In collaboration with Japanese trend magazine Spur, which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, the 1st floor Garage space of INTERSECT BY LEXUS exhibited a Spur-produced/styled LEXUS LFA and served a special collaboration menu of tartines and smoothies at a limited-time "Love Spur Cafe." To commemorate its opening, a special talk event was held featuring author Mieko Kawakami with Spur editor-in-chief Yumiko Fukui. The session was hosted by announcer Yuko Yasuda.

The initial spark for the talk session was a short story by Ms. Kawakami that Spur published last year. To start the event, she read aloud an extract from the work, explaining that it tells the story of a woman’s encounter with fashion and draws at times on her own experiences. In one scene, the main character decides in the moment on a particular item of clothing before hearing the store staff's customary "I think it really suits you." Ms. Kawakami suggested that although there's nothing wrong with someone telling you that something looks good on you, self-awareness and the confidence to make an item of clothing your own is important. This kind of encounter can happen with people as well as with clothes.

The conversation shifted naturally to the topic of clothing. "Price alone doesn't necessarily determine how good something is, but items of clothing do have the ability to persuade," Ms. Kawakami said. "I remember one time making an impulse buy and feeling that I was being nudged in the right direction." Mr. Fukui noted that what you wear is said to affect how you act or the way you walk. Ms. Kawakami agreed, saying: "Even with a single piece of clothing something seems to change. It might come across as extravagant, but I often feel like I’m being led along by something, sometimes to the point that the item is as important to me as part of my body."

"Trends exist in fashion, but we have our own 'personal vintage' as well," Ms. Kawakami noted. "Everyone has that one item that they can't part with, linked to a memory or episode. This is the kind of encounter that we hope for." Mr. Fukui suggested that music and books are the same, with old songs you can listen to repeatedly somehow connecting you with your former self through a particular memory. Ms. Kawakami responded, "It's true with music as well, but you probably also have clothes you have decided don't really suit you. I’m interested to know how people make the jump to the next step. I feel that protectively surrounding oneself with only things you like is a bit limiting. A hair and make-up artist finds a balance between a woman’s conservative side and drawing out a new side of that person. It can be difficult, but taking a chance and going the extra mile is important."

The conversation broadened to include attitudes toward relationships. Ms. Kawakami commented, "Fashionable people have all their clothes laid out and organized ahead of time, but my own wardrobe is split into two or three parts. I wonder why people go off clothes that they bought a couple of years before. Is it the same with love?"

After the talk session, Ms. Kawakami took questions from the audience. She discussed topics such as a white blouse and black skirt that she is fond of, heel sizes for shoes and the reason she started writing. One fan asked about the author's "distant attitude" phrase. To conclude, Ms. Kawakami said it is important to speak one’s mind and that she hoped to continue the discussion if they all meet again sometime.

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