In Conversation with MKI MIYUKI ZOKU

When it comes to accessories, MKI Miyuki Zoku offers a range of bags and hats, utilising durable canvas and other materials, ensuring they’re as functional as they are versatile. Dive into a world of style and functionality with MKI MIYUKI ZOKU outerwear. Designed to keep you warm in colder seasons, it features styles made from materials like high-quality wool, leather and durable nylon for lasting comfort and protection.

Q&A With The MKI MIYUKI ZOKU Founder

Launching MKI MIYUKI ZOKU, we sat down with Vik Tailor, the creative director and founder to discuss the history of the brand, inspiration, design process and more.

@mkistore

Please tell us a bit about your background

I’m an interior design graduate with vast experience in the menswear retail sector. My last retail role was Head of Tailoring at Paul Smith before I decided to move back up North to open our first flagship store. Back in 2010, the store was multi-brand, and it wasn’t long until the in-house label was born and fast-forward to what it is today.

How did you come to launch MKI MIYUKI ZOKU?

The store was multi-brand at first. I brought my experiences from London up to Leeds for the first time and brought brand-new brands to the city. We then delved into creating our own product, starting with leather jackets. This project became a huge hit within our community at the time, so we decided to do a few more ‘projects’. Those projects then expanded until the store was 80% our in-house brand.

If you were to describe the MKI aesthetic in three words, what would it be?

Contemporary, Clean and Minimal.

@mkistore

What is the story behind the name?

The Miyuki Zoku took the ivy league look from America to Japan for the first time in the 60’s. Back when the store opened, this concept was just as relevant then as it is now. Connotations of dress code and style always point back to elements of the way they dressed. From wide legged, cropped trousers to varsity jackets… design cues can always be synonymous with this concept. Regarding the shortened MKI abbreviation, we knew people would find it hard to remember the full name, so we took the best-sounding 3 letters from Miyuki and ran with it.

Where do you take inspiration from? Were there any key references for this season?

As cliché as it sounds, our inspiration can come from almost everything. My social channel is filled with menswear, cars, interiors, houses and music. I find all things design/arts can play a part in helping even the smallest things in our design process. But on top of all that, I find the biggest inspiration comes from inside the industry and the people involved in it.

Can you talk us through the design process?

The design process is actually relatively simple. The garment/collection starts off as an idea to a visual, this could be a quick sketch or manipulation of a previous design. This is then interpreted to the factories. We get a prototype sample which is used to approve fabrics, fittings, details etc, and modifications are then made on second prototype samples. We continue this process until the garment(s) are finalised.

@mkistore

Nothing is ever perfect on the first prototype; we’ve had styles in the past that have needed 4-5 attempts. But once we’re happy with the samples, we put them into bulk production. The initial ideas for garments and collections usually stem from the needs and wants of our team. We all live in the brand, and we only move forward with collections if we know we would personally wear them. We try to steer clear of fully trend-led products although at times this is unavoidable.

What would you say are the MKI core pieces, that come back around each season?

We do have some set styles that we continually release but with elevated upgrades. For instance, our classic bubble jacket has been a staple item for a number of years. Each year we will change the fabric and add another silhouette option. Our sherpa fleece is a real MKI essential but this year we have completely revamped the fit and the fabric developing the product into the newly named Shearling collection.

@mkistore

Do you have a proudest moment for the brand so far?

It has to be the purchase of our new HQ which we only acquired a couple of months back. The vision and future of the brand will rely on the foundation that this building can give us…room for a bigger team, space for a much larger inventory and generally a scope for mass expansion.

What advice would you give someone looking to launch their own brand?

Keep going and don’t stop. The journey will give you the experience you need to excel.

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