08 December 2014


An interview with Yoko and Koji Arai of Eatable of Many Orders,
designers based in Atami, Japan.

The line is centered around the concept of "Eatable," in which products are purely constructed from natural,'edible' materials.  Whimsical and imaginative, the line of sculpted leather accessories and clothing incorporates traditional methods of plant-based hand-dyeing, embroidery, and weaving. 

+  biography
Koji: Graduated with a degree in Architecture from Tama Art University in Tokyo 
and a degree in fashion from the Royal Academy of Antwerpen.
Yoko: Graduated with a degree in fashion design from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. 

The couple met while Koji studied at the Royal Academy and Yoko worked as a design assistant at Bernhard Wilhelm in Paris. 
In 2007, the couple returned to the coastal town of Atami to launch Eatable, which was later renamed Eatable of Many Orders. 

+ what inspires you?
Timeless beauty created by masters mostly from the past
Colors that Monet mixed on canvas
Old Hermès leather handles that look like wood
Things that add challenges in life

+ could you describe a typical day
Domestic routine with three children at home and atelier.
Waking up at 6:30am, making hot soup for breakfast, changing clothes and feeding them all. 
Taking them to school/nursery by 8:30am, cleaning and laundry by 9am, call in for morning meeting with staff.
Going downstairs for leather atelier or going up to do office work
At noon, cooking lunch for everyone and finish with coffee and sweets...work work work.
5 pm pick up three girls at school,cook dinner, take bath, and have a good sleep!

+ what are your favorites places to visit in Atami?
Himenosawa Park, where athletic wooden play gyms are built in the mountain walks, with beautiful views
Villa Del Sol,  best restaurant and building 
Gallery Sooko, an open atelier run by friend and sculptor, Kenji Misawa

+ favorite magazine, books, and music
MANY OF THEM, a magazine by a friend
An essay by Naoya Shiga
I like to dance to hip hop and R&B

Koji likes to read about all sorts of things, right now about sheep and vegetables (genetics, IT farms, viruses…etc). 
Koji likes all sorts of music. He has 1000 records on the shelves.

+ what are your winter essentials
Hand spun, woven shawl 
Olive oil for skin and hot spa

Thank you, Yoko and Koji!
View our collection of Eatable of Many Orders here

4 comments:

Caille said...

which essay does she like? Tks!

R.G. said...

Hi Caille!

Yoko says the book is called “I-SHOKU-JU”(meaning cloth-food-living).

Caille said...

Fantastic, I'll see if there's a translation. Thanks and hi!

Jade said...

i forgot to drop by and say how much i loved this interview. seems like yoko and koji know how to have fun--and i am all about that life when it comes to design.