OWN INTERVIEW CONTENTS Vol.28 / Hirotton (Drawing Artist)
OWN (hereinafter O) : It's been a while since our last interview. Thank you again.
Hirotton (hereinafter referred to as H): It's been a while since we last interviewed Ochiai-kun. Maybe about five years. Thank you for your time.
First , please introduce yourself.
My name is H Hirotton and I'm an artist.
O What is PARADOX?
H: It's like the name of a project I do. It's not a brand, I just use it as a shop name. I needed a name for the project I did with my drawings.
The artist's name is Hirotton and Hirotton's project is PARADOX.
H : Yes, that's right. I've been using PARADOX for over 10 years. Maybe about 12 years now. I started using it when I was living in London.
What kind of activities have you been doing recently ?
HRecently , I've been focusing on solo exhibitions. I'd like to hold large-scale solo exhibitions about once a year.
You are still working with fashion brands, right?
HThat 's right. I work with a variety of brands, including those I know and those that contacted me. I also do the walls of offices and restaurants.
The mural design is amazing! Oh , OWN dealer and Sendai shop RAFFISH DOG also has a mural on the wall.
H : Yes. It's a rare opportunity to paint a mural in legal style, so I'm happy about it. After all, walls are seen by an unspecified number of people. Also, it's simply fun to paint on a large scale.
O I see. So, for this OWN interview, I'd like to approach it from a slightly different angle than before.
HI understand. Thank you in advance.
This time, I'd like to hear about fashion. I'd like to hear about how fashion shapes who you are.
H: I understand. For me, I have punk roots, so I like fashion with punk elements. It hasn't changed since I was a kid.
OH ...
H : Yes, since I was a teenager. I loved punk and skateboarding.
So it's like your favorite music and fashion are linked?
H : Yes, it was a natural progression. But when it came to punk, it was probably the fashion that came first. I was shocked by studded jackets and the so-called punk fashion, and on top of that, the music was cool too! That's why I got so into it.
OWhich artists were you impressed with at the time?
H: At first, I liked UK. I was a middle school student, so I was more attracted to the ones that looked easy to recognize (laughs).
I understand (laughs). The members look so cool in their studded jackets that it makes me want to listen to their music too.
H : That's right. At first, I was influenced by my older sister and watched movies related to the Sex Pistols, but then I got into Discharge and Chaos UK. I rented a video and watched the footage at the same time, so it was quite an impact.
When you say O- video, is it always that?
At the same time, "UK/DK"!
It's O , right? (laughs) "No Security" is the best (laughs).
H (laughs) I think it was that big of a shock that led me to move to London.
O It was a huge thing to experience that kind of sound and look at the same time.
H : Yes. I suddenly became interested in it and wanted to try dressing up in that kind of punk style myself.
O I see. So I would like you to introduce the items in this order.
H: I understand. Let's start with T-shirts. First off, a RAMONES T-shirt. Not exactly UK at all (laughs).
When did you buy this ?
H : I was in junior high school. It was right after I started to like punk. I went from Shizuoka to Harajuku or Shibuya and bought it. I think it was 666. I loved the RAMONES songs and the logo was iconic, so I loved it and wore it all the time.
OThis looks pretty worn out.
The torn parts have been sewn up and the print is in amazing condition (lol).
The O- print is sunken (laughs). But "repairing and wearing" is at the heart of punk fashion.
H : That's true. If you like punk, you naturally come to think that way. Punk culture includes fixing things.
OIt 's interesting because it's the complete opposite of the current fast fashion trend.
H: I want to keep using things I like and buy, and I'm the type of person who doesn't really mind stains or holes. In fact, I grow attached to them. So if something gets damaged from heavy use, I'll repair it and wear it again. This is something I've always done.
The O -Punk story is starting to get interesting (laughs). 
H (laughs). Next is a THRASHER T-shirt. I mentioned earlier that I like UK punk, and I think I bought this around the time when punk and skateboarding were starting to connect and I was starting to like US culture as well.
When did you buy this ?
This was when I was in my first year of high school. I remember going shopping in Tokyo twice a year at that time. I was really nervous (laughs). I wanted to buy a leather jacket or something at a punk shop, but I didn't have any money so I couldn't buy anything. But I could buy T-shirts at a skate shop, so I bought one then.
There are a lot of holes around the waist . Is this a studded belt?
H: That's right. I skate with a studded belt, so it gets all those little holes in it. I used to wear this a little big back then, and I still wear it nowadays. I've reached my limit with ribbing and stuff (laughs).
The black O -body has faded and turned grayish. So, what's next? The original T-shirt. 
This is the first T-shirt I've ever made using my own drawing. I had it printed at a silkscreen facility in London.
The animal and plant motifs are connected to your current style.
H: That's true. Looking at it again now, the way I drew the finer details is quite sloppy, but it's an item that really embodies my roots.
O I feel like the movement of "putting your own drawings on T-shirts" from the beginning is still relevant today.
H: I was very conscious of that. I had always admired band merchandise. So, if I drew a picture, I definitely wanted it to be made into a T-shirt.
OSo that was your stance from the beginning.
H: That's right. It was the first T-shirt I made myself, so I was really excited when I finished it. That's when I first started using the word "PARADOX."
O I see. So that's the origin. Next up is the rider's jacket. It's a studded jacket.
This is a leather jacket from a brand run by a friend of mine called CRAFSORT . The base leather jacket is an original item, with detailed customizations for the color, length, and checkered pattern on the inside. I've known Tomonori, the guy who made it, for a long time, and he knows my preferences, so it turned out to be the perfect leather jacket.
It 's quite heavy. How many rivets are there?
H: About 2000? I sewed on all the fabric patches that I printed myself. I think I made a lot of the badges myself. I also have a few boots.
It's also great that O FUGAZI and CRASS are lined up on the same leather jacket. There are other illustrations on it, the studs are different sizes, and it seems like there's a lot of attention to detail.
This illustration was drawn by Foz , the boss of Heroin Skateboards. The studs are different sizes depending on the location. However, I didn't want to calculate the studs so precisely, so I transplanted pyramidal studs from a torn stud belt and added my own unique twist to the design. This is my third stud jacket, and I think it's the best yet.
It would be impressive to skate in this . Now, let me introduce the vest. 
HThis is the vest I wear the most. It's originally a Lee item, but I've repaired it so much that only the buttons remain. It's getting more and more worn out, but it's a piece I'm very fond of.
The collar is made of a different fabric, and the body color is unique.
H : I dyed it black once. Then I spilled chili oil on it and it smelled really bad, so I washed it. Then it turned this color (laughs).
There's a chemical reaction between indigo , black dye, and chili oil (laughs).
H: That's right (laughs). I've been wearing this since I first came to Tokyo, so it's a very memorable piece for me.
Next up is a brown duck vest. 
The H- body is a Carhartt that I bought at a second-hand shop. I bought it when I used to go to America a lot. I was influenced by American skateboarders and bikers because they often wear these kinds of vests. I also imitated them by tying the shoelaces to the bottom of the pants.
Is this meant to be reinforcement?
H : I think so. The cuffs tend to get worn out easily, so reinforce them by tying them with shoelaces.
Next up are the Crust Pants. They're the kind of pants that you'd expect from Hirotton. 
I originally bought this at a local jeans shop when I was in junior high school. It was a local clothing store called CHIKUMA. The body says... "BLUE WAY". It's a manufacturer I'm not very familiar with (laughs).
O Did you intend to wear these jeans as crust pants from the beginning?
H : No, not at all. At first I just wanted some jeans, so I bought them, and as I started wearing them I started to like punk. I liked them so much that I even wore them when skating. But they would inevitably get holes and rips, so I had to fix them myself every time... and before I knew it they had become crust pants.
OSo at first, you only fixed the knees and buttocks, which are prone to damage, but that's how it ended up like this.
They look sexy. That 's why I've had to repair the area around the butt so many times that it's gotten a size too big. So I took them apart, stuffed them in, and adjusted the size. I also used some reinforced fabric soaked in T-Shirt-kun ink as a patch. That's what the black parts are made of. I also used fabric from the Hmong people of Thailand. They're filled with so many memories, I don't think I'll ever throw them away. I've been wearing them since I was about 15, so I don't even know when they became crust pants (laughs). The other pair of crust pants are Dickies. 
OSo this was Dickies.
H : Yes. It's a double-knee style called "Slim Straight," and a lot of my friends around me were wearing them. I think Ito-san from OLEDICKFOGGY probably wore these crust pants too. They were popular among my friends. It's a small circle, though (laughs).
The way O Dickies became crust pants is very Hirotton-esque. It's got a skater mentality. There's also a lot of paint splattered on it.
H: That's probably true. As for painting, it's just the nature of my job. When I paint on walls, I wear the same clothes I normally wear when I skate. I don't have any special clothes for painting. So the dirt is just there. When someone says "You can paint," it's the most lame thing to do if you're worried about getting your clothes dirty and can't paint. Also, when I was wearing these, I had a sewing machine, so I used it to sew them together. Looking at them like this brings back a lot of memories (laughs).
If you repair it and use it for a long time, it will surely hold a lot of memories. Now, let's move on to accessories, starting with the double pyramid stud belt. 
This one is from TOCCATA. It's characterized by the sharp tips of the studs. In Japan, there are surprisingly few belts with sharp studs. But I wear it when skating, so the sharp tips end up flattened. I used to wear a lot of triple-stud belts, but they wouldn't fit through the belt loops, so I prefer the double-stud pyramid type. This is the only belt I wear. This is the only belt I own.
Ooooh . That's quite a favorite item.
H: I want to keep using the things I like, so I'm not the type to have a lot of different things. For me, it's basic to use things I like and repair them when they get dirty or torn.
Next is the butt-attack. What's the official name for this? 
I think it's Bumflap. This is a brand by a local Osaka skater called TV SHOW.
OAre you repairing this too?
H : No, this was always the design. The way they used the check pattern was just amazing. At the time, all the skaters around Sankaku Park were wearing wallet chains made from this brand's fabric. Mine broke and disappeared somewhere, though. 
Next up is Dr. Martens. Not the standard boots, but the 3-eye type.
I like 3-hole shoes for some reason. I usually wear sneakers to skate, but I often wear these Dr. Martens on rainy days.
O Both pairs look like they've been used quite a bit. They even have paint on them.
H : That's true. The cherry red ones have so much dirt on them that it's hard to tell what their original color was. Dr. Martens are a staple item in punk fashion, and they're an item that really gives you a sense of Britishness. They're packed with culture. I've worn both pairs quite a bit, so the leather has become really soft. 
Finally , there are accessories.
I wear HOWN sunglasses a lot. I have the blue #03 .
What do you like about it?
The H color is also great. It's rare to find a blue that isn't too flashy in eyewear. The shape is also great. I have trouble finding sunglasses that fit me well, probably because my eyes are so far apart. But these #03s were perfect. The fit is also perfect.
Thank you very much ! I'm happy! I'd like the ring too, please.
The ring on the right is from Heroin Skateboards. It was released to celebrate Heroin's 20th anniversary, but the regular version was gold, and this silver version was only given out to those involved and the crew. That kind of thoughtfulness is really nice, isn't it? And the one in the middle is my wedding ring. I designed it myself and had a friend named Hiro make it for me. It has a skull and roses carved into the gold, and my ring is inlaid with black ink. The ring on the left is from a brand called Googoolimag . The designer is of Iranian descent, so it incorporates Iranian designs.
Do you have any clear rules about what you wear?
H: I don't know. I guess it's about wearing things that I really like. I don't really care about trends to begin with. And also connections. Things made by friends and acquaintances. I never buy T-shirts made by complete strangers or clothes just for the design.
I understand. It's hard to resist. But on the other hand, there are also many people who enjoy fashion, such as clothes, solely for their design.
H: I have nothing against those people. But at the core of my being is the love for punk. I believe that fashion expresses who you are inside.
O I feel like we've come to a conclusion with some really great ideas (laughs). Thank you very much! Is there any information you'd like to share with us?
We also have a project with OWN ! We are also planning a collaborative exhibition in Osaka and Tokyo in the first half of next year, including with Yusuke Oshiba, who has a close connection with OWN.
[INFO]
Instagram @hirotton
Photo by Chabo