’ll pay attention to "how the bones are expressed."

Kubo’s way of enjoying running

Now, I’d like to step away from the collection for a moment and talk about my own way of enjoying running.

I’ve always liked sweating and was into saunas, but my interest expanded to running due to a very small change in my daily routine: I started walking to the sauna.

When I told an acquaintance about this habit, they said, "Kubo-san, if you’re walking for calorie burning, you won’t burn any unless you move for more than 20 minutes." That was a revelation, and my 20-minute walk turned into a run, and over time, that duration gradually increased until it reached two and a half hours.

I occasionally run in Komazawa Park, but I basically like running at the gym, and I just run on a treadmill for two and a half hours straight.

Since it’s boring to just run without doing anything, I started watching old movies on a whim. Recently, I’ve reached the point where if there’s a movie I want to see, I think, "I want to go to the gym to run!"

The result is my ultimate free-style way of enjoying running: I want to run, and I want to watch a movie.

I usually watch sports or action movies when I run; comedies aren’t really my recent trend. Serious running enthusiasts might think "that’s a bit much," but fortunately, the runners around me view this as just another way to do it. They tell me, "Let’s go for a run together sometime! We’ll match your pace, Kubo-san; we just want to run," so I feel truly accepted.

I hope the clothes in my new collection can be enjoyed the same way: "I’m wearing this as fashion today," or "I want to get pumped up for a run today, so I’ll wear this," wearing them to match your mood at any given time.

And if you’ve never had the chance to touch upon running, or if the thought "maybe clothes for runners aren't for me" has ever crossed your mind, I would be happy if this collection or these episodes lead you to think, "Maybe I’ll try running," or "Maybe running is interesting after all?"

Next time, I plan to tell you in detail about "the interesting points of yoshiokubo Spring/Summer 2027 clothing."

Please look forward to it.