Give us the Tanamachi elevator pitch.
TANAMACHI is a queer Mexican brand inspired by the vices and virtues of everyday life in CDMX [Ciudad de México] . We create wearable and gender-neutral pieces from deadstock materials that tell a story — our story. We believe that fashion isn’t merely clothing, but a way of communication and empowerment.
The Five W’s
Who shops at Tanamachi?
The cool kids of CDMX. The ones who get it, get it.
What is Tanamachi’s main message?
Love and possibility: Everything in TANAMACHI comes out of the minds of two lovers, me (Toshiharu) on the creative side and Mauricio on the business side. We believe that Mexico can create its own design language without looking abroad and that it’s possible to be a successful creative business in Mexico.
When did you launch Tanamachi?
The first garment with the TANAMACHI label was created in 2018. In the beginning, I only made custom-made suits, but then I met Mauricio when the pandemic hit. Mau’s business mind changed the direction of the brand into ready-to-wear pieces.
Where are people wearing Tanamachi?
Everywhere! That’s the beauty of our pieces, they’re actually wearable. So you can go to the gym, have a meeting, go to dinner, or go out, and you’ll feel comfortable (while still looking hot).
Why was Tanamachi started?
Because no one was telling our side of the story through clothes! Also, I’ve always been obsessed with fashion; I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.
How does your mixed heritage inform your design aesthetic?
It’s a little bit complicated. My great-grandparents and grandparents came from Japan to Mexico, escaping WWII. They established themselves here for a while, but when the war got ugly, the Mexican government imprisoned Japanese, Italian, and German immigrants for 5 years. When they were finally released, my grandparents were afraid to be openly Japanese, so they taught my dad, my aunts, and uncles that they were as Mexican as a taco. They denied all of their heritage because they were afraid that if another war happened, things would end up the same as they were before. My cousins and I are trying to connect the dots and finally rediscover our ancestry. However, I think I’ll always feel more Mexican than anything else.
What were some of your formative creative inspirations before launching Tanamachi?
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (a.k.a. Lady Gaga). Mexican pop culture: María Félix, Teresa Chávez, Thalía, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, the Mexican Miracle.
Your Box silhouette recurs in mini-shorts, long pants, skirts, etc. How did boxing become a central theme in your brand?
I hate sports, but I love vintage sportswear. In my gay, unathletic mind, when I think of Chilango [Mexico City] sports, I think of boxing, lucha libre, and soccer. Traditional sportswear is comfortable but ugly — so we wanted to create a garment that includes the best of both worlds: something comfortable yet stylish. That’s how we came up with the idea of a boxing waistband applied to any type of bottom.
Can you tell us more about the creative community in CDMX?
CDMX has always been a major creative hub; it has such a surreal and long history, and anything can happen here. Maybe it’s the real factory of dreams, and people are just starting to notice.
Are there other brands or designers in the CDMX community you’re loving right now?
You can find a Mexican brand for literally every taste. Some examples are Campillo, Cueva, Ppaayyss, ODIC, Barragán, Ditzy, among others.
You closely identify with the queer community — how does this part of your identity inform your brand’s messaging and approach?
In these times, I think it’s very powerful to be unapologetically queer and stay true to ourselves. We’ll always be here.
How did you choose to start using all deadstock fabric in your collections?
Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world. A small action like using only locally sourced deadstock materials can help the bigger issue.
Are there any challenges to designing with deadstock?
Yes, it’s a double-edged sword. We can only create a limited number of pieces of each garment, which can be a good or a bad thing. When designing a garment, we never have a specific fabric in mind because we never know what we’ll be able to find. We go downtown CDMX with an open mind to discover treasures. We might discover 10 meters of silk, but we won’t find that again.
Can you tell us more about your latest drop/collection?
HOT PEOPLE FROM MY TEENS SS25 is an ode to being a teenager in the late 2000s in CDMX. It’s a caricature of archetypes of a bygone era: the emo kid, the Mirrey, the Hi5 femme fatale, the wannabe indie sleaze kid. It’s a celebration of that teen angst about changing the world, because sometimes it feels like the world we were promised in those years never came to be true. And everything is worse.
Do you have a favorite piece from your previous collections?
The Pachuco suit from our first collection, because it put us on the map; the boxing pants because they pay the rent; the quinceañera boxing skirt from our first runway, because it summarizes the best of our vision, and finally the silver balloon dress from our SS25 collection, because it’s cute AF.
Are there any themes or product categories you’d like to explore in the future?
In the future, we want to create our first signature scent! I love the smell of worn perfume and cigarettes after a party… or maybe shoes? I would also love to create the next “it” Mexican shoe.
Do you have an opinion on the revival of chanclas/flip-flops as a growing fashion trend?
I am answering this question while wearing some cute leather sandals. Finally, men are dipping their toes (literally) in fun shoes. Though if you live in a city, washing your feet when you get home is a must.
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