A ZUTTO Story. Working Bags, Working Shoes.

Living richly with fewer things. This set of values has gradually become the accepted norm, and in our present age, richness is measured not by how many things you own but by how deeply you love them and how truly they let you be yourself. Wanting what "that person" has, wanting a well-known "that brand"—stepping away from measuring yourself against someone or something else in pursuit of your own individuality is really the flip side of having no clear model to follow.

Looked at another way, this means that by looking closely at the everyday items people truly love and use, we should be able to see "who they really are." This time, our protagonists are the work bags and work shoes of the ZUTTO staff. We unpack the well-worn items—and the expressions they carry—of two staff members responsible for product selection and planning.

The functional beauty born of practical use, and the attachment it fosters

— The Case of Staff Member S

The user:

Staff Member S is in charge of product selection. Whether Japanese-made or imported, she selects broadly, favoring items backed by long history or ones where you can feel the craftsmanship and skill of the maker's hands.

Recently, her selections have included jewelry from 絲tabane (Tabane) and shoehorns from ABBEY HORN.

The fabrica tote, originally sold exclusively at a gallery

Item name: fabrica Tote M 0002 ash gray

Years of use: approximately 3 years

fabrica is one of the series produced by the canvas brand 6SHiKi, and it's characterized by an earth-tone color palette rare for canvas, combined with leather accents. When ZUTTO first began carrying it, the brand's policy meant it was sold exclusively through a gallery. Staff Member S purchased one for herself, and after experiencing firsthand how it felt to use and appreciating the "there but not quite" nuance of the canvas-and-leather combination, she was able to bring it to ZUTTO for everyone to enjoy.

"I've always liked canvas, the way it takes on your own color the more you use it, but this tote is paired with leather, which is practical because it doesn't get as dirty when you set it down on the floor—I really like that about it. When I go to trade shows for product selection, I end up with so many materials and samples, so having plenty of storage capacity that I can just keep filling is essential. When it was new, the sizing made it feel crisp and stiff, but after using it every day, it's become quite soft and relaxed."

The tote bag Staff Member S uses has actually been featured before in a past ZUTTO reading feature (see the article from that time here). This is an image comparing a brand-new one with her own well-worn one at that time. The originally deep ash blue color has faded to a softer, gentler shade—proof that it has worked alongside her through rainy days and sunny days alike. And the way the whole bag now sits low and relaxed, with the handles having gained flexibility, speaks to the many days it's spent carrying heavy loads.

Rain or shine, these two pairs have her covered

Buying work involves a lot of walking around at meetings and trade shows related to product selection. Given the long distances covered on foot, it makes sense that she tends to choose sneakers that prioritize ease of walking.

"I mainly wear white sneakers from Asahi and side-gore boots from Blundstone. I've never really worn heeled shoes or stiff leather shoes to begin with—I choose based on how easy they are to walk in and whether they fit my everyday style."

Item name: Deck Shoes L011 WHITE

Years of use: half a year

Authentic white sneakers are like a blank canvas that hasn't yet been drawn on. Staff Member S often dresses in a functional, mannish style, but she also sometimes incorporates a nostalgic femininity—vintage patterned dresses or embroidered cardigans, for instance. For her, a piece like these sneakers, unpretentious and easy to wear, is just right for bringing her whole outfit into balance.

Item name: Side Gore Boots BS500 Stout Brown

Years of use: approximately 3 years

She uses the Blundstone side-gore boots heavily—both as rain boots on wet days and as cold-weather footwear during the depths of winter.

"On rainy days, you're carrying product materials and samples, holding an umbrella, walking for long stretches, getting on trains... the stress of just getting around tends to build up no matter what. In situations like that, I've come to feel that shoes are a really important factor in minimizing the emotional toll as much as possible. Blundstone's side-gore boots aren't just highly water-resistant—they're also very easy to walk in, which makes them perfect as work shoes. There was also a time I wore these to a freezing-cold warehouse in winter, and that's when I really felt how reliable these shoes are."

An aesthetic of "there, yet not quite" paired with comfort

— The Case of Staff Member N

The user:

Staff Member N handles planning for original apparel. Her days are spent chasing after fabrics and patterns, in pursuit of "the clothing you arrive at after having worn countless other garments."

Among the items she's recently worked on, she's currently introducing the Linen One-Piece Dress and the Cosmorama Tuck T-Shirt.

The harmony of linen and leather

Item name: [Custom Order] Linen Leather Shoulder Bag FONIKKU

Years of use: half a year

It's not that she's trying to stand out, but sometimes you meet someone whose belongings make you want to ask, "Where did you get that?" If I had to put it into words, the things Staff N chooses to carry might share that same kind of air.

"For the clothes I work with, I make a point of actually wearing them myself to think about how comfortable they are and how they can be styled in different ways—and I try to look at bags and shoes from that same perspective as much as possible.

These days, the one I mainly use is from MARVELETS. It's a special-order piece we introduced, pairing linen and leather—a combination you don't often see—with careful attention to every material and every technique. As someone who presents items like this, of course I appreciate it from that standpoint, but having actually used it myself, I've come to feel a real attachment to how it ages over time. It has three pockets on the inside, which is handy for quickly pulling out business cards or notes during work. When carried as a handbag, it takes on a soft, rounded shape, and I love how directly you can feel the softness of the linen."

Being honest about what you love: two pairs of leather shoes

Staff N usually wears sneakers quite often too, but when we asked her to show us "two pairs of beloved shoes with special meaning," these two pairs appeared.

"I love leather flat shoes, and I ended up with pairs from different brands that share a similar taste. Both are made of leather that's fun to break in and develop over time, and they even match in being slip-on styles. I myself find comfort in a kind of 'effortless style,' so maybe as time passes I've become more honest about the things I truly love."

Item name: chausser 2-way Shoes BL

Years of use: 1.5 years

She owns other chausser shoes as well, and says she became a fan because of how comfortable they are to wear.

"I usually wear sneakers most of the time, but finding shoes I can wear for work visits to somewhat chic brands, or to more formal places, turns out to be surprisingly difficult. This pair has a 2-way design that can be worn with or without the shoelaces. I often dress in monotone outfits—like a white patterned top with sarouel pants—that don't trace the lines of the body but still create a unique silhouette, and for occasions like that I want leather shoes to tighten up the look at my feet, but not lace-up shoes, and not pumps either... These strike just the right balance, I'd say. If you remove the laces and wear them as slip-ons, they're easy to put on and take off, so I really recommend them."

Item name: Tassel Shoes BROWN

Years of use: about 2 years

" I also often wear these tassel shoes from J.REINALDO because I love the design.
Since they're a deep-cut slip-on, once you get a little used to them, they feel almost as easy to wear as sneakers—I think that's what's good about this shoe. This kind of deep slip-on shoe is also something I'd recommend to people who walk long distances and want to add an insole to adjust the cushioning.

Also, they felt a bit stiff at first, but after wearing them for about two years, they gradually broke in and became easier to wear. Since they're a tassel type, they keep your feet from looking too plain, and when black feels a bit too subdued, this is the pair I reach for. That's roughly how I choose between them."

What objects quietly reveal about a person's character and work

Having shown us the bags and shoes they each use for work, we then asked, "What are your work essentials?" and here's what the two of them offered up.

Staff S: A business card holder gone amber-colored, and a ballpoint pen of the same shade

The business card holder is a simple card case from SonnenLeder. And the ballpoint pen from FABER-CASTELL happens, by coincidence, to share the same color as the leather that has aged over time.

Both the business card holder and the ballpoint pen are essential tools for buyer's work. Inside the pocket of the tote bag we introduced earlier, these two are always standing by together. Every time they rub against things inside the bag, or every time she exchanges business cards, the leather gets naturally polished, gradually turning that amber color—these are well-loved items that let you feel the accumulation of time.

*Unfortunately, both of these items are no longer available at ZUTTO, but both brands have new items in stock, so please do take a look at their brand pages.

> About SonnenLeder

> About FABER-CASTELL

Staff N: A bangle, and geometric jewelry from I.Ronni Kappos

Staff N says she likes incorporating accessories that harmonize well with her clothing, each bringing out the other's presence. In fact, on the set of ZUTTO's catalog photo shoots, she often styles silver bangles and pendants with modern geometric designs, and she coordinates those same kinds of accessories into her own wardrobe. In particular, she wears vintage bead jewelry from I.Ronni Kappos so often that there's hardly a week she goes without it. It gives off a sense of style that's simple yet has real depth—as if you could wear the beauty of sculpture or architecture directly on your body.

> About FIRST AMERICAN TRADERS

> I. About Ronni Kappos

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