{"id":964,"date":"2019-09-06T11:58:44","date_gmt":"2019-09-06T11:58:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.pinkoi.com\/en\/uncategorized\/bcr2ecxz\/"},"modified":"2019-09-06T11:58:44","modified_gmt":"2019-09-06T11:58:44","slug":"bcr2ecxz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.pinkoi.com\/en\/design\/bcr2ecxz\/","title":{"rendered":"Shop Next Door | Omake Urban Nomad Apparel & Accessories"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Continuing our adventure in Dadaocheng, we have returned once again after our last interview with InBlooom<\/a>, except this time we are visiting Omake<\/a>, a world market full of cultural characters.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As we entered, the tender voice of Ohashi Trio welcomed us, along with a space full of treasures collected from all over the world. The owners of Omake<\/a>, Bio and Mulan appeared from behind the screens, and greeted us whole-heartedly.<\/p>\n

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As we sipped on the Thai milk tea made by Mulan, and bathed in the afternoon sunlight, we began to relax and felt like a casual day out with friends.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

We love the decor here! How did you decide what to do with the space?<\/h2>\n

We wanted to recreate the memories from our travels, so we decided to decorate the space for it to showcase all the \u201csouvenirs\u201d we brought back.<\/span> You can find a carpet<\/a> from India, a beaded charm from Afghanistan, or a wind chime<\/a> from Chiang Mai here. Every object you see is a memory from a trip, so we want to share the experience with everyone.<\/p>\n

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We wanted to be environmentally conscious<\/a>, so every piece of furniture in our shop was collected from second-hand shops or from the side of the road. We also put in our creativity, for example: we don\u2019t use closets to display clothes, instead we use old screens from hospitals to store them. On top of that, we use branches as hangers to make the space feel like nature.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/p>\n

Does Omake<\/a> (Oh-Ma-Kay) have a special meaning?<\/h2>\n
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In Japanese, Omake means \u201csmall gifts\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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In 2007, Omake<\/a> was founded by Tanaka Mikami in Niigata, Japan. Since he loves to travel, he started selling souvenirs from all over the world in the original Omake shop. Gradually, this shop in the countryside of Japan<\/a> became a cultural museum for small town residents.<\/p>\n

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What we want to bring for Taiwanese is also \u201cgifts from all over the world\u201d.<\/span> You will discover small surprises in our designs, be it a button or a collar, it\u2019s just like opening a present!<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

How would you describe Omake\u2019s style? Ethnic? Oriental?<\/h2>\n
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I\u2019d say our style is urban nomadic.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Some people say we have an outdoors\/ethnic style, but compared to outdoors brands<\/a>, Omake\u2019s pieces are not extremely functional. \u201cNomads\u201d symbolize a wandering soul, a lifestyle that we yearn for but in fact it\u2019s difficult for us to leave the convenience of a city life. Through our designs, we incorporate these ethnic elements into our everyday life, allowing urbanites to live closer to nature and feel free.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

How is Omake<\/a> different from other brands on the market?<\/h2>\n

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1. The story:<\/p>\n

The pieces from Omake<\/a> come from Central Asia, Thailand<\/a>, Myanmar, Nepal, India and even South Africa. Some brands claim to sell ethnic-style products, but actually they\u2019re only selling an \u201cethnic-style impression\u201d, such as merely printing totems onto fabrics. But at Omake, the products you see are memories from our travels, they are made by local artists and artisans when we visit villages and tribes.<\/span> So the products have true emotional connections to our brand, instead of fabricated cultural interpretation.<\/p>\n

2. The quality:<\/p>\n

We take the weather in Taiwan and the way most people dress into account when we design, for example, fabrics that cause skin irritation or unsuitable for the humid climate would be replaced. We also think \u201cless is more\u201d, so when we create our products in a more classic style, they tend to last for a longer time.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Upcycle:<\/p>\n

Another characteristic of Omake\u2019s is our upcycling process. We reuse embroideries or details from old clothings and bring new life into them, instead of creating items with new fabrics immediately, which would cause more waste on the planet.<\/span> We learn to respect different cultural aesthetics, wisdom, and history this way, while at the same time allowing a piece of clothing to carry out more stories.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

So Bio, your style may well be the classic Omake<\/a> look. But we\u2019re curious who your style icon is.\u00a0<\/h2>\n

I guess my style is sort of like Johnny Depp. But to be honest, I would say my styling ideas come from the homeless.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve learned a lot from them! Perhaps because their wardrobes need to be as functional as possible with limited resources, so their clothings are usually straightforward and useful. When you’re missing a sleeve, sew in a sleeve, it sort of becomes an unorderly beauty.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

What is your favorite piece from Omake recently?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s actually this Tang-dynasty-inspired denim shirt<\/a> I\u2019m wearing! I\u2019ve totally fallen head over heels for it. This piece is designed by an Omake designer in Japan, I enjoy when traditional elements are made in a modern cut, without the old-fashioned fabric of course. For me, this represents a kind of legacy.<\/p>\n

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After all that talk on apparel, Bio and Mulan will now show us how to style Omake\u2019s signature hats\u2014Mushroom Hat<\/a> & Myself Hat<\/a>!<\/h2>\n