Poussette (Poussette) Purse designer Daisuke Ogawa

Poussette (Poussette) - Daisuke Ogawa

Daisuke Ogawa of poussette creates "gamaguchi" (clasps) that combine beautiful forms and ease of use that are imbued with Japanese tradition with his own unique sensibility.

Perhaps due to his outstanding sense and frank personality, he has been interviewed for over 100 TV programs, and is now arguably the most famous purse maker in Kyoto.

This time, we visited their atelier and shop in Ichijoji, Kyoto, which relocated and reopened this March and serves as their base of operations.

Surrounded by her beloved Singer sewing machine, which stands out among the many different types of purses, and by the abundance of fabrics waiting to be given new life, we were captivated by the skill of her hands as we conducted the interview while she worked on her creations.

I feel that Ogawa's aesthetic is evident in his relaxed and natural yet still smart style.

At the shop, customers can choose their own fabric and watch as they make their own purse.

"It's what they call a traditional Japanese cuisine style (laughs). I think that if people understand what it means to make something, and that so much effort and care goes into making it, they will develop a deeper attachment to and interest in the things they use."

Ogawa says that for a craftsman, a sewing machine is like a part of his body. At first, he used an industrial sewing machine, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it was too "unfamiliar," so he decided to use an analog sewing machine.
"When I visited an antique shop owned by a friend, I came across this sewing machine the moment it was unloaded from a truck. It was made in Scotland in 1925. I had it overhauled over the course of two weeks, and now it's my perfect companion."


"Later, I had the good fortune to get my hands on the same type of Singer sewing machine, and when I looked at the serial number, I realized it was made in the same year and in the same factory. We are 91-year-old sisters who are still working (laughs)."
Currently, he produces purses using two identical sewing machines.


The exposed concrete exterior of this modern atelier/shop is located in Ichijoji, a city known as the epicenter of Kyoto culture.

Was this connection brought about by my great-grandmother's purse?

─You're originally from Tochigi Prefecture. Looking at your profile, it seems like you've had quite a few twists and turns before you started creating gamaguchi purses.

Yes, there were (laughs). I went to two universities, one for foreign languages ​​and one for law, but dropped out of both (laughs).

I was actually quite torn between going on to higher education when I was in high school. Ever since I was little, I've had a great interest in words and loved thinking about things logically, so one of my options was whether I could help people by working in a job that uses words.

In the midst of all this, I chose a university with an incredibly interesting linguistics professor who made me really want to join his seminar...but as soon as I enrolled, I found out that he had unexpectedly retired and I could no longer join his seminar (laughs).

I returned to my original intention of wanting to go to a university in Kyoto and started over with the entrance exams.

─Why are you interested in Kyoto?

When I was in junior high school, I was shocked when I first came into contact with the classics.

Whether it was "The Pillow Book" or "Tsurezuregusa," I was surprised to find that they unfolded a world that was completely different from my everyday life, having grown up deep in the mountains of Tochigi.

When I realized that this was Japan's original worldview, I always thought that the only way to understand Japan was to dive into the world of classics, in other words, to go to Kyoto.

─So, my wish came true and I went to a university in Kyoto.

In Kyoto, I applied to law and art universities, and was accepted to both, but I was troubled again.

As for law, my uncle was a prosecutor, so the law was close to me, and I was attracted to the idea of ​​a job where I could help people using the logical and well-organized language of law.

On the other hand, I also loved art, and I thought it would be great if I could use words and pictures to create a warm world where laws were unnecessary, so I considered attending an art university so that I could illustrate a picture book.

In the end, due to pocket money reasons (lol), I decided to go to law school.

But then another turning point came.

I was very happy to be in Kyoto.

However, I found the criminal law classes at university difficult. We would look at past crimes and the sentences they had been given, and every day was like a Tuesday suspense drama, with the A, B, and C types always doing something wrong (laughs).

I was fed up with it and began to think that I would be better suited to a job that helps people live a life where they don't feel that way, rather than living in such a murky world.

Although I gave up on going to art school, I continued to study graphic design on my own, so I took my work to an interview and was hired as a web designer for a company that manufactures and sells coin purses.

─This is where you will encounter the coin purse.

Before that, something fateful happened. Just when I was wondering whether I should pursue a career outside of law, my great-grandmother passed away.

At the time of the funeral, my grandmother brought out a purse that my great-grandmother had loved to wear to put in the coffin.

I just couldn't bring myself to put it in the coffin, so I brought it home as a keepsake. When I had the opportunity to work for a clasp purse company, I looked at the clasp again and thought about it.

In the world of law where I'm currently studying, crimes happen every day, but I don't think my great-grandmother would go and kill someone with this purse (laughs).

Rather, it is something that is part of everyday life, spent peacefully thinking about what to make for your family tomorrow and what to do for them. I thought that making a clasp purse is about making something that fits into that peaceful lifestyle.

That's when I started to think, "Maybe clasp purses are a good idea." Looking back, I think it was my great-grandmother who gave me that connection.

Ogawa still treasures this purse, a keepsake from her great-grandmother. "It's well-made and has been well-used, giving it a nice character."

Ogawa creates a wide variety of clasps, all of which he does by himself, from purchasing fabrics and creating patterns to sewing.


The purse is finished up to the stage where the metal fittings are attached.


The outer and inner lining of the purse are different, and the combination of these materials is also a highlight of Ogawa's sensibility.


The fabrics used include rare imported items and deadstock, with a wide variety of origins, materials, and styles.

--So that's where you learned the know-how of making clasp purses.

Although I joined the company as a web designer, it was a small company, so I would spend my free time at the sewing machine and also attend planning meetings for new products.

It was quite fun, but all of the ideas I came up with were rejected due to cost and other constraints.

I gradually became frustrated, so I soon left the company and joined Muji to reexamine what I really wanted to make and the origins of manufacturing.

However, two years after joining the company, the shopping mall where the store was located was closed, so I left the company. So I thought about making clasp purses as an option to start something on my own.

I felt a connection to this project because of my great-grandmother, and I had not been able to make the things I wanted to make at my previous workplace, so I took this as an opportunity and decided to set my own conditions and give it a try.

I decided to gather the materials, make coin purses, and set up a stall at a craft market, based on the amount of "pocket money" I had set aside. If the sales fell short of the initial allowance, I would accept that making coin purses was not my role.

--This was around the time when handmade markets started to gain attention in Kyoto.

The Chionji Temple handicraft market was starting to become famous, but I decided to make my debut at the handicraft market held at Myorenji Temple in Kyoto.

The event was much less well-known, had fewer exhibitors, and had fewer visitors, but the stall fee was 300 yen cheaper than at Chion-ji Temple (laughs).

I made as many clasps as I could and opened a store.

So next time I made a little more and set up a stall, and they sold again, my pocket money increased, and I was able to make more using my favorite fabrics and materials, and they sold again...and I've been repeating this cycle ever since, to where I am today.

Next year will mark exactly 10 years since I started making purses.

Handmade markets allow direct communication between makers and users. This is where talented makers take flight. This photo shows the Kamigamo Shrine Handmade Market in May 2008 (Ogawa is on the left). Through the handmade markets held at shrines and temples in Kyoto City, Ogawa was blessed with many encounters that led to his current success.

--You've just skipped over a lot (laughs). I'd also like to ask you about what happened during those 10 years.

No, really, it's just a series of fortunate encounters.

Looking back, I think that choosing Myorenji as my first location was a big turning point that paved the way for me to open up my own path.

I also met Tabata-san from Craft Cafe. After that, I started opening stores at Chion-ji Temple and Kamigamo Shrine, and through an introduction from someone I met at Chion-ji Temple, I met the landlord of Ajiki Alley, who said to me, "Come over if a room becomes available."

Since I started living and working in Ajiki Alley, I've been interviewed more often and I think more people have become aware of me.

─ At one point you moved your base to Onomichi, right?

When I was traveling alone in Onomichi, I talked to people I met and they told me that Kyoto is a great place because there are many shops and artists who like to use traditional townhouses, and people gather there.

Onomichi has many old houses, but they are falling into disrepair. Many people enjoy walking around the town, but there is no one to live in or use them.

It was a really wonderful place, so I wanted to help somehow.

Fortunately, all I need for my job is a sewing machine and fabric, so I thought maybe I could do something if I moved there first, and I bought a house and started living there.

However, after about a year and a half, the house was in a state that I could not repair with my pocket money, so I gave up on living there.

However, the house remains as it is today, and we continue to interact with Onomichi by offering it for art exhibitions and participating in events.

>Ogawa's other base is his studio in Onomichi. The heavy rains in the summer of 2016 made it uninhabitable, but it is now used as a venue for exhibitions of works by Onomichi craftspeople (image provided by Ogawa).

I want to share my warm feelings

--It's through connections with people that your activities are expanding.

Nowadays, I enjoy meeting and visiting different people, regardless of whether it's for work or a hobby.

My creator name, "poussette," means "stroller" in French.

When I was thinking of a name that could express myself, I thought of the first car people ride in, a stroller, because I've always loved cars.

There are places you can go and worlds you can experience because of a car, but a stroller cannot move on its own. It is only through the warm connection with the person pushing it that you can be taken to various worlds.

I chose this word because I think it's wonderful to be able to peek into a new world together with other people in this way.

Actually, it was the name I came up with when I started my creative endeavors as a student, before I discovered gamaguchi purses, and the first thing I did was work on music.

--What do you yourself want to share with others through your creative activities?

My top priority is to think about why I am living and who I am living for.

This may sound a bit formal, but at the end of the day, when you're taking a bath or before going to bed, when you reflect on "the day," ask yourself who you met, who you made the purse for, and whether you were able to help someone.

If I can say yes, I feel so fulfilled that I don't even need to get up tomorrow.

There are times when things are difficult and tough, but I strongly want to live each day with satisfaction.

Since we can't live today again, I want to live my life without regrets. And I want others to do the same, living each day with satisfaction.

I hope to be able to convey these things through the things I create.

--Are there any purses you would like to make in the future?

Nowadays, it's common for people to carry around wallets, certificates, licenses, information media, and other possessions on their person. I would like to create something that can hold all of these things together and allow them to be carried around safely.

The basis of my creations is the idea of ​​"living without carrying unnecessary things," and I want people to enjoy carrying as little luggage as possible.

So, just by wearing it, you have the bare necessities, you won't forget anything, and you won't feel anxious...that's what I want to create.

I would like to create an item that breaks away from categories like "bag" or "wallet," something that is a container but doesn't look like a container, a wallet but doesn't look like a wallet, but is still something that I need.

This is a purse made with a new type of leather that we are experimenting with. This is tanned leather that changes over time.


>This is a set of two clasp wallets made from cowhide produced in Himeji. We look forward to seeing more of this product in the future.

--That's interesting. Finally, what do you think is important when creating things?

From the first time I attended a handmade market, I was happier than any sales figures to meet customers who I felt would use my products for years to come.

In the end, what's important to me about work is not whether it makes money, but whether it helps people and whether it's work that only I can do.

Right now, I'm trying to convey my desire to live each day happily and without regrets through a tool that is so familiar in our daily lives, but there is no one answer when it comes to making things.

I myself am always skeptical and continue to search for answers. As long as we receive requests from customers, I believe there is something that we can continue to convey, but as the times and what is desired change rapidly, I am always setting myself the homework of whether I can propose something new. To do that, I need to keep working hard without slacking off.

I hope that Mr. Ogawa's thoughts reach many people. Thank you for today.

This October, Ogawa celebrated the memorable milestone of 15 years since she began her creative activities under the name poussette.

No matter how famous he becomes, he is sincere in valuing each and every connection, and his dedication to continuing to create with a strong desire to help people is impressive.

I hope you will experience the work and feel the message it contains.