"RAREMETAL" is a new project that reinterprets and transforms artwork by art director Tetsuya Nagato into original apparel through a unique creative direction.
“Rare metal” refers to non-ferrous metals that exist in very limited quantities within the Earth’s crust.
This project translates photo-based graphics, drawn from my personal archive, into apparel. The photos themselves are fragments—images captured through a macro lens from sections of my collage works.
Tetsuya's collages are built layer by layer, with multiple unseen layers beneath the visible surface. Along the way, I photograph fleeting moments within the process—scenes that I feel compelled to preserve.
These photographs are like field records taken during an excavation: documenting something that will eventually be buried and no longer visible, yet holds deep personal meaning for me.
That sense of hidden importance—of something precious and buried—resonated with the concept of “rare metal,” which is why I chose it as the name for this project.
I invite you to engage with the pieces as if you’re holding them in your hands, and to explore the “Rare Metal” collection for yourself.