NICE TO MEET YOU!

Meet the up and coming brand Strawberry Western.

Nice to meet you is a series in which I sit down and chat with small up-and-coming brands. I had the pleasure to sit down with Kisa Shiga and Eli Libman as they talked to me about their brand Strawberry Western, based in NYC, but has lots of Japanese influence.

PMF: Who is behind this brand?

SW: Kisa: I was born in Japan and raised in Queens, NY. My grandmother in Japan taught me how to sew and pattern-make when I was little. She also influenced me to be resourceful and waste-conscious, providing me with vintage kimono materials and fabric scraps to use for my projects. When I turned 12 or 13, I started to get really interested in fashion, and ultimately ended up going to study apparel design at RISD, before going on to work as a designer at Opening Ceremony, MadeMe, and Teddy Fresh.

SW: Eli: I was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec where I grew up immersed in nature with a very active family. I moved to New York at age 19 to study and later worked with many different companies on brand and product development - including MatchaBar, Kin Euphorics Roc Nation and Live Nation. I've also been in the underground electronic music community in New York for the past 12 years as a radio & club DJ, show promoter and record label owner. Since childhood, I have been fascinated with subculture and self-expression through music and clothing. I bring a business background to complement Kisa's fashion experience.

PMF: How did you meet?

SW: We met in Japan the summer before our senior year of college through a friend!

PMF: What inspired Strawberry Western?

SW:We were living in LA when the pandemic happened and that's really when we discovered how beneficial just getting outside and moving everyday was for our mental health. Casual walks and hikes were an ongoing source of inspiration, optimism, better moods and self-esteem. Every time we went out, we kept noticing that the activewear we were seeing on people lacked individuality or any real point of view. Activewear feels so functionality-focused, serious, and adult even though going outside for us feels really linked to the carefree playfulness and self-expression of our youth.
Kisa was already making one-of-a-kind upcycled pieces inspired by her Japan-NYC upbringing. We saw this gap in the market and decided it would be really interesting to re-launch the brand as an activewear label, which would promote creative self-expression and a positive, inclusive attitude around going outside and being active. Since an anti-waste ethos has always been core to Kisa’s practice as a designer, we sourced as much recycled material as possible for each style.

PMF: Does Strawberry Western mean anything?

SW:It's derived from this idea of Western clothes being styled through a Japanese lens. The 'strawberry' to us is like a symbol of kawaii culture which is a big inspiration. The second meaning behind strawberry is that Kisa has freckles all over her face and whenever she works out her face gets red and we say she looks like a strawberry.

PMF: What message do you wish to spread with this brand?

SW:We love casual physical activity (as casual as walking the dog or biking to work) and believe doing it as much as possible, and ideally with friends, is one of the best things people can do for their wellbeing- especially mental and emotional wellbeing.
We believe people should be active outdoors as much as possible instead of indoors. There is just something magic and special about being outside. If we can help people forge a deeper and more caring connection with nature, while promoting mental, physical and social wellbeing, we are achieving our mission.

Lastly, we want to help people have more fun with what they wear while exercising. Why should people have to conform and leave their individuality at the door? Hopefully we can help push the boundaries of style and expression in the activewear space overall. 

PMF:How long has this been in the works?

SW: One year, although we've been talking about it for a few years : )

PMF: What are challenges you have faced while creating this brand?

SW:One of the biggest challenges is always sourcing materials that are recycled and sustainable for the small quantities we are making. Recycled fabric options are still somewhat difficult for small brands to access due to how much fabric mills or manufacturers require you to order. We're excited we were able to use the materials we have so far and we want to continue to implement new fabric innovations as they become accessible to us. 

PMF: What celebrity do you want to wear your brand?

SW: Rosalía <3

PMF:Where do you see the brand a year from now?

SW:Our dream is to finally see people out in the world wearing our pieces! We would also really love to be in a retailer by that time.