Meet the Founder of Sugar&Co: A Q&A with Shinya Takahashi (part 1)

Last June, we visited the Union Showroom in Berlin to meet our clients, explore fresh collections from brands we know and love, and to be introduced to new brands that might be next big thing. The show gave us the perfect opportunity to sit down with guys from Japan who eat denim for breakfast lunch and dinner. We’ve been cooking up some exciting collaborations with some of these guys that will be launching soon.

As we strolled through the show, Sugar&Co immediately grabbed our attention. The designs were sharp, the fabrics incredible. Before we knew it, we found ourselves deep in conversation with Shinya Takahashi, the brand’s founder. He took his time walking us through the collection, sharing some of the stories behind each piece, making them seem even more beautiful. The garments impressed, Shinya inspired, and we left the trade show knowing Sugar&Co and Shinya better than many of the brands we’ve known and followed for years. This is definitely a brand that you’ll want to follow.

Chicken Sashimi in Osaka

A few weeks ago, we traveled to Japan. We told Shinya that we would be nearby, and he invited us for dinner in Osaka. Shinya ordered a selection of traditional Japanese delicacies and, as the dishes started arriving, the chicken sashimi (a huge plate full of raw chicken) left our mouths hanging open. We’d never tried raw chicken before and, try as we might, we couldn’t quite get the hang of it. That Western mindset is a hard one to break. Luckily, Shinya also ordered Yakitori, which was incredibly delicious. The dinner was an unforgettable experience.

During our dinner, we spoke about Shinya’s experience in the Japanese denim industry and about how he started Sugar&Co. He’s one of the most intriguing people we’ve ever met, with a clear vision surrounding the blending of traditional Japanese craftsmanship with contemporary comfort. Shinya walked us through some of his designs and signature fabrics, all crafted exclusively for Sugar&Co. It was during this unforgettable “chicken sashimi dinner” that we realized that the story of Sugar&Co was too good to keep it to ourselves.

A Conversation with Shinya Takahashi, part one

When we got home, we reached out to Shinya-san again and proposed a Q&A so we could introduce him and Sugar&Co to our readers. His answers to our questions were incredibly in depth—so in depth that we needed to split this article into two parts.

In the first part of the Q&A, you’ll get exclusive insight into Shinya’s life—particularly how he got into denim and how he decided to start his own brand. In the second part, we’ll focus on his brand, its biggest points of inspiration, its signature details, and its incredible fabrics.

Robin: Can you please start by introducing yourself?

Shinya: I was born on May 8, 1986, in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, where I still live today with my wife and our two sons. Amagasaki is one of Japan’s best-known traditional downtown areas, a place where the spirit and culture of the Showa era remain alive. It’s my beloved hometown and an important part of who I am.

Since elementary school, basketball has been a major part of my life. After finishing my studies, I joined a semi-professional basketball team based in Shizuoka and played there for about two years. Unfortunately, an injury forced me to retire, and at the age of 23, I decided to pursue another long-time passion: apparel.

I had always been deeply into vintage clothing and Tokyo’s street culture, especially the so-called Ura-Harajuku scene, with brands like NEIGHBORHOOD, TENDERLOIN, and A BATHING APE. Around that time, the store manager of the select shop TINY OSAKA, which carried many of the brands I admired, invited me to join the team. That’s how I began working there.

While gaining experience as a sales associate and buyer, I became fascinated by the craftsmanship and storytelling behind Japanese denim. This growing passion and experience led me to join FULLCOUNT. During my seven years there, I worked across various roles including sales, product planning, and public relations. Then, in January 2020, I decided to go independent and launch my own brand, SUGAR&CO, debuting with the Spring/Summer 2020 collection.

Robin: Before we dive into your brand, I’d love to hear more about your passion for Japanese denim. How did you first get into denim, and what inspired you to start working in the industry?

Shinya: My first interest in denim started in a very simple, and, honestly, quite fanboyish way.
When I was in elementary school, there was a TV commercial for EDWIN where Brad Pitt played the guitar and sang “503.” I remember thinking, “If I wear those jeans, I can be like Brad Pitt!” So I asked my mom for some allowance, went to a local jeans shop, and got myself a pair of 503s. I wore them constantly until both knees were completely torn out. That pair became the first jeans in my life that made me realize how cool denim looks as it fades over time.

When I entered junior high school (in the late ’90s to early 2000s), Japan was in the middle of a huge movement of Ura-Harajuku street culture and vintage clothing. Naturally, I became fascinated by the background and stories behind these cultures.

I would spend all my allowance at a local vintage shop called Tekki (Target), where the owner taught me the basics of American culture and denim culture. I was especially drawn to vintage jeans (brands like Levi’s, Lee, Wrangler), and I found myself falling deeper and deeper into the world of denim.

At the same time, I was also really into Ura-Harajuku fashion. My go-to style back then was to mix vintage Levi’s or Ralph Lauren chinos with graphic tees or sweatshirts from Ura-Hara brands, a blend of street and vintage that felt very “me.”

Through working in retail, I developed a deeper appreciation for the details of garments and the stories behind them, which gradually led to a strong interest in craftsmanship. In fashion, newness is often seen as value, but denim is different: The older it gets, the more beautiful it becomes. That idea really resonated with me.

Eventually, I learned that Japan had many brands recreating vintage American denim, not just copying the surface look, but honoring the history and culture behind it. I became completely immersed in the world of Japanese denim, where each brand expressed its own unique character while staying true to the roots of denim.

Robin: Before starting SUGAR&CO, you worked at Fullcount. What was your role there, and how has that experience helped you build  SUGAR&CO?

Shinya: When I was working in retail, selling directly to end customers, my focus was mainly on the fashion side: styling, silhouettes, and other surface-level aspects of the products. However, when I changed jobs and became a salesperson at FULLCOUNT, selling to shop owners and buyers, I quickly realized that I needed a much deeper understanding of the products themselves.

To gain that knowledge, I spent a great deal of time studying the background of each item. I studied the stories behind the details, the history, and the fabric structures. Although I’ve never been a fan of studying in general (laughs), learning about fashion and denim, which I truly love, was both meaningful and enjoyable. I was also fortunate to have a very knowledgeable boss, from whom I learned a great deal.

Over time, I was promoted to Sales Director, handling nearly all domestic accounts across Japan. Later on, I was also involved in product planning and public relations. The knowledge and experience I gained during that time completely reshaped how I viewed clothing. In particular, I developed a deep appreciation for the beauty of denim. This passion led me to want to create denim that could move people’s hearts in the same way it moved mine.

Today, many long-established brands are dedicated to creating vintage-style denim. In Japan, since the 1990s, pioneers have experimented with sewing machines, fabrics, threads, and techniques, establishing an environment where anyone with sufficient knowledge can reproduce vintage-style denim.

Rather than simply imitating what those pioneers had already done, I wanted to pay respect to their legacy while expressing denim in a new way. That idea became the foundation for Sugar&Co., which I launched with a slacks-style denim as its flagship model—an effort to bring a fresh perspective to the timeless world of denim.

Robin: Osaka is home to many famous denim brands. How does the city’s denim culture influence and inspire your vision?

Shinya: As you may know, Osaka is home to many denim brands that are highly respected around the world. The city has long been known as a “merchant town”, where people value practicality, playfulness, and taking good care of the things they use. The Osaka spirit of cherishing quality and using things for a long time naturally connects with denim culture.

That mindset has deeply influenced how we approach making things. Each denim brand in Osaka pursues its own vision of what feels authentic and real for everyday life, with a quiet sense of pride and a touch of humor.

For me, the honesty and down-to-earth attitude of Osaka people, as well as their appreciation for things that age beautifully, are constant sources of inspiration.

Rather than chasing trends, I want to create denim that becomes more attractive the more it’s worn. That idea, our concept of “BECOME MORE DELICIOUS”,  is something that truly comes from the culture of this city.

If you want to know more about Sugar&Co, you can read part two of the Q&A, here.

Robin: Thanks Shinya for taking the time and for giving us a unique insight into your personal life as well as how your love for denim started. It’s interesting to read how you got into this industry and how your passion and culture influences your style and form an important inspiration for Sugar&Co.

Sugar&Co has been making big waves in Japan in their first five years, and they’re now taking their first steps into the overseas market, especially Europe. Their unique approach and bold designs, that go beyond five-pocket jeans, are exactly what the crowded denim market needs. Head over to Sugar&Co’s webstore to learn more about their collections and make sure to give them a follow on Instagram!

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