TELMA was launched with the desire to bring color back into the monotonous world after the pandemic. The brand debuted with its 2022 S/S collection and won the NEXT BRAND AWARD 2025 this year. Known for its unique designs that blend Western and Eastern aesthetic, there is high hopes for the future of TELMA. We invited the brand’s designer, Terumasa Nakajima, to take part in a conversation with creative director and his close friend, Ryuhei Nakadai of RIVER-Inc.

Tell us about how the two of you met.

Nakadai: We had been introduced by a mutual friend before Nakajima started his brand, and he asked me to design the brand’s logo and website. That is the only time we’ve worked together directly, but since I’m involved in branding works in general, we’ve grown to exchange ideas and talk about things together since then.
Nakajima: Nakadai is a professional in the field of art direction and brand image, and I trust him and his works very much.
Nakadai: Unlike in fashion, product design, or architecture, the primary medium of “design” is information in my industry, so my role often entails acting as somebody’s spokesperson. I hope to continue to be someone who can understand and relate to Nakajima’s vision and help convey his ideas to others.
Nakajima: We’ve both spent time in London, which may be why we have a similar understanding when it comes to cultural contexts. Since we both know firsthand the challenges of being a foreigner abroad, we have similar approaches to verbalizing and visualizing our ideas and a mutual awareness of issues specific to Japan.

What do you mean by issues specific to Japan?

Nakajima: Before the era of the information society we find ourselves in today, I Japanese had a careful and sincere approach to daily life and the making of things, a kind of attitude and forethought that was truly admirable. I want to approach my own creation through this kind of perspective, which seems to have been largely forgotten.
Nakadai: Nakajima’s vision goes beyond designing just clothes. He’s attempting to design in a holistic way and bring in pieces of the process that are often left out of the conversation, like the regions and industries directly involved in production. When Nakajima and I talk about design, the conversation isn’t really about clothes; it shifts instead to discussions about disappearing cultures and regions of production. I find his approach to tackling social and industry issues within the glamorous world of fashion to be a fascinating “contradiction,” one that defines TELMA’s unique identity. TELMA is a brand that embraces the intentional “misalignment” between balancing elegance and innovation.
Nakajima: TELMA creates beautiful clothes that introduce new perspectives while maintaining an awareness of context. Since my job is to make and sell clothing, I have a responsibility to avoid boldness simply for the sake of making a statement and instead ensure that my clothes are firmly rooted in a context that can provide new value to the people who wear them.
Nakadai: Clothing has a long history and established forms and conventions. TELMA is able to exist within that traditional context while also going beyond it.

What kinds of things inspire you in your pursuit of design that maintains elegance while introducing new perspectives and values?

Nakajima: It could be the sunset or the clouds in the sky, even a single line in a play or a novel. I start by identifying the emotional “impulse” that moves me and exploring what resonates with how I, and those who wear my clothes, feel in a specific moment. On the other hand, I think I also have a bit of a contrarian streak—a somewhat egoistic desire to discover overlooked perspectives or elements that are different from what is already out there.

Nakadai: Nakajima handles everything himself, from the initial design concept to its execution and delivery into the world as a product. He is meticulous about each and every step. Many designers and creators struggle to understand and convey their emotions to others, so I think Nakajima’s passion for transforming his “impulses” into tangible forms is remarkable.

Nakajima: The more experienced you become, the more you risk losing sight of the broader picture and becoming bound by the rules of the industry. This is why I try to broaden my perspective by intentionally challenging myself with things that don’t come easily to me and never forgetting that beginner’s mindset.

Nakadai: In my work, decisions are made collectively, but in TELMA’s case, Nakajima himself is the brand. That he and the brand can evolve together is part of its charm.

Nakajima: I’m actually planning to start showing in Paris from the upcoming 25 A/W season. Preparing for this new phase has given me a moment to really think about what kind of brand I want TELMA to be moving forward. The clothes I design might begin with my own impulses, but ultimately, it is the person who wears them who must find them beautiful. I want to create clothes that appeal to emotion rather than logic. As I think about expanding into international markets, I want TELMA to resonate with the way people abroad wear clothes, both in terms of how people feel about clothes and the specific situations in which they wear them, while staying true to the brand’s essence.

Nakadai: I work with several fashion brands on their overseas presence, and I have to say, it’s really tough to compete internationally as an independent label. As you pursue TELMA’s essence abroad, do you find yourself consciously aware of being Japanese?

Nakajima: I think it’s important to express elements unique to Japan, like materials and regional characteristics, as well as a Japanese sensibility and philosophy. I hope I find a way to communicate these qualities intrinsic to Japan the way Issey Miyake and Kenzo Takada have.

After receiving the NEXT BRAND AWARD, you held your first runway show in September 2024. Looking back, how was the show for you?

Nakajima: Fashion show is a tool for communication, ten minutes of magic—a form of entertainment born out of the culmination of the creative efforts of the entire team. TELMA’s clothes are only complete once worn, and I took the fashion show as an opportunity to showcase the clothes from every possible angle, to express the brand’s core essence. The show allowed me to share the collection with many people and receive various feedback and reactions.

TELMA is also scheduled to show at Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO in March 2025 for the Autumn/Winter 2025 Season. What do you have in store for us there?

Nakajima: Since expressing myself through words isn’t my strength, I see fashion design as my voice—a way to communicate my thoughts and emotions to those who wear my clothes. With this in mind, I’m in the process of exploring different ideas and modes of expression for my next show. I hope to find a way to communicate my message in a way that feels true to TELMA’s identity.
Nakadai: I’m excited to see how you push yourself next.

As designers, what are some challenges you hope to take on in the future?

Nakadai: I’ve been involved in many hotel branding projects, but I’d like to try my hand next at architecture and interior design myself.
Nakajima: I share a similar vision. TELMA is very much rooted in fashion, but I originally studied interior design, and I find it exciting when creative boundaries intersect and overlap. I would love to engage in broader forms of design and create spaces that embody the concept of dressing. Also, at the moment, I currently focus on domestic production—the “Made in Japan” tradition—but I’m interested in exploring hybrid forms of craftsmanship that blend domestic and international techniques. It would be fascinating to merge Japan’s culture with the skills and materials of artisans from around the world. This approach is quite different from an efficient supply chain model, but I think the inefficiency and dynamism of this kind of approach is precisely what could make it worthwhile to pursue as a sustainable business model. Handknit clothing varies greatly depending on where it’s made. In Italy, the knitting tend to be loose; in China, they are tightly bound; and in Japan, there’s a distinctive precision to the work. It’s interesting how different cultural approaches result in these unique garments that reflect their traditions and national character. It would be fun to combine these kinds of handwork with African threads, for example, to create something that is free and expressive.
Nakadai: No doubt, Nakajima’s expertise is clothing, but you can see how his worldview extends beyond fashion, too. His output doesn’t necessarily need to take the form of clothing.
Nakajima: Of course, I want to create clothes that people feel excited to wear and that look beautiful on them; I want our customers to continue to find the clothes they seek at TELMA. I started this brand as a way to bring color back into the monotony of our days during the pandemic, but moving forward, I want to create spaces that both celebrate and redefine the act of wearing, enjoying, and appreciating clothes in today’s world.