By May Masangkay

Executive Impact Oct. 26, 2009 - 05:02AM JST ( 3 )

TOKYO —

At a time when people are looking to purchase low-cost items in areas ranging from daily commodities to clothing and furniture, Japanese industrial and car designer Ken Okuyama appears to be in no hurry to join the bandwagon of manufacturers and retailers providing cheap products.
   
Okuyama, who founded the design planning and consultancy firm Ken Okuyama Design in 2007 and won fame as the first non-Italian to design a car for Italy’s Ferrari, is uncompromising in his stance of offering high-quality products, saying they may be expensive but are cost-efficient and eco-friendly.
   
‘‘People go for cheaper products because people are very aware of the value that they get from products, or maybe we simply don’t give people high enough value for them to understand about paying more,’’ said Okuyama, who has been traveling across Europe and the United States.
   
With a philosophy of designing products that are ‘‘modern, simple and timeless,’’ Okuyama is jumping on the chance to flaunt his unique collection which includes eye glasses, furniture and a car at Mitsukoshi Ltd’s flagship store in Nihombashi district. The store featured works by renowned Japanese artists and designers under the ‘‘Japan Creation Week’’ exhibit.

One of Okuyama’s centerpieces is the K.O 7 original sports car, which is built with lightweight carbon fiber, stamped aluminum panels and milled alloy pieces, and has a 2-liter engine. These built-to-order cars are produced in Britain, with a maximum output of 100 units per year. Electric car models are set for release in two years’ time.
   
The Yamagata native, who worked as a design director for Pininfarina S.p.A and chief designer of then General Motors Corp and helped design the Ferrari Enzo car, prides himself on offering products that are not simply mass produced and dumped within less than a year.
   
‘‘Products and goods are something that we actually don’t think enough of it but when you think about it, good watches, for example, last for generations,’’ Okuyama said.
   
‘‘When you look at what’s environment-friendly…using the same product for tens, hundreds of years is probably the most efficient and friendly to the environment and makes your life richer and more enjoyable,’’ he said.
   
While Okuyama recognizes that the global economic downturn is making consumers tighten their purse strings, he believes that they need to prepare for once the economy bounces back from its recession and that people then will be less cost-conscious and thus seek out products of value.
   
With products catering to a high-end clientele and marketing focused on overseas clients, Okuyama’s products are hardly a household name in Japan.
 
‘‘We have been showing our work only outside of Japan partly because Japanese people like the influence of outside,’’ he said, adding that he believes the time is now ripe to push his products on the domestic market as the Japanese people are ‘‘ready’’ to embrace their concept.
   
Okuyama said he is determined to promote his products by making them relevant to those who want to enjoy traditional Japanese culture and also use it daily.
   
‘‘When you see typical Japanese products, they are almost too traditional and you can’t use them in daily life,’’ Okuyama said.
   
‘‘It’s almost like when you talk about Japanese dancing, people go all the way to kabuki, kabuki is great, but you don’t use kabuki in daily life,’’ he added. ‘‘How do you really take that traditional flavor of Japanese culture and put in the modern life of Japan? That’s been our theme and as far as I know, I don’t see many people doing that.’’