5 Questions to Naozumi Masuko
"If I like a hat, I buy two in different sizes."
Tell me about when you started wearing hats.
I consciously started wearing it when I was in elementary school. It was popular to wear a baseball team's metal badge on a hat. Even though I was in Sapporo, I was wearing a Hiroshima Carp hat with as many badges as I could, like a helmet. It looked like it was made of die-cast material and was very heavy, but I personally thought it was ``cooler'' and was meant to be fashionable. But my teacher at school scolded me and said, ``There's a limit to things! Don't come back to me again.'' It's true that now that I think about it, I'm not that good at it, but no matter what I do, I always end up going overboard (lol).
Who is the person who wears the hat that you admire?
When I was a child, I admired Daisuke Jigen (of Lupine the Third), and after I started liking music, I admired Paul Simonon and Joe Strummer of The Clash. For me, The Clash taught me that a hat can go well with a leather jacket. It seems normal now, but at the time it was surprising. Her fashion is undeniably cool, and I admire her anti-establishment attitude. Today's look is similar, but it would be embarrassing if I copied it completely, so I added the original. Ah, that's right. Today's shoes are the ``Zenigata model'' of ``Lupin'' that I semi-ordered.
Please tell us what you are careful about when wearing a hat.
It's the overall balance. I think Silhouette is important. Sometimes I decide on a hat and then outfit the bottoms, and vice versa. If I think "this hat doesn't go with these pants," I'll buy a new hat. It's a strange obsession of mine, but if I like a hat or pants, I buy two of the same thing, one in a larger size and one in a smaller size. If I want the brim to be a little wider to balance with my jacket, but the exact size is a bit narrow, I turn the sponge inside and wear a larger size. It's a subtle thing, but it makes a big difference.
Please tell me about the hat you are wearing today.
This is a hat from a brand called [RALEIGH] that my friend sells in Harajuku. Before, I used to wear a lot of punk-style clothes, but lately he's started to want to wear a lot more clothes, so I've been making a lot of different kinds of clothes. I've been wearing this hat for about 5 years now. I like this extreme shape. The brim is wide, the crown is high, and it is long both horizontally and vertically. Something like "Dororon Enma-kun" (lol). Maybe I like cartoony things like this.
What does a hat mean in your life?
When it comes to Bosozoku cars, I would say bamboo spears and aero parts (lol). It's like putting yourself out there, running with a loud noise, and increasing your speed. It's something that accelerates you. Hats are very important as they provide information through the eyes, and they make an impression on a person. That's why I find it hard to believe that people are wearing random hats. I wish I could choose to do it.
