Considering the dual nature of the tour title and the choice of colors that can be freely interpreted
Interviewee: Hiromi Fujita (Art Director, Graphic Designer)
I was asked to do the art direction for "Gen" last fall. I remember seeing Hoshino-san paying attention to everything from the album design to the tour goods and venue decorations, saying, "I want to make something that will make the person who owns it happy," and I felt that he also had a producer's temperament.
It was also impressive to see how, during meetings, they looked the other person straight in the eye as they spoke and listened. The visuals for the album formed the basis for the merchandise design. Based on the monochrome photographs taken by Kawashima Kotori and the two key colours, we were conscious of creating a strong design that matched the two-sided tour title of MAD HOPE. There is no significance to the choice of colours. Anyone who sees them can find meaning in them, and I think it's fine for everyone to have their own interpretation.
"I wanted to use the lyrics of the song 'Mad Hope', which became the title of the tour, so I put them on the back print. There were also lots of great photos that Kotori had taken, so I made them into photo T-shirts" (Fujita). 3,800 yen.
"Vertical tote bags are common, so we chose a horizontal one to give it a slightly different look," says Fujita. The cotton bag is large, about 50cm wide, with long handles. The edges are also inscribed with lyrics. It has an inside pocket. 2,500 yen.
"The impression of a cap changes depending on its shape. I asked them to create a design that was particular about both appearance and ease of use," (Fujita). There is a patch-like embroidery on the front. I also like the "GEN" embroidery on the back. 3,000 yen.
"Many people buy the tour goods and wear them on the spot. We used a lot of colors, including the two key colors, to brighten up the venue," said Fujita. The soft terry towel is about 34 x 100 cm and costs 2,000 yen.
The simple tenugui towel is "an item I requested, as it will be a tour through the hot summer and I thought it would be nice to have," (Fujita). It is 100% cotton, approximately 35 x 90 cm. It is also available in purple and white with orange. It costs 1,500 yen.
A long-sleeved T-shirt with the lyrics of "Mad Hope" printed on the back. "In addition to the easy-to-wear white T-shirt, we also have a long-sleeved T-shirt in vivid orange, which acts as an accent color. We created it with the overall color balance of the goods in mind," (Fujita). 5,200 yen.
"The keychain is made from a painted metal plate with color accents," says Fujita. The dual nature of the title and the beauty of the graphics make it a truly "happy to own" item. 1,200 yen.
The slippers, which are "monochrome and easy to wear on a daily basis," feature an embroidered logo. The body is made of 100% cotton, which is comfortable even on bare feet. The heel is thick, making it easy to walk in. The soles have a non-slip surface. 2,200 yen.
