Takayuki Abe is a fashion designer for the brand Maison Noumu, which has a quiet atelier in the abandoned farmland of Otofuke Town, Hokkaido. All of his creations, such as bags and wallets made from leather, are beautiful.

Abe Takayuki is from Obihiro, and after graduating from Obihiro Sanjo High School, he studied fashion design at the Tokyo fashion school "Vantan Design Institute". He was selected to compete in the Nagoya Fashion Contest, and in 2010, he won both the Outstanding Work Award and the Special Award at the New Designer Fashion Grand Prix, the fashion contest with the largest number of applicants in the world.

As a result, he was awarded the opportunity to study abroad at NABA Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, a graduate school of arts and culture in Milan, Italy. The following year, he graduated from Vantan Design Institute at the top of his class and went to study in Milan.

During his time at the university, he was involved in a wide range of activities, including participating in an animation exhibition at the Pompidou Center in Paris. His work was also highly praised by world-renowned fashion designers Romeo Gigli and Cinzia Ruggieri, and he held a solo exhibition titled "dear lovers" in Milan, proving his remarkable achievements as a promising new talent.

Since then, Abe Takayuki has focused on supporting people with disabilities through artistic activities such as illustration and clothing design. In 2018, he held an exhibition of works created with people with various disabilities titled "The Location of Humanity" in Aoyama, Tokyo. On September 11, 2021, he established an atelier in Otofuke Town and launched his own brand, "noumu." The brand name "noumu" means "thick fog" (noumu), and he creates modern, deep, and impressive works using leather materials.

The trigger for him to return to Hokkaido from Milan was the onset of major depression. Unable to give up, he returned to Milan at first, but his symptoms worsened and he returned to Japan permanently five months later. After that, he spent more than five years fighting the disease. During that time, he encountered the spiritual philosophy of spiritual philosopher Viktor Frankl, which became one of the triggers for the concept of launching his brand "noumu".

"After a rather difficult battle with illness, my fantastical concept changed into a more philosophical, existentialist approach to craftsmanship. While objects are replaceable, no single human being is replaceable. When each irreplaceable individual encounters a piece of clothing, a leather bag, or a leather wallet in an irreplaceable world, my work transformed into a philosophical endeavor that seeks to pursue the value of existence that humans can achieve in life."

Looking around the atelier, I noticed that many of the pieces were made using leather.

"I've been using leather since I was a student, and by coincidence, Italy, where I studied abroad, is famous for its leather production, so I was drawn into the charm of leather. It's like the clothes are breathing, it's irresistible. I feel like leather has been in harmony with the laws of nature ever since our ancestors, the primitive humans, started wearing it."

Most of the clothes on display are made of leather and are one-size. There's a good reason for that.

"I do accept custom orders, but the clothes I make have a rod number, and I only use precious dead stock fabrics, so I can only make one or two pieces at a time. Isn't it dramatic and wonderful to hear the story of a piece of clothing that only exists once in the world, with its size and design, and how it ends up in someone's hands? At noumu, we don't just make clothes, we want to provide that kind of valuable experience."

This desire has given noumu many fans, some of whom visit the store hoping to find the perfect piece for themselves. Not only are his works attractive, but many are also looking forward to chatting with him, who, although a bit shy, gradually shares stories about himself with them, such as stories from his time in Italy and topics related to design.

She also openly talks about her battle with illness, and in her desire to support others who are also suffering from depression, she holds art-making activities in her studio about once a week to help people overcome the illness.

His gentle smile suits him so well that it's hard to believe he was suffering from an illness.

Currently, in addition to noumu's works, the atelier also sells many of the tools necessary for leather maintenance and his favorite miscellaneous goods.

Noumu is an exciting atelier that makes you feel like you are somewhere in Italy, even though you are in Tokachi, and even though it is an apparel shop, it makes you feel like you are visiting an art museum. Why not visit and find something unique?

Maison noumu

■Address: 59-9 Towahigashi 2-sen, Otofuke-cho, Kato-gun, Hokkaido ■Business hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 11:00-15:00 / Saturday 12:00-18:00 *Other days are available by appointment.

■Instagram: nou.mu