Creative: Jay Jay Japan
Jay Jay Japan：Change the upper=face of the shoe depending on TPO
What if you could easily change your shoes like you change your clothes. And not a simple portable pair like slippers, but one that holds your foot firmly and can withstand street wear. When Mr. Ando of "Jay Jay Japan" was on a business trip abroad, he suddenly came up with the idea. To do this, you just have to separate the upper and sole, and change only the upper to match the TPO. The question is how to attach the upper and sole without any discomfort. He experimented with Velcro and magnets, and the last thing he arrived at was a zipper. He built it over the next year. After all, with this shoe, the lasting process did not exist. Because of the manufacturing method that had never been seen in the theory of shoe making, he made dozens of pairs by trial and error until he reached completion. "The loafers have been completed, and we'll be rolling out soles each season, and eventually we want to make chukka and mouton boots. There are endless possibilities for combinations."
Yusuke Jay Jay Ando, CEO, says, "My dream is to expand overseas." His shoes attracted attention at the exhibition in Milan last year and won the highest award at the international leather trade fair "APLF". It will be sold overseas from next spring.
The red zipper, which is also a brand color. The upper is Johnny and the sole is Jesse. And the zipper is the red thread of destiny that connects the two. A zipper element that secures when tilted protects the foot from impact.
Unlike ordinary shoes, there is no toecap, so it was difficult to balance the thickness and strength of the toes. A cupped insole is used to give a holding feeling with the weight of the sole.
Mr. Ando himself handles everything from cutting to assembling the upper and sole with fasteners. Even if the fastener elements have the same standard, there will be slight differences, so depending on the engagement, wrinkles may occur or even the silhouette may change. "It is difficult to calculate how the shoe will turn out".
Since the family business is chemical shoe manufacturing, he had a longing for making leather shoes. "Someday, I want to collaborate with a local tanner."
