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Friday Five with Motofumi “Poggy” Kogi

Motofumi “Poggy” Kogi has steadily gained a solid reputation as one to follow on Instagram, as Poggy The Man, and as a major influencer of Japanese fashion and street style. His eclectic aesthetic reads polished and modern, yet with a street edge that’s all his own, making it no surprise he’s risen to the top of his industry. During his childhood, he kept his eye on Tokyo’s street culture, leading him to attend and graduate from a fashion college prior to moving to the city that initially piqued his interest. Poggy got his start at Japanese clothing brand UNITED ARROWS Ltd. as a salesperson in 1997, later joining the PR department. He launched his own store, Liquor, Woman and Tears, where he became known for mixing high-end with street brands at a time when no one else thought to mix FENDI and Supreme. He closed the store in 2010 and moved on to become the creative director of UNITED ARROWS & SONS, a title that he currently holds. In 2017, he also became director of the UNITED ARROWS Harajuku Store. Intrigued? Take a look at this world traveling icon’s five picks, in this week’s Friday Five.

1. Family time
Time with my family is precious and irreplaceable to me. This photo is from summer vacation this year. We visited my grandmother in Furano, Hokkaido.

Photo by Adam Katz Sindin

2. Hat & beard
I think this is my iconic style. I like wearing wide pants this year, and I would coordinate a boater along with it. It’s fun to adjust balance time to time depending on the trend.

3. Sneakers
Keep sneakers clean and crisp – and the same thing for polished leather shoes. This is my policy all the time. Sneakers sound more casual, but they are valuable and the same as leather dress shoes. To me, Sneakers are full of dreams. (Editor: Remember when we featured these tabi sneakers?)

4. Suits
I call my style “Sartorial Street Style”. I like both street influenced fashion, as well as dress style, and mixing them. A suit is an essential. I will keep exploring style even more.

5. Vinyl bars
Vinyl bars are my favorite night out places. There are variety of good vinyl bars in Tokyo. I take my guests from overseas to these and they like these bars too. The places I can chill out and have fun at are definitely needed.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.