Log 12On the Road: Work Session with S.T,N.E. in Osaka, Japan

Words by

Vince Lo

Photos by

Alvin Kwan, Aily Nishioka, Vince Lo

This past September, we had the opportunity to travel to Osaka to do a two-day work session with Tok Kise and his colleague Kosuke Inoue. Our team had been working on a catalog book for Tok’s new furniture brand S.T,N.E. (Same TRUCK, New Engine).

Work trips have become more rare for us these days, especially with more responsibilities here at home. In years past, we mainly would travel for photoshoots or the occasional press check abroad. All this made our recent trip to Osaka as a team an inspiring and memorable experience.

Alvin and I first met Tok in New York during the book launch for Faculty Department Vol.1 and we would later visit him in Osaka the following year during an inspiration trip. Both of us would make trips with our families to visit TRUCK in the following years. In a strange way, each visit to TRUCK for me has marked an important time in my life—a new business venture; a honeymoon trip; and perhaps this time, it marks my new chapter as a father (my toddler is already 2, but we can pretend).

Walking down the unassuming street to TRUCK, it’s always a nice surprise to be met with an abundance of greenery at the entrance to TRUCK and Bird Coffee. Stepping into Bird Coffee feels like stepping back in time and the consistent interior makes you feel like you just picked up from where you left off during the last visit.

After weeks of video calls and emails, it was refreshing to sit across the table from Tok and Kosuke and ideate together in person. All of us felt a certain energy build as we brainstormed ideas, talked through details and problem solved to push this book to the finish line. Getting to see the furniture in person confirmed for me that there is a certain feeling or appreciation that can only be experienced in person.

Due to the tight timeline, our team worked around the clock during the trip with some work days ending at 6am the next morning. We also learned to work very collaboratively even if we were not in the same room at the same time. Train and train stations became coworking spaces for a period of time. Airbnbs and hotels became our studio for what we endearingly called our “night shifts”.

I came away from this trip with many scattered thoughts in my head. But perhaps what I felt most strongly from this trip was simply gratitude.

Adjusting to life as a father hasn’t been easy for me. Being two years in, I’m still navigating how to manage my time and be fully present for my son, while being efficient, creative, and available for the studio. This trip reminded me of the early years of running the studio and traveling for work. It gave me a renewed passion, and for that I’m truly grateful.

I’m also grateful for the opportunity to visit Tok again, and be inspired by him, his new venture and renewed passion for making through S.T,N.E.

Lastly, I’m grateful for our team, and how we’ve been able to work together (along with all parties involved) to make this book a reality. These experiences are what makes certain projects really memorable for me. When I look back at this book, I’m proud of the design and the quality of work we produced, but I’m also reminded of all the memories from our time together in Osaka.

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