Cutting out waste and wearing a relaxed look. What is the “subtractive set-up” of a successful man?

A certain micro complex quietly located in Kabuto-cho. The concrete walls, which give a sense of the building’s stately history as a former bank, and the deep greenery of the ornamental plants that lavishly fill the space. At 9:00 on a Saturday morning, the lounge on the first floor was filled with the gorgeous jasmine-like aroma of Geisha coffee from Ethiopia.

I'm trying so hard, but I'm running on empty...?Why the Noise in Your Vision Causes 'Thought Traffic Jams'

I had my MacBook open on the thick, single-panel table and my head in my hands. The final presentation material for the new business coming up next week. No matter how many times I reviewed it, there was no response. I had to increase the resolution of the target audience, write down the competitive advantages, and illustrate the monetization process in detail. The number of slides exceeded 50. However, the supposedly perfect presentation was strangely devoid of ” enthusiasm” and “persuasiveness.

Suddenly, a voice fell from behind me. The voice belonged to Mr. K, my former boss at the foreign consulting firm where I used to work, and now an independent consultant in charge of brand strategy for numerous companies.

Mr. K

That’s a lot of visual information. The reader’s thoughts are jammed in the middle.

The best of the best practice it

─ Good morning. …… I knew it, does it look that way?

Mr. K

Oh. I’m trying to put up a defensive team by adding elements because I’m worried. It’s a typical state of not being able to “subtract.” There is a limit to the amount of information a person can process at one time. The colors, lines, and letters that unconsciously enter our vision. All of these things become “noise” and consume the brain’s memory.

Mr. K sat down next to me and took a sip of black coffee in a jet-black ceramic.

Mr. K

If there is a core value that you really want to convey, you have to strip down the other elements to the bare minimum. A good UI or UX, and by extension, a good business model, is a design that “[does not] make the user think (i.e., does not place a cognitive burden on the user).”

He hit me right where it hurts, when I was trying to prove value by adding elements.

Graduating from the 'childish hoodie.'The magic of hiding one part that makes you look all solid.

Mr. K

But it’s not just a matter of scraping away. While erasing the superficial noise, behind the scenes, support the other party with precise calculations and structures. That is the work of a professional. …… For example, in terms of design, is this easy to understand?

Mr. K tapped his finger lightly on his own chest as he said this. The deep navy set-up he likes to wear on his days off. I thought it was from GENTLEMAN PROJECTS, which he has always loved, but the outfit in front of me had a decidedly different aura from the one I remembered.

Click here for more details on the hoodie

─ It’s “NIGHT” and “FOX” by GENTLEMAN PROJECTS. But it looks much …… quieter and classier than when you wore it before.

Mr. K

Well noticed. This is a newer model that was recently updated, and from a product design perspective, the “subtractive aesthetic” of the creator is very interesting.

Mr. K. began to speak in the same reasonably measured tone that he used to point out the improvements in the slides.

Erasing the casual feelingThe strangeness of the 'hidden pockets'

Mr. K

The previous model had a ” kangaroo pocket ” on the abdomen, a royal feature of sweatshirt parkas. Although highly convenient, it inevitably became a strong visual symbol of casual sportswear. So the new model completely eliminated that pocket noise.

If you ask me, his abdomen has no pocket bulges or stitching at all.

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New “NIGHT II

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Older model “NIGHT”

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Click here for more details on the hoodie.

─ ─ So you lost the pockets?

Mr. K

No, I’m keeping the functionality. The side seam line has been shifted slightly to the front, and the slit pockets are secretly hidden along that side seam line. The functionality is not compromised, only the visual noise is completely eliminated. As a result, only the “beautiful texture of the fabric” will be conveyed straight to the other person’s vision.

The smooth lines of the hoodie he wears from the chest to the abdomen are as refined as a painting. It was breathtaking to see how the whole impression could be sublimated to a dress-like look just by eliminating one piece of information: the seam of the pocket.

Looks smart, feels like pajamas!The 'magic silhouette' that makes you tireless

Mr. K

The same philosophy applies to the pants. While the non-ribbed hem is retained, the silhouette is relaxed to fit the current climate.

When Mr. K stretched his legs a little, bottoms with a beautiful straight line appeared under the table.

Mr. K

Exquisite margins that eliminate tightness but do not look sloppy. Even more outstanding is the treatment of the side lines. The lines, which used to be accented with black, are now unified to ” the same color as the fabric ” on purpose. By reducing the assertiveness and assimilating the lines, the impression of sophistication is secured.

I nodded silently. The absence of visual tugging (noise) gives the viewer a sense that even his or her mind is strangely refreshed and organized. In the minimalist design, only the long off-white drawcord hung beautifully under gravity.

Stress is absorbed on the reverse sideTailoring of 'two sleeves' to fit the body structure

─ I see. By thoroughly removing visual noise, the user’s (viewer’s) brain is not forced to do any unnecessary processing. That’s what this overwhelming “elegance” is all about, isn’t it?

Mr. K

That’s right. But as I said before, right? It’s not enough to just shave it off. If you cut away the surface noise, the “structure” of the invisible parts must be stronger.

Mr. K quickly bent his right arm to lift the coffee cup. At that moment, the navy fabric smoothly followed the movement of his arm in three dimensions without showing any protrusion.

Mr. K

The sleeves of this parka have the ” two-piece sleeve ” pattern found in tailored jackets, which requires a lot of tailoring man-hours. Human arms are originally slightly curved forward. By sewing the fabric three-dimensionally accordingly, the wearer’s physical stress is completely absorbed by the structure on the back side.

Mr. K’s words and the details of his clothing beautifully link to the presentation material I am creating in my mind. A sophisticated surface (interface) that does not stress the user, and a robust system (backend) that perfectly handles complex processing behind the scenes.

Gruff and clean all the time.The superb 'feel' turns into the best motivation

Mr. K

The dough itself has also evolved. It has more density and elasticity than before, and the colors have more depth. Touch it.

As he urged me, I allowed myself to touch the cuff a little. It was surprisingly smooth. Tough and thick with a tight grain, yet so moist to the touch that my fingertips were delighted. Wrapped in this texture, the wearer would be able to immerse himself deeply in the thoughts before him without being distracted by unnecessary discomfort.

Mr. K

Business plans are no different. What the customer sees should be as simple and beautiful as possible. Instead, the operational flow and systems behind the scenes, and the foundation (fabric) of the value you provide, should be built to be as robust and smooth as possible. What …… you need to do now is not add embellishments to your slides. It’s about eliminating the noise and refining only the essential value.

Mr. K. concluded, drank the rest of his coffee, and stood up. As he moved, the deep, lustrous navy fabric swayed elegantly, the long drawcords arcing rhythmically.

Mr. K

See ya. I’ll be expecting good news on Monday.

I let out a big breath as I watch his back as he leaves without a footstep. My hesitation completely gone, I turned to the MacBook screen, boldly selected more than half of the slides, and hit the Delete key. I discarded the jumble of illustrations and text, and focused on the information that was important to me. The fog in my brain cleared, and I could feel my thoughts becoming clearer and clearer. The new blank screen was so beautiful and powerful that I could hardly distinguish it from the one I had just seen.

After the presentation, let’s get that “NIGHT” and “FOX” first. It is not just the act of buying clothes. It means getting a physical switch to memorize and embody in your own skin this “subtractive aesthetics” business philosophy of today.

The ambient music playing in the lounge was much more pleasant to my ears than earlier.

Check out the official website!

The new “NIGHT II” & “FOX II” setups are now available exclusively at the official GENTLEMAN POJECTS store. Two colors, black and navy, are available. This is a popular series that sells out every time, so if you are interested, be sure to check it out as soon as possible!

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