AYIN × MAKI Gallery: Connecting Feelings Through Art and Bringing Art Into Lifestyle

AYIN, a select shop operated by AYURA Co., Ltd. that has built a distinctive worldview centered in Osaka, has launched a collaboration with MAKI Gallery, a contemporary art gallery based in Omotesando and Tennozu, Tokyo, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Daimaru Shinsaibashi store. The theme is “Connecting Feelings, Connecting Through Art: POWER OF ART !!!” The project brings together AYURA representative Kazuya Takagi, MAKI Gallery representative Masahiro Maki, and project planner Takanobu Muto, ZOZO Fashion Cheerleader, for a conversation about art, fashion, and spatial design. Takagi explains that AYIN has always aimed not merely to sell individual garments, but to propose an entire lifestyle. He had long wanted to explore something around “fashion × art,” because the two feel very close on an intuitive level. Muto adds that AYIN customers do not simply come to buy clothes; they often talk about interiors, restaurants, and lifestyle as a whole. That made it natural to propose art as an extension of fashion. The collaboration features artists Takuro Tamura and Koichiro Takagi. Maki describes Tamura as an artist who uses humor to question society and nature, often taking everyday motifs such as crosswalks, stop signs, and asphalt. His works suggest that human-made rules ultimately cannot overcome the power of nature, as seen in images such as dandelions breaking through asphalt. Koichiro Takagi, meanwhile, has a punk and street-influenced worldview. Known for embroidery, he anthropomorphizes animals such as bears and wolves, using familiar motifs while embedding social meaning and emotion. Takagi notes that Tamura’s work is displayed at the entrance of VILLA AYIN, a luxury pool villa on Ikema Island in Miyakojima, and that works by both Tamura and Koichiro Takagi are also displayed at ZOZO’s headquarters. The project also includes an artist collaboration with ZAC VARGAS, a brand exclusively carried by AYIN. Takagi says the items do not simply reproduce the artists’ works on clothing. Instead, they pay homage while carefully balancing the worldview of the LA-based designer brand ZAC VARGAS with the individuality of each artist. Around ten handmade items, mainly T-shirts, have been prepared. The three also discuss how to choose art that suits oneself. Muto says the most important thing is whether one instinctively feels that a piece is cool or appealing, much like choosing fashion. Takagi agrees, saying that by actually buying works over time, one begins to understand personal preferences. Maki observes that both of them have a high purity of instinct and are honest about feelings such as “this is cool” or “this color feels right.” He suggests that beginners need not start with concepts or art-historical context; it is enough to first feel that something is likable or comfortable, and deeper appreciation can grow after learning the background. Asked about his own selection criteria at MAKI Gallery, Maki says he personally collects works by all the artists the gallery represents. He only handles artists he genuinely loves, because he cannot recommend works he does not personally feel drawn to. Art should not be bought simply because it is popular; it should reach people who sincerely find it cool or meaningful, allowing collectors and artists to connect and grow together. Takagi says this aligns closely with his own approach as a select shop owner: he has always valued handling only things he truly believes in. On art and space, Takagi says that before discovering art more deeply, he did not strongly think in terms of “decorating.” Now, when designing a shop or villa, he often first imagines a specific artwork in the space and builds the color palette and atmosphere around it. Maki says art changes the very air of a space. At first it feels like something new has been added, but gradually it becomes natural, and its absence can feel strange. Muto adds that having art in a place one sees every day can make life feel richer; over time it becomes an object of affection, almost like a family member or a protective presence. In closing, Maki says that for MAKI Gallery, which is mainly active in the Kanto region, meeting people with diverse sensibilities and backgrounds in Osaka is a valuable opportunity. He hopes visitors will feel art more closely through the works of Tamura and Koichiro Takagi, as well as the ZAC VARGAS collaboration items. Muto encourages visitors to see the works and products in person and, if they find something they like, to buy it as a first step toward bringing art into their own lives.