Welcome to SWB. Start With the Basis started in the back of a retail workshop in the heart of Gastown in Vancouver, BC. I took my knowledge from working in high-end menswear and the skills working in bag production, to create my interpretation of a contemporary menswear label.

SWB encompasses a variety of things. My main inspiration comes from heritage menswear; where I see value in the old method of design and production. I also like to sprinkle in references of my Japanese roots, mainly through the naming of styles and some design details.

Function is another driver and I don't want to be cliché and say my label is utilitarian but, I used to make bags. Moreover, I used to make minimal bags. That's been my most enjoyable design challenge is create things that look simple, but have functional features hidden beneath the surface.

Contemporary is another overused term in the industry, but I love that there are no rules anymore. There's no shortage of heritage labels or contemporary brands, so where I see opportunity is to carve my lane somewhere in between. That’s how I see the brand; as a bridge between the two...