Quick Q&A with Keiya Masuno from Toot

Toot is one of menswear’s best kept sartorial secrets. The Japanese brand is dedicated to making the finest, most comfortable underwear a man could want, in such a wide variety of designs that it would be pretty much impossible not to find something for every style of guy.

Here the charming mustachioed and bespectacled CEO of the company, Keiya Masuno, talks about the personal satisfaction he gets from supplying men with undergarments of the highest quality that can be a vestimentary  expression of who they really are, even if they might be the only ones who get to see it.

How did you first get interested in fashion?
Since I was little, I have always wanted to be myself, different from others. But, unfortunately, the Japanese society I grew up in put more weight on group harmony than individuality. Fashion is the greatest tool for me to express my resistance to that social pressure; to represent who you are, what you like, and how you live.

What made you finally decide to launch out on your own?
I was seeking an alternative profession to revolutionize the world and it was such a wonderful coincidence that I got an offer to become the CEO of a revolutionary fashion brand! I was completely reassured right from the moment I had my first experience with TOOT underwear that the products are not only of great quality, with an enormous variety of design, but they were guaranteed to change the mindset of businessmen, repressed by society to wear a business attire on weekdays.

What was your big break?
It is embarrassing to admit but I realized it was my factory that created the value to my customers only when we ran short of stock due to a radical sales increase.

Who inspires you?
Contemporary artists such as James Turrell, Andreas Gursky, Leandro Erlich, and Kohei Nawa.

Who living or dead would you love to be able to have dinner with?
Genghis Khan. How did he see the world? What motivated him to conquer such a large scale of lands?

What is your favorite trip?
I love a trip with no destination, especially in a foreign country that I have never been to. In such a trip everything becomes new and fresh, and you can feel truly immersed in it.

When are you happiest?
I am happiest when I am with my adorable daughter and my wonderful wife.

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing?
Increase the production in my own factory while maintaining the best-in-class quality.

What is your secret talent?
Sing and play the piano at the same time.

What is your motto or the best piece of advice you ever got?
Free, Fair, Fun.

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Jessica Michault

Jessica Michault is the Senior Vice President of industry relations at GPS Radar by Launchmetrics. She is also the editor-at-large for ODDA magazine and contributes to publications like the New York Times, the Business of Fashion, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Mixte magazine.