Pop up store - Cycle by myob
10.8 Fri - 10.17 Sun at Forget-me-nots

LINE THERMAL TOP -IVORY-

The first "cycle" thermal fabric uses recycled polyester. The design features switched fabrics and ornamentation, with cutout arms adding an edgy touch. The arm straps are adjustable, allowing you to arrange the sleeve length to your preference.
The fabric used is "ECOPET" recycled polyester. "ECOPET" is a polyester fiber produced from collected used PET bottles through a "material cycle process". It contributes significantly to reducing environmental impact by effectively utilizing resources without using new petroleum. Compared to incinerating PET bottles without recycling and creating new polyester from petroleum, it reduces CO2 emissions by 47% and energy consumption by 33%.

CIRCLE CUTTING BIG SHIRT -BLACK-

An oversized shirt with a basic shape and curved cut-outs for a three-dimensional effect.
The material used for this product is "ONIBEGIE", a new synthetic material that enables synthetic dyeing with natural pigments. "ONIBEGIE" is a dye created from an original blend of quercetin extracted from onion skins and other natural pigments. The wastewater discharged during the dyeing process is more environmentally friendly to the environment and ecosystem compared to chemical dyes alone, and it features a tasteful color that cannot be expressed with chemical dyes alone, containing approximately 50% natural pigments.

Kristina Tuzova DRAWING SECOND SKIN TOP
-YOUR SOUL-

This is a collaboration item with Kristina Tuzova, a St. Petersburg-born artist currently based in Tokyo. Kristina's hand-drawn illustrations, which transcend race and gender, are boldly expressed on a sheer power net material under the theme of skinship.
The soft and stretchy material provides a comfortable fit that isn't too tight. The long sleeves create a relaxed feel, and it can be worn front or back.

KRISTINA TUZOVA DRAWING SHIRTS -MIX-

This is also a collaboration item with Kristina Tuzova. Her art is incorporated into sustainable fabric and expressed as a shirt that can be worn by both men and women.
The fabric uses recycled polyester, and the buttons also use sustainable parts certified by OEKO-TEX. Recycled polyester reduces the use of petroleum resources, which are the raw material for polyester, by regenerating used PET bottles, old clothes, and fiber waste generated in factories, leading to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
*This item is only available in stores.

Furthermore, to commemorate the opening of this POPUP STORE, CBD brand Dawg. (Dough), which develops CBD VAPE products, will be selling two triple-collaboration products: a CBD VAPEPEN and CBD WAX, developed with Cycle by myob and fmn. For these products, Cycle by myob and fmn jointly developed the design, and the packaging and device itself feature the stylish colors characteristic of Cycle by myob's textiles and fmn's brand image, making them highly fashionable. The flavor was also jointly supervised, and a limited edition "MOJO with MENTHOL" (hemp menthol) flavor, with a refreshing sensation enjoyed by both men and women, will also be available in limited quantities.

Finally, in conjunction with the POPUP STORE, we interviewed Comi, the designer of "Cycle by myob," to once again ask about the brand's concept and philosophy.

First, please tell us what inspired you to start the brand.

-I launched it 10 years ago when I was studying abroad in New York. What inspired me was that I loved editorials (features, edited pages) in magazines and wanted to do it myself, so I bought a camera and took a lot of photos styling with my friends. At that time, we talked about not having suitable accessories, so I decided to try making them, and that's how I started as an accessory brand. Clothes had a lot of variations with vintage items, but we couldn't find accessories that matched our style. So, I made earrings from familiar materials like cardboard, felt, and old handicraft shop patches, and when I wore them myself, people started talking to me on the street. Back then, there was no social media, and word-of-mouth and people on the street were the sources of information. New York is especially interesting because people will immediately talk to you if they think you're cool or cute, even if they don't know you. Since there was no Instagram, I launched a blog and sold directly from there, which got a pretty good response. A select shop called CANDY in Shibuya found me, even from Japan, and started carrying my products. Besides that, I kept doing POP UPs with just accessories. I played around a lot, went to various places wearing my accessories, and expanded my network every day. Then, one day at a club, a young girl approached me and I showed her my accessories, and it turned out she worked at Patricia Field's (costume designer and stylist for "SEX AND THE CITY," etc.) shop. The next day, a POP UP at her shop was decided, and my recognition steadily increased. Furthermore, when a POP UP in Tokyo was decided, I started making hats and caps for the first time because accessories alone weren't enough volume. As my recognition grew in Tokyo, I started making clothes seriously when I had a POP UP at Laforet. Since then, I've been making clothes for about seven years now.

Please tell us about the background of restarting as Cycle by myob in 2020.

-The friends I had worked with from a young age until adulthood started going in different directions, getting married, having children, and pursuing their own paths, so we decided to disband. At that point, I decided to take things slowly. After that, I considered changing jobs or pursuing completely different careers, but in the end, my friends encouraged me, saying that I could take it easy whenever I got older, and that while I was young and active, I should do as much as I could, and if it didn't work out, I could just quit. So, I decided to continue the brand. At that time, the keyword "sustainability" was what interested me most. So, when I restarted, I decided to incorporate sustainable materials and methods into the process. Back then, the news was full of talk about charging for convenience store bags, and I felt that sustainability would become the norm, but in fashion, being cool and cute still comes first. But I thought that could be a good starting point for people to think about it, so I'm committed to doing it.

Handmade vegetable dyeing

Sustainability has consistently been a theme, but what particular themes did you focus on for this Fall/Winter collection?

-The theme for this collection is "skinship." When COVID-19 created distance between people, I initially felt a strange discomfort at being unable to even shake hands or hug as a greeting. That's why I made this collection, intending to be mindful of skinship, to cherish it, and to convey a sense of warmth. The colors are inspired by a skin-tone gradient. It also happened to be a time when I was in the mood for neutral colors. My mood varies greatly with each collection, so Cycle's colors and vibe are completely different from season to season. In particular, the previous collection and this one are so different that people might think they're from different brands (laughs). I also do collaborations with "scent," a Mexican brand I love, every time, and this time too, it's made to match the theme.

What's your favorite item among them?

-I absolutely love the items featuring Christina (model/artist)'s drawings. Being able to bring them to life is what makes me happiest. I met her when I booked her as a model, and during the photoshoot, I noticed her taking photos herself and drawing in a notebook, which piqued my interest, and I started talking to her. It's rare to find a model like that, so she really stood out, and she already knew about Cycle, so I was happy when she shyly said, "I'd love to do something together." The collaboration came about very quickly through Instagram DMs.

She also served as art director and photographer for the brand's visuals and even stood at the exhibition. We're continuing the collaboration for SS22, and I've asked Christina to do the photography again. For visual production, she understands without me having to say much and creates perfectly cute things. I trust her a lot. I want to continue to create various things with her in the future. For the next AW22, we plan to work together on not just clothes, but also general merchandise, pottery, and more.

Regarding the POP UP STORE event

-When the world of Forget-me-nots (fmn) and Cycle merge, the adult street elements of fmn and the elements of Cycle create a really great mix. I'm very excited because I think something that couldn't have existed with Cycle alone will emerge. The staff are excellent at styling and expressing themselves, so I hope everyone enjoys that mixed feeling.

What are your thoughts on the finished product of "Dawg." (CBD VAPE PEN/CBD WAX), which you collaborated on for this POP UP?

-It's so cute (laughs). I came to the fmn office, and we designed it together. I named it "Mojo," and I really like the hemp menthol scent, so I'm looking forward to using it. I've been taking CBD oil every night for a while, so it's essential for me. I started using the stick after learning about "Dawg.," and it's great for refreshing myself during work. I hope many people get to try it.

Model by Nodoka Shibuya, Sakura Fujishiro
Photo by mahiro 5ayama
Interview by Kyoko Nakajima
Styling by Tintin Fan (Forget-me-nots PR)