All the male members grew their beards handsomely I can tell. Is it sort of a secret society or a company rule?

Not all members grew their beards, but most of staff an admiration for the style of the punk band Rudi, and their preferences may have naturally reflected in their outfits.

I wonder if there are any customer left a strong impression on you? 

I think all customers are memorable, and one interesting thing is there didn’t exist average age of people coming into our store. Even as I am being interviewed, there’s a middle-aged man sitting behind me in a suit, just treating this place as a café and came in to enjoy coffee or alcohol and then leaving. It’s interesting and memorable when that happens.And we first started this place, we were selling alcohol, and there were always people who were drunk at the bar table. That they left a strong impression on me…(Laughs) 




There’s another one. I especially remember when the director of the movie ”KID” and artist Peggy Gou from Korea visited our store. The process of communicating with artist who continue to work on a global stage visiting our store also leaves an impression.

# THE H.W.DOGS & CO.

Nestled among the hilly streets of Shibuya lies the store of THE H.W.DOGS & CO. As you make your way through the densely packed trees and power lines from Shibuya Station, you can see THE H.W.DOGS & CO. just waiting for you.

The owner’s philosophy of “only selling hats in my shop” is reflected in the interior. The cocoa-colored wooden display shelves were filled with hats, ant it was hard to find anything else around.

All staff members were wearing hats, and TAI(on the left) said, “When a customer walks in through our door, I often have a list of hats that would suit them popping up in my head.”

How proud they are of their hats. Here are some snippets of our deep conversation with them.

Seems each team members all have personal taste. Could you introduce them?

TAI

I’m the owner of a vintage shop in New York and also in charge of H.W.’s website. And I kind have a talent can scanning quickly which is the best hat suit them when the customer walk in, and I take pride in this skill.(Laughs)

FUMIYA

Hi, I’m FUMIYA. I am the owner and designer of this store, I am also a huge Leica enthusiast. I got several Leicas at home. (Laughs)

HONOKA

My name is HONOKA, I’m responsible for communicating with overseas buyers and managing social media. Just a moment ago, my hat didn’t have the H.W. logo patch attached, so I just quickly put it on. Since hat production is done manually, we can often encounter interesting situations like this.

TAICHI 

My name is TAICHI and I am the manager of this store. The owner and I used to work together at a hat shop, actually. (Laughs) I sort of a shy person.

How did H.W start as a brand?

As the owner and designer of this store, I worked as a designer for a Japanese hat brand called ”CA4LA” for about 10 years. When the time my design were always popular(Laugh). After leaving that job, I opened the store around on February. 2015. Originally, the store was located in Omotesando not Shibuya, but due to the guidelines of the Tokyo Olympics government, we had to move to Shibuya.

The meaning behind the H&W DOG & CO. brand name is a bit cheesy, but is something people may be wondering about.

Well, H&W stands for”head gear”, while Dog is a type of slang. Just as in Korea, it’s a way of speaking to a close friend with a bit of profanity mixed in, but in English-speaking countries, “Dog” is also a term of endearment that conveys a sense of familiarity.
It can also mean player or wanderer. I’m not a wanderer myself(Laughs) I like the nostalgic feeling of the word, so I add Dog to the brand name. As for “Co”, it stands for “cooperation.”

The bill label on H&W.’s hat has become a signature feature. I’m curious why you chose a bill as the design.

Most of our products are by handmade, and I believe this is a process that involves tremendous dedication, effort, and passion. The leather label is a kind of mark of pride that represents. For example, the leather label on the back pocket of LEVI’s jeans. Not for functionally, but when people see it, they can imagine the process behind LEVI’s jeans production. I also want to show that kind of pride to our customers, so I attached a bill to the hat. The design of the bill was inspired by the vintage matchboxes and the layout of one-dollar bills.

Even during the interview, customers keep coming in and out. I wonder if there’s have any memorable customer?  

FUMIYA: Although I cannot remember the name of the celebrity, the person was a protagonist in one of my favorite Netflix program. He used to came here buy a hat as well. And I recommended a rabbit leather hat with a wide brim, which was one of the most expensive items in our store. However, the celebrity seemed love that hat, tried on in front of the mirror, after that, he just coolly paid for it before leaving.

When I walk around Shibuya, can see the people wearing our hats usually, and it’s an exhilarating feeling for me.

TAICHI: Visitors of various ages come to our store. Even grandfathers and grandmothers visit us frequently, and they also leave a lasting impression on me.

With the development of technology and human resources, it has become easier to access various types of items in one place.

That is why, among the various shops encountered while wandering the streets of Japan were specially stores, the memorable ones were single-item specialty shops, which sold a single item or collection with depth, such as spoon specialty shops, letter paper specialty shops, etc. These shops seemed to subtly convey implicit trust to the buyers.
Similarly, THE H.W.DOGS & CO., which sells only hats, may be considered an adventure in the consumer market, but through the interview, I gained even more respect and awe for them.