An extremely great little book from the I Am Beams series.
"〈BEAMS〉 Buyer 〈SSZ〉 Director Tadayuki Kato:
Unraveling His Unique Style and Thought from His Private Archives
Tadayuki Kato, director of the BEAMS brand 〈SSZ〉, also runs the fourth-generation "Kato Farm" in Kamakura, where he cultivates vegetables. This book explores the life and aesthetic sensibilities of a man who continues to update his unique creations while moving between two fields: fashion and farming, by examining the vast amount of "things" he has archived over a long period of time. In milestone years—30 years with the company, BEAMS' 50th anniversary, and SSZ's 10th anniversary—he frankly writes about "why he chose these things" and "what has moved him" as he looks through the clothes, tools, personal belongings, and
materials he has collected, made, and never parted with. Kato basically never parted with clothes or products once he acquired them. He bought, wore, looked at, touched, and accumulated things that he thought were good, regardless of whether they were vintage or highly valuable. This archive is entirely a collection of creative materials, a stock that supports his own thoughts and sensibilities. A mixture of sensibilities has been born from continuously selecting products from all cultures solely from his own perspective. The perspective and judgment criteria behind Kato's craftsmanship emerge through the objects he creates.
This book is neither a collection book nor a memoir. It is a document that traces the trajectory of his thoughts, showing what he, as a BEAMS staff member, has seen, felt, chosen, and created. This book is for
fashion and culture lovers, of course, but also for anyone who is thinking about "what is my own style" and "how to continue doing what I love."
Tadayuki Kato
was born in 1973 in Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from university, he joined BEAMS. After working as a sales staff member, he became a buyer for men's casual wear in 2012. In 2016, he launched his own brand, SSZ, where he serves as director. He also cultivates vegetables in Kamakura as the fourth generation of "Kato Farm." He spends his days going back and forth between two fields: fashion and farming."
